For the past year, Urfer has served as the City’s Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation. He replaces Jason Nau, who left the Director role to pursue an opportunity in his native Hawaii.
Urfer has more than 30 years of knowledge, leadership, and experience in parks, recreation, and tourism management. He served as a department director for two different cities in Missouri and as executive director for a nonprofit organization in Maryland prior to joining the City in May 2021. Before moving here, Urfer had spent 15 years as the Director of Parks, Recreation and Tourism for the City of Independence, Mo., in the Kansas City metropolitan area. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Parks, Recreation and Tourism from the University of Missouri.
“Eric has been a tremendous asset to the Parks and Recreation department, and I’m looking forward to working with him in his new role as director,” said Acting City Administrator Jay Simonton. “We are fortunate to have someone with his experience and background stepping up to lead the Parks and Recreation team.”
“Over the course of this past year, I have had the great pleasure of working alongside the Parks and Recreation team, while observing various operational aspects of the department,” Urfer said. “Yuma is blessed to have such a talented and dedicated team of parks, arts and recreation professionals working on their behalf. Although there is much more to do, we are on the right path. I’m looking forward to serving the community as Yuma’s next Director of Parks and Recreation.”
Urfer said he and his wife Kathy have made the most of their first year in Yuma. “Whether boating on the Colorado, hiking any number of great trails in the area, playing golf in the middle of the winter, exploring the restaurant scene or taking advantage of Yuma’s amazing proximity to beaches, mountains and more, we have finally found the quality of life we have been looking for in a community.”
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