Lusardi

            Richard "Dick" Lusardi, former chief of maintenance at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, will return to the home in April as the next site superintendent. .
             Lusardi will replace Norm Hellmers, who retired late last year after nearly 13 years as superintendent. .
             "I would not pass up an opportunity to return to one of the most formidable sites in the nation," Lusardi said Friday in a phone interview. "It's a unique opportunity to be the steward of a site that is one of the country's foremost presidential homes." .
             Lusardi is superintendent of Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in Republic, Mo. .
             "Dick's strong experience dealing with historic structures and his fine record of building community support for park resources will be great assets as he oversees management of the site," said David Given, the National Park Service's acting director for the 13-state Midwest Region, in a statement announcing the appointment. .
             "It is rare to be able to select a superintendent who already has intimate knowledge of a park's resources," Given said. "We are delighted to be able to bring him back to Lincoln Home." .
             Lusardi served at the downtown Springfield site as chief of maintenance from 1981-88, a period that included a major renovation project at the Lincoln Home. .
             During Lusardi's tenure at Wilson's Creek, he provided guidance, direction and leadership to the Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Foundation, which resulted in completing a $1.2 million fund-raising campaign for the construction of a new 8,235-square-foot Civil War research library and educational facility. .
             A 38-year veteran of federal service, Lusardi served as superintendent at Fort Scott National Historic Site in Kansas for three years, after an eight-year stint as superintendent of Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial in Put-in-Bay, Ohio. .