Photos available for download: https://bit.ly/2sxFsoD

Conway, NH (June 22, 2017)—Ski NH recently recognized Michael Berry of the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), Bo Adams of MountainGuard, Steve Flagg of Nordic Skier Wolfeboro XC, and New Hampshire State Senate President Chuck Morse based on their contributions to skiing and the tourism industry in New Hampshire. The awards were presented at Ski NH’s Annual Conference and Trade Show at the Red Jacket Mountain View Resort in North Conway on June 12, 2017.

Michael Berry, president of NSAA since 1992, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedicated service to the ski industry. Though Berry has had nationwide influence in the snow sports business, he also has strong ties to New Hampshire. In 1965, he moved to the Granite State to attend Franconia College and compete on their ski team, completing hundreds of laps on the Zoomer Chair at Cannon Mountain. He also taught skiing at Loon Mountain Resort from 1967 until 1970, and became a certified instructor at Wildcat in the spring of 1968.

The US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Famer plans to retire from his post at NSAA this year, but under his guidance, the organization developed the Model for Growth, a major research endeavor designed to help attract and keep new participants. The project has guided many of NSAA's programs for more than a decade, including Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month/Bring a Friend. Prior to Berry’s time at NSAA, he worked at several other U.S. ski areas, including Hunter Mountain, N.Y., Keystone and Vail, Colo., Sun Valley, Idaho, and Kirkwood Mountain, Calif., where he was president from 1985 to 1992.

President of the New England Ski Museum, Bo Adams, was presented with the Whitney Award. The award was established in the 1970s in honor of Bill Whitney of Black Mountain and recognizes outstanding contributions to the alpine ski and snowboard industry in the Granite State.

A long-time skier and former collegiate ski coach, Adams’ career in the ski industry took a turn in 1978 with ski area insurance company Kendall Insurance. Adams is now Senior Vice President and Program Manager for the East, Midwest, and Eastern Canada. As such, he has been an invaluable resource to many of New Hampshire’s ski areas for risk management and mitigation. He joined the New England Ski Museum Board of Directors in 1999 and has been the museum's president since 2007. As grandson of one of the founding members of the Dartmouth Outing Club, Carl E. Shumway, Adams has made an annual spring trek to the Eastern slopes of Mount Washington for over 50 years.

Steve Flagg of Nordic Skier Wolfeboro XC was given the Merrill Award, which was established in memory of Al Merrill of Dartmouth College to recognize an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to cross country skiing in the state.

Flagg has been involved in the Nordic skiing scene since the 1970s, and is considered a pioneer of cross-country skiing operations in New Hampshire. An original member of the National Ski Touring Operators of America, now the Cross Country Ski Areas Association, Flagg has been involved in all aspects of the sport, from gear outfitting, instructional programs, trail building, trail grooming, and coaching several State Championship Nordic Teams. Under his stewardship, The Nordic Skier was voted the Best Nordic Skiing Shop in New England in 2014, the Wolfeboro Cross Country Ski Trails were voted Best of NH 2012 by New Hampshire Magazine.

The Legislator of the Year award, given to NH Senate President Chuck Morse, aims to salute those legislators who keep Ski NH and its members informed on the legislative process and potential impacts, and who play a pivotal role in issues that are important to the ski industry.

Serving his sixth term in the State Senate, Senator Morse has effectively advocated for infrastructure improvements to help with access throughout New Hampshire. He has also advocated for increased expenditures for tourism promotion, knowing that the return on investment is good for the state’s treasury, as well as its tourism-related businesses. The Senator has been known among Ski NH’s members to be communicative and ever-willing to discuss issues of interest as they relate to the industry.

Ski NH is the statewide association representing 34 alpine and cross-country resorts in New Hampshire. For more information on ski areas, vacation planning, and updated winter events at Ski NH resorts, call Ski NH at 603.745.9396 or visit the Ski NH website at SkiNH.com. For statewide travel info, go to visitNH.gov.

Contact:
Karolyn Castaldo, Communications & Marketing Manager
Ski New Hampshire
603.745.9396x205 | Karolyn@SkiNH.com

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