blue water woman--spring 2018--FINAL for yumpu

uilding
a winning team
by dale hemmila
nancy winzer
6 SPRING 2018 BlueWaterWoman.com
Nancy Winzer believes in team work.
If every winning team has an exceptional coach, Winzer could very
well earn the title “Coach of the Year.” The director of parks and
recreation for the City of Port Huron, Winzer is passionate about
the city and those who recreate there. Her creativity, dedication,
commitment, hard work and ability to rally the troops and pull off
numerous community-wide events have led to innovative and creative
recreation and entertainment opportunities for people of all ages in St.
Clair County.
Recognizing her diligence and success, Winzer has been named Blue
Water Woman Civic Leader of the Year. She was nominated by Port
Huron Mayor Pauline Repp.
Winzer began working for the city in 1993 and became director of her
department five years ago. She currently oversees 26 parks, 15 other
facilities and a workforce of 30 employees. In addition to supervising
venues and people, Winzer has also directed a process that has landed
more than $1.3 million in grant funds to improve city facilities to better
serve community members who use them every day.
“I just want to make Port Huron the best that it can be,” she said.
“I want people to live, work and play where there are good recreational
opportunities.”
And her passion for the job and the city is apparent to those who she
encounters in her position.
“The word ‘NO’ is rarely, if ever, in Nancy’s vocabulary,” Repp wrote
in her nomination. “If there is a way to improve something or add
greater benefit to someone’s experience, she will find a way.”
While Winzer is passionate about her job -- “I love what I do, I love
coming to work every day” -- she is also passionate about those she
works with.
“I wouldn’t be where I am without the people who work for me,” she
said. “They are very talented and work a lot of hours. We have a good
city council and a good city manager. Everyone is trying to make Port
Huron a better place to live.”
In her role as department head, Winzer oversees both the parks
and recreation department in addition to the cemeteries and forestry
departments. In 2016, Winzer was handed the management of
McMorran Place after the city ended a contract with an outside
management company.
Mayor Repp noted in her nomination that energy has returned to
McMorran Place under Winzer’s leadership. “McMorran has received
multiple cosmetic upgrades including new carpeting, epoxy flooring,
drywall paint and a new bar for spectators to enjoy during Port Huron
Prowler games,” she said. “Nancy and her team have worked tirelessly to
bring more concerts, shows and family-friendly activities to the facility.”
While initially a little nervous at taking on the McMorran
management, Winzer said it has become a good fit for her department.
“It’s an amazing recreational facility,” she said, “and we are blessed to
have it. It’s where it should be in the parks and recreation department
and the talented staff at McMorran is amazing and a nice addition to
parks and recreation. When I go downtown and see people coming
to McMorran, it gives me goosebumps. There are always people at
McMorran and it’s going to keep getting better as the downtown keeps
getting better.”
Watching Port Huron get “better and better” is all part of the payoff
for Winzer.
“The next five years is about making unique recreational
opportunities to get people and kids and families outside to recreate,”
she said. “The pay for me is to go to an event and see people having a
good time, or go to a park and see kids enjoying themselves—that’s the
pay for me.”