Grady Spann will become director of Arkansas State Parks when Greg Butts retired Dec. 31 after 25 years as director.

Kane Webb, director of the Department of Parks and Tourism, announced his choice of Spann in a news release today.

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“Grady Spann has a proven track record of accomplishment within the state parks department, most recently as the Region 5 supervisor over the lodge state park operations. In addition to his 23 years with state parks, Grady is a military veteran, a natural leader and an outstanding communicator. He inherits a parks system that is the envy of the nation, thanks in large part to his predecessor, Greg Butts, and mine, former ADPT executive director Richard Davies. I am confident that, under Grady’s direction, our parks system will continue to thrive, be innovative, and attract visitors from all over the world,” said Webb

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Spann has been Region 5 supervisor since 2012. He’s also been superintendent at the Ozark Folk Center State Park, Historic Washington State Park and the Parkin Archaeological State Park. He’s been a park ranger and served nine years in the military before joining the parks department, which operates 52 state parks and has a budget of $126 million. The director also oversees a recreational grants program

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