Published June 23, 2025
Five Rivers MetroParks Mourns the Passing of Bear Monita
Five Rivers MetroParks mourns the loss of the vice president of the board of park commissioners Bear Monita. Monita died on June 19 following a brief illness.
“Commissioner Monita played a critical role on the board and was a powerful advocate,” said MetroParks Chief Executive Officer Karen Hesser. “I am incredibly grateful for his service to not only the board, but to all of Montgomery County. During his tenure with the board, MetroParks further established itself as an indispensable asset for the community following the COVID pandemic. His leadership helped people find respite during trying times. The Five Rivers MetroParks team mourns this loss.”
Former Judge Alice O. McCollum of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Probate Division appointed Monita on March 28, 2019. Monita transitioned from his position of commissioner at large to vice president in January 2025.
Monita was a former partner of LWC Incorporated, the Dayton area’s oldest architectural, interior design and planning firm. During that time, Monita assisted Dayton Public Schools, the City of Kettering, Huber Heights City Schools, Dayton Metro Library and Wayne Local Schools in the successful passage of bond issue measures to construct new facilities totaling $1 billion. He retired from the firm in 2024, after 28 years of leading LWC’s marketing, business development and client relations initiatives. Prior to joining LWC, he was the district director for U.S. Congressman Tony Hall and the government affairs manager of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to the MetroParks board, Monita served on the boards of Kettering Health Foundation, the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges and was the former board chair of the Dayton Art Institute and Sinclair Foundation.
By Ohio law, Five Rivers MetroParks is governed by a three-member volunteer board of park commissioners who are appointed by the probate judge of Montgomery County. The board establishes all rules and regulations, approves developments and land acquisitions, and oversees all funds. Each commissioner serves without pay for a three-year term, with one member’s term expiring each year. Commissioners can be reappointed for successive terms. A new commissioner will be appointed to fill the vacancy.
