New deputy district superintendent will help oversee Hearst Castle in State Parks ‘dream job’
John Fairweather says he’s now where he always wanted to be. But to get there, he had to make the giant leap from the private sector to his recently created post as deputy district superintendent for the state parks district that includes Hearst Castle in San Simeon.
In mid-May, he began his new job as second-in-command at the San Luis Obispo Coast District, which spans from Montana de Oro State Park in Los Osos and Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve to Hearst San Simeon State Park, which stretches along the coast from just north of Cambria to the Monterey-San Luis Obispo County Line.
Fairweather has been hailed by some fellow parks employees as “a breath of fresh air.” He apparently hit the ground at full speed and quickly has been making friends and getting things done.
His new boss, District Superintendent Dan Falat, said he’s pleased to hire such a highly qualified person.
Falat had worked with him for five years during Fairweather’s tenure as general manager of the diverse Aramark services offered at the Hearst Castle Visitor Center.
That’s a substantial leap from a major private hospitality corporation to a public service governmental entity that shepherds and manages all 280 of California’s state parks, including more than 340 miles of coastline, 970 miles of lake and river frontage, 15,000 campsites, and 4,500 miles of trails, according to www.parks.ca.gov.
Falat said that Fairweather brought to the table a “very diverse background,” “from the private sector but with a real understanding of how parks operates … with a skill set and understanding of the district and its processes.” During the years they collaborated, he said, Fairweather “has been a catalyst for the success of the Castle.”
In Fairweather’s job at Aramark, he built strong relationships with Castle leaders, including Falat and former museum director Hoyt Fields.
“I was ecstatic,” Fields said, when he heard that Fairweather had been hired. “With his previous job history, he was exactly what we needed.”
Had Fields been in a position to make the decision, “I wouldn’t have selected anybody else,” he added.
Fields and Fairweather worked closely together when the latter was at Aramark, Fields said, and “I also saw how well Dan and John worked together.
“John is very good at handling people,” Fields said. “He’s just marvelous. He bends over backwards to help, is very aware of the inner workings of parks. So, he brings a lot of outside knowledge, which is going to beneficial not only for the district, but for State Parks.”
Falat said that the obvious advantage of all of Fairweather’s experience is that the boss didn’t have “to start from the beginning with the training.
“John was familiar with how things run, the complications of the tour schedules, the ebb and flow of the operation, the visitors and their passions. I didn’t have to teach him all those things.”
Hearst Castle is now closed due to restrictions imposed to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. But staffers are working to share those experiences online for children and adults worldwide.
Fairweather “is doing what I expected he would,” Falat said. “I’m excited to have him here as part of this team. He’s already made an impact here, with his ability to look at things holistically from a different perspective and help guide the trajectory of where we go.”
“From day one, he’s taken to it with a kind of passion, a multidimensional approach,” Falat said, because “he understands the dynamics of the entire coast, and I think that will be a huge asset for State Parks and the community as a whole.”
There were five applicants for the job, Falat said, “good, strong candidates, but ultimately, John was the successful one.”
Regular pay in 2019 for five State Park District Superintendent 1 employees ranged from nearly $107,000 to more than $122,800, according to transparentcalifornia.com..
New deputy district superintendent has Central Coast ties
Fairweather’s family has long ties to the Central Coast.
“My grandparents moved to Shell Beach when it was still vacant lots,” he said, and they bought property near what is now Dinosaur Caves Park.
“My parents loved the Central Coast,” he added, and moved there in the 1980s.
His father, also named John Fairweather, was the program director and outdoor educator for Camp Keep in Cambria for 20 years. His mother, the late Judith Lynn Paris, spent more than 42 years as a nurse, including more than 30 in the neonatal intensive care unit of Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Simeon.
Their dedication to service and the area they loved so much inspired their son to carry those traditions forward, John D. Fairweather said.
He was labeled “John the Helper” for his first jobs mowing lawns and cleaning cars in and around the neighborhood, he said.
Fairweather was born in Santa Monica, but grew up and was educated on the Central Coast through his years at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo He then transfered to CSU Sacramento, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in organization communications.
Fairweather worked in the recreation and hospitality industries for more than 17 years for such brands as Marriott, Hilton and Aramark. He was general manager for the Castle facility for seven years.
He’s served his industries as a volunteer, too, for the Placer Valley Tourism Board, Pismo Beach Hospitality Board, California Parks Hospitality Association and a business improvement district for unincorporated portions of San Luis Obispo County.
Fairbanks’ late mother instilled in him “a relentless work ethic,” he said. “(She) encouraged me to never limit myself. The biggest hurdles I have ever faced were my own doubts about what might be next, and challenging those beliefs has allowed me to be where I am today.”
Overseeing Hearst Castle district is ‘dream job’
Essentially, Fairweather will provide support for all San Luis Obispo Coast District programs and projects, Falat said.
According to Falat, Fairweather’s job description includes being “that second person who can help facilitate a plan when I’m dealing with other issues.” While Fairweather isn’t a peace officer, as Falat is, the deputy can participate in law enforcement decision making, Falat said.
Hearst Castle and the district “feel like home” now, Fairweather said. “The people who work in this district are so dedicated to the protection of our cultural and natural resources as well as providing educational experiences to all who visit … everyone works together for the greater good … I plan to continue this passion.”
He believes his “primary duties will be supporting the dynamic team of managers, supervisors, and employees that work within this amazing district. I plan to be involved in all levels of the operation, and to continue to bring our visitors the same long-lasting memories I had with my family when we visited the collection of California State Parks.”
Fairweather looks forward to “helping to continue to grow the district’s interpretive programs, especially reaching children throughout California and across the nation.”
The job is a positive extension of his upbringing, Fairweather explained. “Every family trip growing up took place in a California state park. I love to fish and be a part of nature, and now I get to be a part of the great treasure of our state park system.”
His father’s “passion for the environment and for the children that visited was amazing to watch,” Fairweather said. “I now get to be a part of a similar culture within the state park system dedicated to environmental protection and education.”
Fairweather and his wife, Kara, moved to Arroyo Grande in 2009. They have two children, John, 15, and Lyla, 10.
Fairweather loves to drive north on Highway 1 from Morro Bay, a journey “filled with beauty” of the coastline and rolling hills.
One of Fairweather’s favorite spots during that trek is when he’s “approaching the Castle” on the highway.
“Sometimes the zebras come down the hill and are visible from the road,” he said. “I love watching families taking pictures and having that unique experience.”
He added that “this is a dream job for me,” a dream “that has come true.”
