Long Trail stewards welcome new executive director

The Green Mountain Club today announced the choice of Will Wiquist as the organization’s new executive director. Wiquist is the first new director in more than a decade for the 101-year old, 10,000 member club which maintains Vermont’s Long Trail network and seeks to promote the role of the mountains in people’s lives.
Wiquist previously served for more than three and a half years as press secretary for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Among other public relations responsibilities, he managed the senator’s highly active social media presence including leading the way in building the largest Facebook page in the U.S. Senate.
"We are really pleased to have Will Wiquist as our new Executive Director,’ said Marge Fish of Londonderry, president of the Green Mountain Club. ‘He brings great energy and enthusiasm to the job. He has already shown that he can review and absorb large amounts of information, interact with a diverse group of people, and triage the most important issues to work on. We look forward to a long and productive association with him."
Prior to working for Sanders, Wiquist worked as compliance director for now-Rep. Peter Welch’s 2006 campaign for Congress and a senior analyst for the Federal Election Commission. He also has extensive campaign experience in volunteer organizing. Wiquist has a Masters in Public Policy from American University and an undergraduate degree from Franklin and Marshall College.
‘The Green Mountain Club is a wonderful Vermont institution led by dedicated volunteers and a talented and experienced staff. It is a great honor to be a part of this community,’ Wiquist said.
Following the highly-successful tenure of Ben Rose as director, Wiquist began work Monday in the club’s Waturbury headquarters and visitor center on Route 100 headed into Stowe. Open seven days a week during the hiking season, and five days a week the rest of the year, the visitor center was completed in 2009 and is open to the public for maps, merchandise, hiking expertise and even free coffee.
The Green Mountain Club is recognized by the state of Vermont as the "the founder, sponsor, defender, and protector" of the Long Trail system. With its 273-mile footpath, 175 miles of side trails, and nearly 70 primitive shelters, the Long Trail is the oldest long distance trail in the United States. In addition to the 445-mile Long Trail System, the club also maintains much of the Appalachian Trail and other hiking trail systems in Vermont in partnership with organizations including the U.S. Forest Service, Vermont Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
Source: Green Mountain Club.