Michael Kowski Email & Phone Number

Mckinney, Texas, United States

Part of a team of over 600 professionals that manage and activate an award-winning, 3,000-acre parks system in one of the fastest-growing communities in the nation. Responsible for a $20 million operating budget and a $200 million capital improvement plan with nearly $80 million in active projects. Oversees eight public facilities, which includes neighborhood recreation buildings, aquatic centers, a public golf course, and a membership-based tennis complex. Recently opened a new… Show more Part of a team of over 600 professionals that manage and activate an award-winning, 3,000-acre parks system in one of the fastest-growing communities in the nation. Responsible for a $20 million operating budget and a $200 million capital improvement plan with nearly $80 million in active projects. Oversees eight public facilities, which includes neighborhood recreation buildings, aquatic centers, a public golf course, and a membership-based tennis complex. Recently opened a new 6-court indoor tennis building funded in part by a grant from Texas Parks & Wildlife and private capital. Maintains the success of the Apex Centre, the community’s 80,000 SF fitness and aquatic center that serves roughly 20,000 members. The facility generates $6 million in annual revenue which covers operational expenses, making it one of the most successful membership-based recreation centers in the country.Negotiated various land purchases to acquire 300 acres of quality land for future park use and facilitated the current construction and funding by developers of new trails and over 200 acres of new public parkland. Obtained over 100 acres of land through donations, with another 300+ acres in negotiation.Provides yearly opportunities to 13,000 youth and adult athletes and welcomes over 3,800 teams participating in our travel tournaments. Encourages a talented team that delivers dozens of special events and nearly 2,000 unique programs and classes annually. Serves as the primary staff liaison to a 9-member Parks, Recreation & Open Space Advisory Board, and works directly with the 8-member McKinney Community Development Corporation. Receives a $5.5 million grant annually from the MCDC for priority park projects.Spearheaded the creation of an internal staff development conference called EPIC-CON. This event brought all employees together for two days to participate in educational sessions, teambuilding activities, park design exercises, and strategic planning workshops. Show less

Served as a member of the village’s senior-level management team responsible for multiple Divisions with functions that included: Planning, Engineering, Transportation, Building Permits & Inspections, Code Enforcement, GIS, Licensing, and Economic Development. Led and participated in various Economic Development activities including: Business retention, expansion and attraction; Job creation & entrepreneurial development; Real estate development in the village's commercial corridors;… Show more Served as a member of the village’s senior-level management team responsible for multiple Divisions with functions that included: Planning, Engineering, Transportation, Building Permits & Inspections, Code Enforcement, GIS, Licensing, and Economic Development. Led and participated in various Economic Development activities including: Business retention, expansion and attraction; Job creation & entrepreneurial development; Real estate development in the village's commercial corridors; Neighborhood investment; Redevelopment of blighted areas; and Development and incentive agreements. Involved in negotiations and land planning for various Public-Private Partnership (P3) projects involving village-owned property, long-term leases, and layered incentive programs. Facilitated deals that grew the community’s TIF portfolio of P3 projects by $81M, which yielded a 1:11 public-private investment ratio resulting in $55M of positive economic impact.Designed and achieved approval for a new 200+ acre regional mixed-use master plan, zoning district designation, and graphic form-based code. This campus was designed to encourage co-location of over 2 million SF of office, retail, multi-family, entertainment, and recreation, with a special emphasis on knowledge-intensive sectors, such as Class A office, research labs, advanced manufacturing, and business incubator facilities.Directly involved in the negotiations, land swap details, and capital planning associated with acquiring an 80,000 SF privately-owned, medically-integrated fitness center with two indoor pools.Managed and guided the village’s appointed Open Lands Commission, who advised on acquiring, programming, and budgeting for 300 acres and growing of conservation space and heritage farms using $20 million in referendum funds.Responsible for all development review, code and ordinance updates, and special village projects, and served as the primary staff liaison to a 7-member Plan Commission. Show less

Served as an appointed, voting member on a 21-member Committee comprised of industry leaders responsible for directing and funding the coordinated development strategies of seven counties, 284 communities and over 1 million acres of protected and unprotected open space located within northeastern Illinois, impacting over 8.5M people.Charged with assessing and adopting critical components of the region’s comprehensive plan updates, including: land planning and transportation priorities;… Show more Served as an appointed, voting member on a 21-member Committee comprised of industry leaders responsible for directing and funding the coordinated development strategies of seven counties, 284 communities and over 1 million acres of protected and unprotected open space located within northeastern Illinois, impacting over 8.5M people.Charged with assessing and adopting critical components of the region’s comprehensive plan updates, including: land planning and transportation priorities; socioeconomic forecasts; infill strategies; climate resiliency; aging-in-place; right-sized growth; tax policies; and community engagement. Show less

Served as a senior staff member responsible for all development review and public hearings, as well as wrote, diagrammed and rendered small area plans, traditional and form-based codes, and large-scale master plans.Led technical and professional activities such as preparing RFPs, applying for and creating budgets for various grant-funded Village projects, and managing all aspects of an award-winning downtown redevelopment plan.Served as the primary staff liaison to a 9-member… Show more Served as a senior staff member responsible for all development review and public hearings, as well as wrote, diagrammed and rendered small area plans, traditional and form-based codes, and large-scale master plans.Led technical and professional activities such as preparing RFPs, applying for and creating budgets for various grant-funded Village projects, and managing all aspects of an award-winning downtown redevelopment plan.Served as the primary staff liaison to a 9-member Plan Commission and a 7-member Zoning Board of Appeals. Show less

Bachelor Of Arts In Art History / Architectural History

Master Of Arts In Art History / Architecture, Design, And Urbanism

Master Of Liberal Arts In Extension Studies / Sustainability And Environmental Management