CSD Director Cory Styron
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
When it comes to parks and recreational services, Cory Styron offers a wealth of experience and expertise and he’s bringing these assets to Los Alamos County as its new Community Services Department (CSD) director.
Assistant to the County Manager Linda Matterson has been serving as the interim head of the CSD until Styron took over on Monday. Assistant to the County Manager Linda Matterson has been serving as the interim head of the CSD until Styron took over on Monday. Matterson covered the position following Brian Brogan’s termination.
Looking at Styron’s past work, he seems to be a good match for Los Alamos, County Manager Harry Burgess told Los Alamos County Council during its regular meeting Tuesday night.
“He comes to us from Hollywood, Fla. … prior to that he spent a significant amount of time in Farmington so he is familiar with New Mexico and specifically worked on a lot of projects related to outdoor recreation; most recently one of the highlights was … a lake they had up there (in Farmington), which had been closed to any use. Cory put together a program to open it up for public use … and set up a fee schedule to make it self-supporting,” Burgess said. “We have partnered with some of our brand identity and advertising with the same group that worked in Farmington, so they were familiar with his efforts and it just made a good match.”
Styron said he is excited to work in Los Alamos County, which is calls a municipality rich in recreational offerings.
“I’m very excited to be here and look forward to continuing to add value to this great community that really does have a great love of the outdoors and recreation as a whole and I’m just honored to be here and look forward to making a difference in this community,” Styron said during Tuesday’s meeting.
During an interview with the Los Alamos Daily Post, Styron said the County has “all these great attributes for people to use and that enhance quality of life.”
He listed the library system and the aquatic center as a few of these attributes. On a personal note, Styron said he is particularly excited about the County’s trail system.
“The trail system is spectacular … I have two dogs that love being outside,” he said. “I still get a thrill when getting in contact with nature … the fishing in the region is really great (and) just to be this close to nature is really positive and exciting.”
In addition to overseeing the parks and recreational division in the County, Styron also will head the social services division, which interacts with various organizations in the community. He said he is eager to continue those partnerships.
“It is always great when we can partner with others in the community … and provide higher visibility to community members who may need these services,” Styron said.
Styron is entering his new position at an interesting time. The pandemic as well as the need to comply with the Governor’s public health order have had a big impact on the programs and services that the Community Services Department offers.
Styron said that the County has done a good job responding to the public health order as well as finding creative ways to continue services to the public, adding that he believes there has been successes with offering virtual events.
Before coming to the County, Styron said he worked as the parks and recreation director in Hollywood, Fla. Before that, he served as director of Parks and Recreation and Cultural Affairs in Farmington.
Additionally, Styron said he serves on the national board for the commission of accreditation of parks and recreation agencies. He said there are 196 municipalities across the country that are accredited. He explained that the accreditation provides a framework for best practices.
Styron earned his bachelor’s degree in business from Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, Texas and his MBA from the University of Phoenix. Furthermore, he is a certified parks and recreation professional through the National Park and Recreation Association.
Recreation and the outdoors are real passions, Styron said.
“We’re kind of like teachers … so many things we provide are foundational … we really encourage communities to thrive and be a great place to live and break down barriers … we have provided safe harbors and places to have positive and memorable experiences,” he said.
