Grady Spann joined Arkansas State Parks in 1993 as the Superintendent of Parkin Archaeological State Park. In 2002, after nine years at Parkin, he transferred to Historic Washington State Park to serve as the Superintendent. In 2005 he transferred to the Ozark Folk Center State Park where he is our Superintendent. Grady also serves as a park ranger after graduating from the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy in 1995.
Prior to working for Arkansas State Parks, he served in the U.S. Army for nine years as a military tactical intelligence and counterintelligence officer. He was stationed at Fort Hauchuca, Arizona; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and in Washington D.C. He currently holds the rank of major. He has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and the Pacifist Medal from the Brazilian Army.
He graduated from Henderson State University in 1984 with a Bachelor's of Science in parks administration and a minor in military science.
Grady started out as a seasonal interpreter at De Gray State Park while he was attending college. After graduation he served in the Army for 9 years and then decided that he enjoyed tourism and wanted to make Parks and Tourism his full time career.
Grady serves on several state boards of directors - Ozark Gateway Tourism Association, The Arkansas Craft School, the Arkansas Baptist Bikers Association and the March of Dimes (Bikers for Babies). Grady also is the president of the Stone Rolled Away, a chapter of the Arkansas Baptist Bikers Association and the chairman of Mountains, Music and Motorcycles - a bike rally sponsored by the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce.
Grady grew up in Recife, Brazil where his parents served as missionaries for 33 years. He is fluent in Portuguese. Grady's hobbies include motorcycles, tourism, soccer, surfing and spending a lot with his family. He is married to Fina and has five children ranging in age from 11 - 25.
Grady feels that the Ozark Folk Center State Park is a fantastic place to work, loves Mountain View and all the opportunities that this community has to offer and extends an invitation to all to come and visit this unique park.