The U.S. National Park Service announced the retirement of Bill Wright, superintendent at Chickasaw National Recreation Area.
Wright began his National Park Service career at Chickasaw National Recreation Area in 1982, according to a Dec. 9 news release. He worked four summers as a fee collector and one as a law enforcement ranger at Chickasaw NRA.
“The greatest honor has been to return home to serve as superintendent of Chickasaw National Recreation Area and as the Oklahoma State Coordinator, overseeing the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Washita Battlefield National Historic Site," Wright said in the release.
He also worked as a seasonal law enforcement ranger at the Statue of Liberty National Memorial and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the release reported. He became a full-time law enforcement ranger at Independence National Historical Park and held additional law enforcement positions at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Buffalo National River.
According to the release, he became a district ranger at Big Bend National Park and later was promoted to chief ranger there. He also served in chief ranger positions at Everglades National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Grand Canyon National Park before returning to Chickasaw National Recreation Area as superintendent.
According to the release, Wright worked with a number of organizations such as the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, the Oklahoma and Arbuckle Historical Societies, the Arbuckle Master Conservancy District, the Oklahoma School for the Deaf, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Oklahoma State Parks and the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.
"As a Tribal member, it has been a particular honor to work closely with the Chickasaw Nation and the Chickasaw Cultural Center," Wright said in the release. "I hope to have strengthened relationships that will last long into the future.”
In the release, Wright said how amazing the opportunity has been "to protect these special places" as a supervisor, law enforcement ranger, wildland firefighter, search and rescue team leader, EMT, serious accident investigator and more.
"I’ve been able to patrol parks by car, foot, horseback, canoe, helicopter and motorboat," Wright said in the release. "I’ve responded to disasters such as hurricanes and floods, and I’ve been deployed to several presidential and vice presidential visits nationwide. The work we get to do is extraordinary and I’ve been very fortunate to be able to do it."
A public retirement reception is scheduled for Dec. 19 in the ballroom at the Artesian Hotel, the release reported.
