The New Hampshire Lakes Association (NH LAKES) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the hiring of its new President, Tom O’Brien, a seasoned water resource and nonprofit professional who brings a wealth of experience to the position.

Tom is a native New Englander who spent many of his formative years recreating in New Hampshire and he returns to New Hampshire with a deep sense of respect for the beauty and importance of our lakes and other waters. He previously managed the statewide Network of Watershed Councils in Oregon and other previous work experience includes managing lakes and ponds in Massachusetts’ state forests and parks and managing reservoirs and watersheds associated with the Boston and New York City water supplies.

Dana Bisbee, NH LAKES Board Chair, says that it is an affirmation of NH LAKES’ accomplishments that the Board was able to attract someone of Tom’s experience and stature. “We are very excited about this opportunity for NH LAKES. We believe that Tom will be a great asset to our clean lakes mission and to serving our membership, and a perfect complement to our existing talented and committed staff.”

Tom describes himself as a “pragmatic conservationist” with a firm belief in communicating as much as possible in order to find common ground. “We need to strike the right balance between protecting and conserving our natural resources—the lakes and other water resources of New Hampshire—without placing an undue burden on government or on the people who rely on or simply enjoy our lake resources. I look forward very much to meeting the membership of NH LAKES and to serving them to the best of my ability.”

Tom will join the staff of NH LAKES on November 28. Please feel free to contact him at tobrien@nhlakes.org or (603) 226-0299 to say hello!