PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Bousquet Mountain announced the hiring of new General Manager Kevin McMillian and a partnership with Olympic Skier and Pittsfield native Krista Schmidinger.

 

General manager Kevin McMillian, currently general manager at Zoar Outdoor, will oversee the day to day operation of the mountain. He will be responsible for building out the Bousquet management team and staff and implementing an effective operating model to run the business.  

 

McMillian has been with Zoar since 1992. He brings knowledge of the outdoors and background as an experiential educator with regional schools. He was the 1996 recipient of the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism Hospitality Award and is a Wilderness First Responder.

 

"We are excited to bring Kevin on to support this project," Tim Burke, Mill Town's CEO and Managing Director said. "His background and experience managing an outdoor recreation business will be very beneficial as we hope to bring Bousquet to the next level as a skiing and outdoor recreation destination."

 

 Mill Town Capital of Pittsfield purchased the mountain in May of 2020. 

 

Two-time Olympian, US National Champion, and two-time World Junior Medalist Krista Schmidinger will partner with Bousquet to further the youth programming. She will contribute to the Race Club and SnowSports School, assisting with race and school program design, instruction input, and one-on-one opportunities for young skiers.

 

Born and raised in Lee, Schmidinger grew up on the slopes of Bousquet. Schmidinger said the programs and coaches were instrumental in launching her ski career.

 

"I look forward to making an impact on the local ski community and influence the next generation of Bousquet Champions," Schmidinger said. "It means a lot to me to return to Bousquet where my career began, and I hope to inspire and develop other young skiers as the mountain becomes a premier destination for outdoor recreation."

 

Bousquet also announced more details about the on-mountain renovations. 

 

The ski area is currently installing a Triple Poma chairlift that will provide access to the summit from the base, replacing the former "Yellow Chair." The mountain will also feature a revamped snowmaking system with over 25 new snow guns; new grooming equipment; and a new, more accessible beginner area. 

 

These upgrades are planned to be ready for the public in time for the Winter 2020/2021 season.

 

Season passes are currently available at bousquetmountain.com, and Bousquet recently extended early-bird pricing through Sept. 15, 2020. Passholders are expected to have priority benefits this year to help manage capacity during the COVID-19 environment.

 

In addition to the Bousquet season pass, Bousquet also joins the Berkshire Summit Pass, which allows pass holders to access Bousquet, Berkshire East, and Catamount under a single season pass option.

 

Mill Town has recently extended its community investment focus to include projects centered on bolstering the region's outdoor recreation assets. The firm and the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) teamed up to produce an extensive Berkshire County Outdoor Recreation Plan that outlines the existing outdoor recreation landscape of the Berkshires as well as recommendations for growth.