VINP Superintendent Mark Hardgrove, above at far left, with Fraser Drummond, Governor John deJongh and Joe Kessler.
After 41 years and 10 months of dedication to the National Park Service, V.I. National Park Superintendent Mark Hardgrove retired last week.
Hardgrove, who took over the top spot at VINP and V.I. Coral Reef National Monument in 2007, officially retired on Friday, August 3.
“I am proud to have served the NPS, the residents of the Virgin Islands, our Governor and our partners as we worked together to improve the community involvement through planning and transparency in the V.I. National Parks,” Hardgrove said in a prepared statement last week. “This has been the most challenging and exciting time of my life and I would not trade my experiences here for anything.”
Hardgrove plans to move back to Puerto Rico to join his wife who has been working and living in the Carolina area for more than a year.
Deputy Superintendent Mike Anderson will fill the role as Acting Superintendent of VINP until either he, or someone else, is officially assigned to the position by NPS officials.
“The vacancy announcement for the Superintendent Position should be advertised in the next few weeks with a selection made sometime in early October, 2012,” according to the statement.
Last week marked the end of a long and distinguished career for Hardgrove who rose through the NPS ranks starting in the Washington, D.C. area where he worked at several different posts including C&O Canal National Historic Park, George Washington Memorial Parkway and National Capital Parks East.
Hardgrove served as Deputy Superintendent at San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico for 11 years and eight years at Big Cypress National Preserve in South Florida. Hardgrove’s NPS career also included positions at Cumberland Island National Seashore, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park and Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
The veteran NPS employee was first based on St. John in the mid-90s when he was appointed Acting Superintendent of VINP to over see recovery operations in the wake of Hurricane Marilyn in 1995.
Throughout his four decades of work, Hardgrove viewed his five years at VINP — which included overseeing the largest land acquisition in the park since its inception, expanding the storm mooring system and improving communication with the public — as the highlight of his career.
“I have served the NPS at VINP working with our leaders and our community now for five years and the Virgin Islands has been the highlight of my career,” said Hardgrove.
While St. John enjoys a special place in Hardgrove’s heart, there was someplace even more special tugging him home.
“I asked my wife Millie what she wanted for our 10 year wedding anniversary and she said she wanted me to come home,” said the retired VINP Superintendent. “Millie has been living and working in Puerto Rico now for a year so that made August 3, our anniversary and now the best day of my career, an easy choice. What a wonderful way to celebrate our anniversary.”
Even Hardgrove’s extended family enjoyed their time on St. John, he explained.
“Speaking of family I must thank the community of the Virgin Islands from my-father-in-law,” said Hardgrove. “Cirilo Flores passed in February 2011 after living with us for four years. He loved St. John, his friends at the senior center, and this allowed us to see the community from a different perspective and meet some of the finest people of my life.”
Looking back over the past five years and around at the park he oversaw, Hardgrove felt a deep sense of pride, he explained.
“When I drive through the park I feel proud of the accomplishments of the NPS team during my time here,” said the retired VINP Superintendent. “Hawksnest, Peace Hill, Jumbie Bay, Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay and the ruins, Maho Bay, Francis Bay, Annaberg — all serving thousands of visitors and local residents 365 days per year.”
“I am proud of our volunteer program and the park trails that receive the benefits of thousands of volunteer hours led by the Friends of the Park,” Hardgrove said. “I am proud of the partnerships and relationships I enjoyed and feel good that the park is better than I found it.”
The reconstruction of North Shore Road and creating accessible trails were two major accomplishments for VINP under Hardgrove’s tenure, he added.
“I am also proud to have been involved in reconstructing North Shore Road,” he said. “It is now a safer and more enjoyable experience serving more and more visitors every year. I am proud of working with Friends VINP on hundreds of projects to include accessibility improvements that were completed at Cinnamon Bay ruins and Francis Bay.”
His biggest accomplishment, however, cannot be seen while driving or hiking in VINP, Hardgrove explained.
“What I am most proud of is what most of you cannot see out in the park,” said the retired VINP Superintendent. “The NPS has planned for the next 10 years developing over 250 new projects that will stabilize and restore historic sites and allow the NPS to continue to work on the maintenance backlog which is well over $25 million.”
“As Federal budgets continue to shrink these projects will shift shrinking operational budgets to project budgets allowing our resources to be protected even in lean budget years,” said Hardgrove. “Again thank you all both from me and from my wife Milagros Flores, Millie.”
The VINP relies on the support of the St. John community, Hardgrove added.
“The NPS needs each of you who live and work in the Virgin Islands to support your National Parks,” he said. “We enjoy the finest Unit of the National Park Service — Virgin Islands National Park and Coral Reef National Monument. I am proud to have served as your Superintendent and look forward to visiting frequently from my home in Puerto Rico.”
