Harold Harrison has served as Cleveland Metroparks Chief Human Resources Officer since 2010, overseeing all employee hiring, onboarding, recruitment/retention, payroll, benefits, labor/employee relations, volunteer services, succession planning and training/development. He has led the Park District through several major endeavors, including the 2013 lakefront acquisition and the development and expansion of dining operations.
Harold has helped launch several important organizational initiatives including launching "Park Culture 100," to connect new hires with the park's history and leadership. He’s helped lead the organization to over 17 consecutive wins for the NorthCoast 99 Best Places to Work and assisted in garnering the 2016 and 2021 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation Management, the top award in the parks and recreation industry. Harold was also awarded the Crain’s 2018 HR Executive of the Year in the Nonprofit category. In 2023, Crain’s Cleveland Business awarded Cleveland Metroparks the Excellence in HR Award and Harold was also the recipient of the Crain’s 2018 HR Executive of the Year in the Nonprofit category.
Outside of his role at Cleveland Metroparks, Harold is an adjunct professor in Human Resources Management at Cleveland State University and he serves on the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Diversity Committee. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice/Safety Studies from the University of Toledo and a Master of Labor Relations and Human Resources from Cleveland State University.