Staff Spotlight, Mike Gonzalez
Park Ranger, Mike Gonzalez
Koreshan State Park
Born in New York, Mike was 15 when his family moved to Lehigh Acres, Florida. As a young man he started a career with the Division of Forestry and quickly slid into a position with the Lehigh Acres Fire Department where he served for 28 years until his retirement.
After retiring, he returned to the work force, starting with Division of Forestry. Soon thereafter he found an advertisement for a park ranger position at Koreshan State Park and successfully applied. In his time with the Florida Park Service, he has held several positions from safety officer to volunteer coordinator. What Mike enjoys most about his job is helping visitors, leading settlement tours and participating in the 1929 Fairbanks Morris diesel engine start-ups.
Mike communicates with people all over the world with his ham radio. His farthest radio communication was with someone on Pitcairn Island, one of the most remote places in the world. His affinity for communications has proved invaluable to the park. Mike played a key role in improving and expanding park communications by setting up the park’s Wi-Fi repeater and purchasing and programming new park radios.
Teamwork and the camaraderie of the staff at Koreshan are what Mike values most about working for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.