Boston, MA – The New England Office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Boston has selected Cranmore Mountain’s long-time operations director James Mersereau to receive an Environmental Merit Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in recognition of his exceptional work and commitment to the environment while an employee of the North Conway, N.H. ski and snowboard resort.nThis award recognizes outstanding environmental advocates who dedicated their lives toward preserving and protecting New England’s natural resources. This award will be presented at a special ceremony to be held this afternoon — the 40th anniversary of Earth Day — at Faneuil Hall in Boston. This annual ceremony has recognized the environmental achievements of New Englanders for more than three decades. Mersereau’s family and Cranmore co-workers, including General Manager Ben Wilcox, will be guests of honor at this celebration.

Wilcox gives credit to Mersereau for many energy efficiency, renewable energy, and pollution prevention initiatives undertaken by Cranmore in recent years.

In the award nomination submitted by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) in cooperation with Cranmore, Wilcox wrote, “Jim’s passion and energy for doing the right thing for the environment was the reason Cranmore’s management team supported many of the initiatives that he brought to the table. His leadership was an inspiration to the entire Cranmore team, along with the entire New Hampshire ski industry.

“Jim Mersereau was a kind, fun, dedicated individual who, through his personal conviction to doing ‘the right thing,’ led a transformation of the ski industry in the Northeast toward improved energy efficiency, pollution prevention, and use of alternative fuels.”

Mersereau’s slope grooming skills were also well respected in the ski industry, as shown by his selection to an elite grooming crew for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.