Nebraska Game and Parks Centennial

Jim a. Swenson (Jim) was recently promoted to Deputy Director of the Nebraska Game and Parks.

 

He was born in Oakland, Nebraska and is a small-town kid, raised to enjoy the outdoors. He

graduated in 1980 from Oakland-Craig High School and was a member of 1979 and 1980 Class C State Champion Golf teams.

 

He attended Community College at Northeast Tech Community College of Norfolk, studied Criminal Justice and was a member of varsity golf team.

 

Jim transferred to the University of Nebraska - Lincoln and graduated with honors in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources/Wildlife Management and a minor in Life Sciences. 

 

His employment at Nebraska Game and Parks started at Dead Timber State Recreation Area near Scribner, and Fremont State Recreation Area.  Other positions include District 5 Resource Services at Osage Wildlife Management Area near Tecumseh, and the controlled waterfowl hunt at Randall W. Schilling Refuge.

 

He became a full-time employee in August 1986 as Park Superintendent 1, assigned to Enders Reservoir State Recreation Area near Imperial, Nebraska and managed Rock Creek SRA near Parks, NE. 

 

At Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, he became a Supt IV in charge of the park operation and administration in 1995. From there he became East Region Parks Manager, stationed in the Lincoln Game and Parks office where he oversaw park operations in the eastern portion of the state including; Mahoney, Platte River, Niobrara, Ponca, Indian Cave State Parks

Arbor Lodge, Ash Fall and Fort Atkinson State Historical Parks

Fremont, Two Rivers, Louisville, Willow Creek, Dead Timber, Summit Lake and Lewis & Clark State Recreation Areas.

 

He earned the 2006 Supervisor of the Year award for Game and Parks and in 2014, he was promoted to Parks Division Administrator – Lincoln, overseeing park operations statewide; including eight State Parks, 58 State Recreation Areas, 10 State Historical Parks and two Recreational Trails.

 

On December 27, 2021, he was promoted to Deputy Director of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, to serve alongside Director Tim McCoy in leading the agency. 

 

He served as Executive Director to the Nebraska Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission 2001 through 2007.  He represented Nebraska on the national advisory panel; Circle of States Advisors (COSA) for National Lewis & Clark commemorative activities and represented the State during tribal negotiations with Nebraska and Oklahoma Native American tribes relevant to the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial commemoration. 

 

Jim is a member of the Nebraska Sports Hall of Fame and was a cast member “extra” in the 1985/86 television mini-series “Amerika”