The city of Cortez announced on Oct. 22 that it hired a new general services director, a position that had been vacant for a few months.
The new hire is Casey Simpson, a Park City native and graduate of Fort Lewis College.
He lives near Summit Ridge now, on a small farm with his wife and daughter. They have an orchard and raise Dexter cattle in the county, according to a news release.
Having grown up in Park City, he learned to love the outdoors and “its small community feel,” the release said.
When he graduated high school, Fort Lewis College felt like a natural progression for the outdoor enthusiast “drawn to … the rugged wilderness of the southern San Juan Mountains,” the release said.
In 2006, he officially earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Fort Lewis College. Upon graduation, he became a backpacking guide while simultaneously building custom homes in the mountains outside of Fort Collins, Simpson said.
Simpson called himself a “learner for life,” so it’s no wonder he went back to school and got a master’s degree in education from Regis University in Denver.
He ultimately went back to Fort Lewis, too, and underwent a one-year, online Principal Leadership Program to get his principal licensure.
After, he got his start at Southwest Open High School as an instructor.
Three years later, he was promoted to the position of academic lead, where he worked on the curriculum side of things. Not long after that, he was promoted to the executive director position at the alternative, outdoor education-centric school in Cortez.
His last day at Southwest Open High School is Dec. 12, days before he steps into the new general services director role.
Simpson said he has already agreed to stay on the school’s board in the short term as a nonvoting member, and that he intends to make sure everything’s in place at SWOS before he moves on.
He’ll also continue serving on the board of the Four Corners Recycling Initiative.
As far as the director role goes, Simpson said he’s most excited to keep growing, learning and meeting new people.
“The city staff is so kind, and have been already; especially the leadership team,” said Simpson. “They have a lot of knowledge and I’m excited to learn from them.”
Specifically, he looks forward to expanding his “leadership toolbox” in a community where people work toward shared goals and know one another.
“I’m excited to bring a new set of eyes and ideas to what the city already does pretty well,” he said.
“I don’t know Casey personally but I have always heard good things about him,” said Cortez Mayor Rachel Medina. “I’m excited that we were able to find someone who is already invested in this community.”
