The Great Rivers Greenway District is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its executive team. Greg Brumitt has joined as Director of Conservation and Community Service, and Hilary Smith has been promoted to Director of Finance for the District.
The District named Hilary Smith of St. Jacob, Ill., as its new Director of Finance in late December. Smith, a strong advocate for transparency and accountability in auditing and accounting, previously served as the Controller for the District. As the Controller, Smith was focused on ensuring accurate financial reporting for Great Rivers Greenway. Prior to working with Great Rivers Greenway, Smith spent 10 years in the public accounting industry with focuses on government accounting, taxation and compilations. She is a graduate of Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill., with a Bachelor of Business in both accounting and finance and is a certified public accountant.
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As Great Rivers Greenway’s new Director of Conservation and Community Service, Greg Brumitt will oversee the community service and public outreach efforts of the District, and will manage trail maintenance, volunteer coordination, special events and communications efforts. An important focus of this newly created position will also be the development of a “new volunteer conservation 
corps” to assist with park and greenway conservation throughout the District. Prior to joining Great Rivers Greenway, Brumitt, who lives in Edwardsville, Ill., served as the Director of Outdoor Connections at Five Rivers MetroParks in Dayton, Ohio. From 2005 to 2013, Brumitt oversaw a
diverse group that included outdoor recreation programmers, community gardening, living history and horticultural educators and conservation naturalists. Brumitt founded Dayton’s outdoor adventure initiative in 2005, in an effort to position the area as a regional outdoor destination. The project developed a 22-mile backpacking trail and a mountain biking facility, and elevated the Dayton region to one of the most bike-friendly cities in the Midwest, with a new commuter bike hub that supports one of the country’s largest bikeway networks. Greg is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s School of Design, Architecture, Art and Urban Planning, with a bachelor’s degree in urban planning.
The District continues to grow in an effort to accelerate the expansion of the River Ring trail system, which serves as a connection for residents and tourists to regional destinations and the outdoors. The District will supplement its staff in order to elevate the District’s trail projects and its work in promoting the conservation of natural resources, wildlife habitats and water quality improvements. The growth of the District was made possible by the successful passage of Proposition P in April 2013, which authorized a 3/16th of a cent sales tax increase in St. Louis County and St. Louis City to provide additional funds for regional parks and greenways, as well as for transformational improvements to the Gateway Arch Grounds.
“It is an exciting time for Great Rivers Greenway,” said Susan Trautman, executive director of Great Rivers Greenway. “The addition of Greg’s new position will allow us to have a greater impact on quality of life in the region as we move forward with an effort to protect and care for the greenways we have developed. Hilary’s new role will ensure continued accountability for the District’s funds at a time when we have been entrusted with additional resources by the voters who supported Proposition P. We are thankful to the voters for that support and will continue to grow and invest in a legacy as we improve the region for generations to come.”
About Great Rivers Greenway
The Great Rivers Greenway District was created by a vote of the people in 2000 with the goal of making the St. Louis region a better place to live. The public organization is carrying this goal by creating community connections with the River Ring, an interconnected system of trails and greenways. The District also works to provide transportation alternatives, preserve nature, improve health and increase the economic vitality of the region. Great Rivers Greenway’s district includes St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County. For more information, visit www.greatriversgreenway.org.
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