SAM Magazine—Waitsfield, Vt., Jan. 26, 2017—The nation's only cooperatively-owned ski area, Mad River Glen in Vermont, has hired Matt Lillard as its new general manager. Lillard is currently the GM of community-owned Eaglecrest Ski Area in Juneau, Alaska, where he's been at the helm for the past five years. He'll start at Mad River in early March.

Lillard's experience running a community-owned operation was a major consideration in his hiring, according to Meg Hourihan, Mad River's co-op board president. “Matt's commitment to running ski areas, not resorts, demonstrates his values and willingness to preserve and protect the Mad River Glen experience. He impressed the search committee with his managerial and financial expertise, his thoughtful and open-minded management approach, his willingness to listen, and his understanding of the unique culture of Mad River Glen,” she said.

The difference between managing a “ski area” versus a “ski resort” is an important one for Lillard. “Ski areas have a much bigger focus on the skiing and camaraderie aspect of the sport, in contrast to a business model based on real estate sales and other profit streams,” he said. “The people that work for and ski at ski areas tend to be looking for something different than what they can find at a larger resort. It is up to the ski area to figure out what that difference is, and then enhance and protect the experience that makes it special.”

According to MRG marketing director Eric Friedman, Lillard will be able to hit the ground running. “I am glad to say that the first and most important thing that Matt needs to know, he already does know: that is, Mad River Glen is not like any other ski area. I believe that is what appealed to him about this GM position here, and his background in community-minded ski areas will prove invaluable,” said Friedman.

Prior to his time at Eaglecrest, Lillard's ski industry career was based in Vermont. He began in marketing at Okemo Mountain, and then moved on to be the assistant GM at Magic Mountain for five years, where he developed a liking for community ski areas. He is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in applied economics and business management.

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