Cranwell Resort Names New General Manager

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Carl Pratt
LENOX, Mass. — Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club has appointed Carl Pratt to the position of general manager, succeeding Lewis Kiesler, who is retiring after 11 years with the resort.

Bringing more than 20 years of hotel and resort management experience to Cranwell, Pratt has worked in various management and operational positions in the hospitality area. After joining Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires in 1989, he was appointed spa director, hotel director and then managing director, before leaving to become general manager of the Hanover Inn in Hanover, NH.   During his time there, he served a dual role as Wellness Program director for Tuck Executive Education at Dartmouth College, where he delivered leadership and stress management workshops, as well as developing a wellness education program for Dartmouth College faculty and employees.  Pratt holds a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Johnston State College, as well as a certification with the Center for Creative Leadership.

Kiesler, who is retiring after 45 years in the hospitality industry in New England and the Caribbean, leaves Cranwell after overseeing its progression that included the opening of the spa in 2002.

Cranwell is an award-winning, year-round resort featuring 96 distinctive guest rooms and suites, an 18-hole championship golf course set on 380 hilltop acres. It is home to one of the largest resort spas in the Northeast. With three restaurants and spacious banquet rooms, Cranwell also hosts numerous year-round conferences, weddings and social events. The resort is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ brand and is also a longtime member of Historic Hotels of America, which preserves the authenticity of over 200 of America’s most prominent historic hotels and inns. The resort is listed in Zagat’s “Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts & Spas” and some of their many recognitions include SpaFinder Readers’ Choice Award for one of “Best Spa Resorts for Golf” and the Wine Spectator Magazine Award for Excellence.
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Berkshire Natural Resources Council Receives Grant To Improve Trailheads

LENOX, Mass. — Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) has been awarded $180,000 from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism's (MOTT) Destination Development Capital (DDC) Grant Program to enhance the visitor access and wayfinding at several of the most-visited BNRC reserves across the Berkshires. 
 
The MOTT award requires a 1:1 match, and the Jane and Jack Fitzpatrick Trust recently provided BNRC with a $75,000 grant to support the project and help meet the match. 
 
The project will upgrade trailhead infrastructure, improve accessibility at selected sites and enhance wayfinding so residents and visitors can more easily and comfortably enjoy the region's conserved lands year-round. 
 
"This project reflects exactly what the Destination Development Capital Grant Program is designed to do, which is to strengthen the places that matter most to our communities while preparing them for the future," said Kate Fox, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. "BNRC's thoughtful approach enhances access to some of the Berkshires' most beloved trails while incorporating climate-resilient features that protect these landscapes for years to come. Investments like this help ensure that residents and visitors can enjoy safe, welcoming, and sustainable outdoor experiences across the region." 
 
The grant funds will support targeted improvements: 
  • More welcoming and informative trailhead kiosks and signage 
  • Accessibility improvements at selected trail entrances 
  • Parking changes at busy trailheads 
  • Incorporating climate-smart features like permeable parking surfaces, native plant rain gardens, and usage of durable, sustainable materials 
"In the Berkshires, outdoor recreation is increasingly a key reason people come, and a key reason they stay," said Jenny Hansell, BNRC president. "We are grateful to the Healey-Driscoll administration and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism for recognizing that conserved lands are central to the Berkshires' visitor experience and our local quality of life." 
 
The award is part of a broader investment by the Healey-Driscoll administration to strengthen tourism infrastructure across Massachusetts. Through the DDC program, MOTT funds capital projects that expand, restore, or enhance destinations such as museums, historic sites, and outdoor recreation areas that support local economies. 
 
"With this funding, we can make it easier for people to get outside, whether they're seasoned hikers, families with young kids, or someone visiting the Berkshires for the first time," said Doug Brown, BNRC's Director of Stewardship. "Improved parking, clearer signage, and accessibility improvements may seem like small details, but they can be the difference between someone turning around or feeling confident enough to explore." 
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