Faces Dan West Dan West was appointed chief of the Ohio State Parks System in December 1997. As chief, West oversees management of Ohio's 73 state parks, which encompass more than 200,000 acres. Included are eight full-scale resort/conference centers, six golf courses, 561 rental cottages, 9,100 campsites, 76 beaches, 36 nature centers and more than 1,000 miles of nature trails. West served as the system's assistant chief from 1991 until becoming chief. Prior to his service in Columbus, West was park manager at Alum Creek State Park in Delaware County, which saw more than 1 million visitors annually. He also served as a personnel administrator for several years. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a degree in parks and recreation administration. He and his family reside in Powell. | |