Also keep in mind the department heads play very different roles in different programs. In some programs they are like rock stars who shape everything about the program, while in others they come and go but the program has a life and traditions of its own, almost completely independent of the current department head or any other single individual. I would try to understand that dynamic in a particular program and weigh what the department head says about the program, and their personality, accordingly.
In some programs the department head will impact your total experience, in others you may hardly know they are there.