The Fort Wayne Board of Park Commissioners announced today that Chad Shaw has been promoted to the position of Manager of the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory. Shaw, a native of Bluffton with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Saint Francis and a Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture from Ball State University, has been with the Park Department since November of 2013 serving as the Supervisor of Landscape and Horticulture.

Parks and Recreation Department Executive Director Al Moll said, “Chad brings to the job a unique combination of valuable skills: he has a strong sense of aesthetics and design along with solid management experience and team leadership. He is definitely the right person to guide the operations of the ‘jewel of downtown Fort Wayne’ into the future.”

The new position of manager was developed as a combination of two recently vacated positions: Manager of the Conservatory formerly filled by Mitch Sheppard, and Supervisor of Horticulture, a position being vacated by Andy Force after a 27-year term of service. The Park Department believes that this strategic restructuring will position the Conservatory well, helping it to remain a vital part of the developing downtown experience while operating in a lean and effective manner. Shaw will report directly to Deputy Director Mitch Sheppard.