Director chosen for Oquirrh fitness center

Over the past eight years, Brent D. Sheets has led the staff and managed the programs that put Salt Lake City's Steiner Aquatic Center on the national recreation map.

Trustees for the Salt Lake County Regional Service Area are counting on the 42-year-old Holladay resident for a repeat performance in his new role as executive director of the Oquirrh Park Fitness Center.Sheets was named to the post Friday during an emergency meeting of the board of trustees in the new $11 million fitness center addition that will open to the public in mid-June.

He replaces David Howick, who was fired by trustees in February following an independent investigation into his management of the service area.

Sheets, a native of Salt Lake City and a graduate of Skyline High School, was selected from among a field of 180 applicants. He will report for work at the Oquirrh Park facility June 15 and receive an annual salary of $55,000.

As director of the Steiner Aquatic Center since June 1990, Sheets has managed the Raging Waters lease agreement and has been involved in developing a $12 million ice sheet at the center.

In 1997, the United States Water Fitness Association named Sheets "aquatic director of the year" and selected the Steiner facility for its National Aquatic Program Award.

Sheets served as acting director of Salt Lake City's recreation division for 10 months in 1996 and previously worked as aquatics manager of the Clearfield Municipal Pool and general manager of Wild Waters in Ogden.

A certified leisure professional since 1993, Sheets earned a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1981, a master's degree in biomechanics from Indiana University in 1983 and did doctoral work at Brigham Young University in athletic administration.

"For the first time in this facility's history, we have a true recreational professional," trustee Tony Bueno said Friday. "He is nationally recognized for his innovation and success in operating programs and facilities."

Trustee Laurie Stringham said she was impressed by Sheets' track record at the Steiner center, where he took a new facility with a small budget and developed it into a nationally prominent program.

"He has a lot of experience pulling communities and organizations together," she said.

Bueno said Sheets' skill in aquatic programs and developing financial stability at Steiner was a strong selling point.