Terry Porter

Terry Porter brings over 37 years of park and recreation experience to The PAR Group. He works on executive search and management consulting projects with an emphasis in the field of parks and recreation.

Mr. Porter recently retired after 35 years with the Wilmette Park District in Wilmette, Illinois, serving the last 22 years as the Director of Parks and Recreation. Answering to a seven member elected Board of Park Commissioners, Mr. Porter was responsible for the oversight of a multi faceted park and recreation system with 80 full-time and over 1,000 part-time staff members. The Wilmette Park District has been nationally recognized for excellence in the field of parks and recreation. The Wilmette Park District provides a wide variety of recreational facilities including a swimming and sailing beach on the shores of Lake Michigan; a recreational complex with a state of the art aquatic center, eight indoor tennis courts, and indoor ice skating facilities; a 100,000 square foot full service community center; and an 18 hole golf course with a modern clubhouse and dining facilities. During his tenure, the Park District has either acquired or renovated all of the community’s recreational facilities. Mr. Porter was also responsible for the maintenance of over 300 acres of open parkland.

Mr. Porter was instrumental in the establishment of a self-insured health insurance pool which now consists of 77 participating Park Districts insuring over 1,600 individuals. He also has extensive experience in working closely with the other units of local government to provide top quality governmental services in a cost effective manner to serve the residents of the community. Mr. Porter has a long history of involvement and leadership in community-based volunteer organizations including the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association, the Village of Wilmette Police and Fire Commission, the Wilmette Historical Society, and the Wilmette Rotary Club.

Mr. Porter received his B.A. from De Paul University. He is a graduate of the Illinois Park and Recreation Professional Development School.