NENSA Extends Application Date for Executive Director, Deadline of March 15th

The New England Nordic Ski Association seeks a new Executive Director to begin May 31, 2012. Our job description is clear: we seek a capable leader to be a mentor, an advocate, a tireless advertiser, and a strong builder of our organization. What our job description doesn’t actually say is that also we are looking for someone who loves the lifestyle of cross-country skiing. If all of the above apply to you, and when you read our job description and think it is something you would like to do for NENSA, we invite you to apply.

You may send queries and resumes electronically to SearchCommittee@nensa.net. We have begun accepting applications as of Jan. 1, 2012, and the position will be filled by May 1. Application deadline is March 15, 2012. We hope that the new director will be able to begin early in May to allow for transition time with our outgoing director.

Link to Job Description (PDF)

View the NENSA Vision, Mission, and Strategic Plan here

A Letter from NENSA Executive Director Pat Cote

Dear Members and Friends of NENSA,

NENSA is on a roll. With your enthusiastic support, I have overseen exciting growth in terms of membership and annual giving, as well as scope and quality of programs. Perhaps most importantly, we are now helping get more kids on snow and getting better results on the race course than ever before. With your continued support, and continued dedication of our current staff, the transition to new leadership that this letter announces will go smoothly and NENSA will continue to be a national leader in cross-country ski programming.

With so many things going well for NENSA, I feel that the time is right for NENSA and for me to pursue other opportunities and to make this my final winter as Executive Director. Namely, I will be focusing full-time on earning a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and embarking on a new career shifting my focus from the delivery of ski programming to the delivery of high-quality patient care.

This transition is certainly bittersweet for me. These years with NENSA have been exciting, challenging, and fun.Thank you for your enthusiasm and dedication to NENSA which has made my career serving this organization so worthwhile.

I will not be going far. Our family will stay in Waterville, Maine and I will continue to coach our local Central Maine Ski Club. Who knows? You might even see me out on the trails at a marathon series event or behind a wax bench at an Eastern Cup.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to lead this amazing organization. As an organization, our skis are prepped for winter, the trails await the snow, and we look forward to another New England winter of cross-country skiing. Our goal, as always, is to make it the best ever!

I hope that each of us continues to glide smoothly across the snow for many years to come.

With much gratitude,

Patrick Cote

Executive Director

A Letter From Anne Donaghy, NENSA Board of Directors President

Dear NENSA community:

With reluctance NENSA’s Board of Directors has accepted Pat Cote’s notice of departure as our Executive Director effective May 31, 2012. Pat is committed to helping assure the transition is smooth for his successor. Our Board has formed a Search Committee and will be accepting applications beginning Jan. 1, 2012. A job description will be posted on our website shortly.

First as program director, and since 2006 as our Executive Director, Pat has been instrumental in NENSA’s success. NENSA has thrived under Pat’s leadership:

Membership has increased 63%;
We’ve grown from one program director to three program directors: Competitive, Introduction and Youth, and Adaptive;
We’ve created Skis for Kids, the ski lease program that has helped introduce children to cross-country skiing throughout New England;
We’ve established the “Athlete” and “Worlds” Funds, providing over $10,000 in support of NENSA competitors, nationally and internationally.

During difficult economic times, Pat’s work has held NENSA’s sponsorship stable and generated increased enthusiasm for cross-country skiing amongst our long term sponsors and the wider community.Pat’s vision has put NENSA at the forefront of electronic communications and operations, from our user-friendly website to online registration, e-newsletters, Facebooking and Twittering.Under Pat’s leadership NENSA has increased its revenue, cut costs and delivered more services to more members.

In the face of these achievements, Pat remains focused:“My goal for NENSA was, and still is, simply to take care of the less-glamorous aspects of skiing in a way that allows our coaches, program leaders, clubs, and most importantly our skiers to excel.”Pat works tirelessly behind the scenes bringing his considerable skills to support and promote cross-country skiing in New England.His success is felt across the country.

NENSA has been fortunate to have had Pat at its helm.We know Pat and the rest of his family will continue to be a part of NENSA in the coming years.Please join us in wishing Pat a bon voyage and success in his future endeavors.

Thank you Pat!