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Mike Pflaum, a 35-year veteran of the National Park Service (NPS), has been selected as the new Superintendent of Badlands National Park. Pflaum has served as the Superintendent of Keweenaw National Historical Park in Calumet, Michigan since January, 2011, with an intervening assignment at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Pflaum begins his new assignment on August 23, 2015.
“I am pleased to welcome Mike Pflaum as the next Superintendent of Badlands National Park,” stated Midwest Regional Director Cameron Sholly. “Mike is an outstanding leader and will do a tremendous job in this position. He has a great blend of experiences and a proven track record of solving complex problems through innovation and relationship building.”
Pflaum said, “I am honored to be the next Park Superintendent at Badlands National Park. My wife Barbara and I have strong connections to western South Dakota, the Badlands and Black Hills. The stunning landscapes, varied wildlife, other great resources, as well as the rich history, make Badlands National Park a world-class place. It will be my privilege to work with the excellent park staff, the people of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, park partners, and local communities to care for this great park and provide outstanding opportunities for our visitors.”
“We will leave Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula with great memories of the people, places, and our experiences here. We’ve had a wonderful four and a half years near the shores of Lake Superior and want to express our gratitude and best wishes to the outstanding staff and park partners at Keweenaw National Historical Park”.
Born in Northfield, Minnesota, Pflaum earned his Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Park
Administration at Mankato State University, now Minnesota State University-Mankato. Pflaum began his NPS career as a park ranger in Yellowstone National Park, serving in a number of positions of increasing responsibility over 11 years. He served as Chief Park Ranger at Mount Rushmore National Memorial for more than 18 years, and as Regional Partnership Coordinator for the Midwest Region. He has also served as Acting Superintendent at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, George Washington Carver National Memorial, Navajo National Monument, and most recently Badlands National Park.
