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Hendrickson to become administrator of Iron Ore Heritage Trail

Bob Hendrickson, IOHT

MARQUETTE — The Iron Ore Heritage Trail will soon have a new trail administrator.

On Thursday, the Iron Ore Heritage Trail announced on Facebook that current trail administrator Carol Fulsher will retire at the end of the year.

“These hot days make it even more enticing to retire and ride my bike,” Fulsher said on Facebook. “I’ll be retiring at the year’s end and today we announce that Bob Hendrickson, the current Ishpeming Negaunee Chamber of Commerce executive director, will be coming on board as the next trail administrator.”

Fulsher said that she and Hendrickson will be working together over several seasons to make a smooth transition.

Hendrickson said in an email that the opportunity to take the new position was one he could not pass up.

“I have been involved with trail advocacy for over 25 years and feel that it’s the right direction for me at this point in my career,” Hendrickson said. “It was a competitive interview process and I feel honored that I was selected from the candidate pool.”

As the new trail administrator, Hendrickson will be the primary point person for maintenance and enhancement on the Iron Ore Heritage Trail.

“Carol Fulsher has done an amazing job bringing the Iron Ore Heritage Trail to life with interpretation, accessibility and longevity,” Hendrickson said. “I am very happy to take over where she is leaving off as a steward for this community asset.”

When Hendrickson steps down from his current position with the GINCC, he said he will miss the interaction with the GINCC membership.

“I feel the membership looks to the Chamber of Commerce as its community beacon,” Hendrickson said. “I took that role very seriously and feel very connected to the business community here.”

He said he will still keep that connection to some degree in his new role but will not be as deep as it is currently.

“The GINCC means a lot to me and I wish for the continued success of the chamber,” Hendrickson said. “The GINCC is in a strong position to continue its role as a champion for its membership and the west end of Marquette County.”

Hendrickson will still have community interaction in his new role and said he is looking forward to working with the communities that the trail serves.

“It’s not only a recreational corridor but also connects and represents the municipalities it travels through,” Hendrickson said. “There are some great projects coming up with the extension of the trail to Lakenenland in Chocolay Township and an interpretive wetlands boardwalk in Negaunee. I can only see the Iron Ore Heritage Trail becoming more integral to Marquette County as time goes on.”

Fulsher and Hendrickson will begin working together the first week of July. He said Fulsher will stay on during the transition for the remainder of the year as a mentor.

“The trail is multiseasonal so there are a lot of details that need to be learned and procedures to follow as a recreational authority,” Hendrickson said.

He also said the GINCC is currently posting for a new executive director and hopes to have someone in the role by the end of this month.

“I feel the GINCC is in a good position organizationally and whoever comes aboard will have a good transition,” Hendrickson said.

For more information about the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, visit ironoreheritage.com. For more information on the GINCC, visit gincc.org.

Dreyma Beronja can be reached at 906-228-2500 ext. 548. Their email address is dberonj@miningjournal.net.

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