Yellowstone Deputy Superintendent Steve Iobst to Retire

Date: September 14, 2016
Contact: Morgan Warthin, [phone]

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY - Steven F. Iobst, deputy superintendent of Yellowstone National Park has announced his retirement after over 42 years of continuous service with the National Park Service (NPS). He will retire September 30, 2016.

Iobst was appointed deputy superintendent of Yellowstone National Park on August 14, 2011. He directed day-to-day operations of the 2.2 million acre park, supervising the largest park operations program in the NPS. Operations include emergency medical, law enforcement, search and rescue, science and research program, business management that includes $120 million annual commercial activities, resource education, youth programs, wildland and structural fire programs, as well as contracting, property control, and human resources. The annual park operational budget is $34 million. The annual program of projects averages $40 million. At peak season, 850 employees work in the park. 

During his tenure at Yellowstone, Iobst has led partnerships with leadership in the Federal Land Highways Program and with local and state governments in order to develop park road improvements, including the Beartooth Highway. In conjunction with the Yellowstone Park Foundation and their corporate donors, Iobst improved operations and sustainability for park facilities.  

Iobst began his career with the NPS as a student engineer in 1971 at the Eastern Service Center in Washington D.C. In 1974 he accepted his first permanent position as a civil engineer at the Denver Service Center after receiving a B.S. in civil engineering from Virginia Tech. As a designer and construction supervisor he was responsible for facility improvement projects in over 40 parks, which included short-term assignments at Shenandoah, Yosemite, Acadia, St. Gaudens, Gateway, Fire Island, and the Virgin Islands national park sites. He practiced engineering at Yellowstone beginning in 1979 in the maintenance and concessions management operations and worked directly for the superintendent overseeing planning and development. He left Yellowstone in 1988 and became the chief of facility management at Rocky Mountain National Park. He also served as the acting chief of facility management in Washington, D.C. in 1996. In 1997 Iobst returned to the greater Yellowstone area as the assistant superintendent at Grand Teton National Park and served as the acting superintendent at Grand Teton from November 2000 to February 2002. Iobst returned to Yellowstone in 2003 as the chief of maintenance directing the largest park-based asset management program in the NPS. 

Although Iobst spent half his career in Yellowstone, he values the experience gained in park operations at other parks and the privilege of being involved in design and construction projects in numerous NPS sites in the Northeast.

In June of this year he received the Department of the Interior Meritorious Service Award. NPS Director Jonathon B. Jarvis noted that Iobst, "Made significant and ongoing contributions to both facility and park management issues…and led efforts to improve the visitor experience while protecting the resources of the park." Iobst was presented the award by Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Dan Wenk. Upon receiving the award Iobst commented, "Don't ever let it be said that an old friend can't still surprise you."

Steve and his wife Debbie, a successful swim coach, have three grown children - Allison, Benjamin, and Steven - and four grandchildren. Shortly after retirement, Steve and Debbie plan to travel to several national park sites and to every major league ballpark in the country. They will reside in Jackson, Wyoming to be near their grandchildren. 

Editor's Note: A photo of Mr. Iobst is available at www.flickr.com/photos/yellowstonenps/29352159546