New WA State Parks director named

STATE PARKS — After a four-month search and screening 170 applications from here to England, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission today named the head of the agency’s southwest region as the state parks director.

Starting Dec. 1, Don Hock, 53, will replace retiring director Rex Derr, who worked for the department for 33 years.

“Don knows the agency, and he’s ready to lead State Parks through the challenging times ahead,” said Commission Chair Fred Olson.

Before coming to Washington, Hoch was area director of one of the largest county-operated outdoor areas in the state of Georgia.

His recreation and park experience also includes stints with various federal agencies, including the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, in Georgia, Florida, Arizona, Utah and Nevada.