Sagamore Hill Has New Superintendent

A career National Parks Service veteran has been selected as the next superintendent of Sagamore Hill National Historic Site in Oyster Bay.

Kelly Fuhrmann will begin his assignment at the home of President Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th U.S. President, on Dec. 1., the NPS announced Wednesday.

“I am honored to have this opportunity and look forward to working with the dedicated staff and partners of Sagamore Hill,” said Fuhrmann. “Theodore Roosevelt was a great man who realized many achievements during his life...His dedication to the American land conservation legacy has been an inspiration to me in my career with the National Park Service.”

Fuhrmann replaces Thomas Ross, who recently left for his new post as superintendent of Edison National Historic Site and Morristown, N.J.

“Kelly’s commitment to preservation, combined with his understanding of the importance of creating engaging visitor experiences at parks, will greatly benefit Sagamore Hill,” said National Park Service Northeast Regional Director Dennis R. Reidenbach. “His leadership abilities will be critical as we continue the comprehensive rehabilitation of Theodore Roosevelt's beloved Sagamore Hill home to improve the visitor experience."

Roosevelt's grand Queen-Ann-style mansion served as the "Summer White House" from 1901-1908. The main building is closed until the rehabilitation project is completed in 2015.

But the Visitor Center, Theodore Roosevelt Museum, and the park grounds overlooking Oyster Bay remain open.

Fuhrmann is a career NPS employee with 16 years of experience and most recently served as chief of natural and cultural resources management at Death Valley National Park. He also served as chief of resources management at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.

Earlier in his career, Fuhrmann held biologist/ecologist positions at Lava Beds National Monument, and Carlsbad Caverns and Zion National Parks where his work was focused on field-based natural resource sciences.

Fuhrmann has undergraduate and graduate degrees in natural history and natural resource management from Prescott College, in Arizona. He is a native of the Midwest. He and his wife Karah along with their daughters Kelbi and Kenzi will move to the Oyster Bay area in late November.

To learn more about the NPS, go to http://www.nps.gov.