By Ed Karvoski Jr., Contributing Writer
Hudson – After working for nine years as assistant director at Hudson Recreation, Steven Santos recently moved into a different office as the department’s new director. However, he plans to spend only part of his workdays there.
“I won’t be sitting in my office eight hours a day – that’s not me,” he said. “I’ll delegate, but I’ll also go out there into the community and deal with issues head on.”
His longtime association with the recreation department began as a child taking tennis and swim lessons. Only a few years later, he was hired by the department as a lifeguard at Centennial Beach during the summer before entering his sophomore year at Hudson High School (HHS). He also instructed swimming for children ages 6 to 12.
“I was always at the beach,” he noted. “I started my career there with the town of Hudson many, many years ago. I got to know a lot of families with young kids there. Now, a lot of those kids are actually working for me. I’ve come full circle.”
This summer job continued after Santos graduated from HHS in 1998 and through his college years. He received a bachelor’s degree in exercise science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
His brother Kevin worked alongside him at Centennial Beach. They were hired as teens by Linda Ghiloni, who retired in September after serving as recreation director for over 35 years. As his interest in aquatics progressed, so did his job responsibilities.
“That was a great opportunity for us to test the waters and see if we were cut out to be a supervisor,” he said. “Linda sent me and others who were in charge to a conference and we learned how to manage lifeguards and waterfront facilities. It was a great learning experience and reassuring that Linda had confidence in us to lead the program.”
Ghiloni also sent him and his brother to Wayside Racquet & Swim Club in Marlborough, where they got certified to teach swimming.
“I not only trained the lifeguards and swim instructors, but also trained all our employees in CPR, first aid and safety, which I’ve consistently been doing for the town of Hudson since I was 17 years old,” explained Santos, now 35.
When he and Kevin left to pursue other jobs, their younger brother Nelson began working at Centennial Beach.
Santos worked as assistant aquatics director at the Hockomock Area YMCA, and as fitness and health director at retirement and assisted living communities. In 2006, he returned to his hometown and was hired as assistant director at Hudson Recreation. Each brother’s office is now located on Main Street.
“My brothers and I thought we’d all move away from Hudson, but here we are with offices literally a stone’s throw away from each other,” he said. “This is where home and family is.”
He was named the department’s interim director while planning the 17th annual Pumpkin Fest. The 2014 festival attracted about 3,400 guests.
“Annual events tend to run themselves,” he said. “I help facilitate it, but all the volunteers actually run it. I point people in the right direction and handle issues that come up. That’s my job.”
Now as director, Santos plans to draw upon his many years of on-the-job training.
“Linda taught me to look at the big picture in everything we do because we’re here for the whole community,” he said. “I enjoy the interaction that I have on a daily basis with a great staff, the people in the Town Hall and in the community. I’ve worked other jobs, but I’m the most happy here.”