2021 MRG Co-Op Board In-State Candidate 
Will Kriewald
Waitsfield, VT
Candidate Statement & Bio
I’m running for the Co-Op Board because I love Mad River Glen and want to be a part of preserving it’s future. The work done by the Co-Op has allowed us to persevere through many challenges in the past, and I would like to continue that work to secure a bright future.
I live with my wife and three dogs in an 18th century farmhouse in Waitsfield. While we may have skied Alta for our honeymoon, we are proud to call Mad River Glen home. Almost three years ago my wife and I moved to the Valley on a full time basis. We had enjoyed Waitsfield and Mad River Glen as a second home, making the long drive from Stamford, CT most Friday’s and returning for the work week. What kept us coming back, and eventually brought us here full time was the sense of community and the relationships that we formed.
Currently I work for the Vermont State Treasurer’s Office as the Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining the Treasurer’s Office, I was an Associate Director at Point 72, L.P., and before that I was a Manager with KPMG in the audit practice, and I became a Certified Public Accountant in 2013. I also sit on both the Vermont and New England Government Finance Officer’s Board of Director’s. When not at work or skiing; I enjoy backpacking, fly fishing, making pottery, and running.
Candidate Questions:
Mad River Glen is the nucleus of my personal life in the Mad River Valley. It’s the place I come to ski, hike, has one of my favorite restaurants, and is where I’ve met many of my closest friends. Becoming a shareholder was a special moment for me, not because the discount on my pass, but because I could now be a part of the future of a place that’s so dear to me. I’d like to take that a step further now.
My career has required me to evaluate the financial and operational health of many different organizations. This perspective is important as we both recover from the challenging 2020-21 ski season and as we continue operating going forward. It’s important that we make both prudent financial decisions, but also the right operational choices to maximize the number of ski days that mother nature allows.
I didn’t grow up with Mad River as my home mountain, but I was fortunate enough to get to ski here a few times when I was younger. My wife had never skied here, but fell in love with the conviviality and essence of Mad River. To say we felt embraced by the Mad River Glen community is an understatement, we felt like we had returned home after a long trip.
I think that represents a key experience to the future of our COOP. Having the perspective of what attracts and retains skiers to Mad River Glen is imperative to making decisions about the Co-Op’s future, all while staying true to our past. With the current rise of collectives and multi-mountain passes, there are a growing population of skiers that might not consider a pass or ski day here because of the privileges they enjoy elsewhere. Our efforts need to be focused on showing what we all know to be true, the experience of a day of skiing at Mad River Glen can’t be found anywhere else.
This is a special place to enjoy exceptional skiing and the camaraderie that goes along with it. That is what should guide the long term vision for both the Co-Op and Mad River Glen; ensuring that when you visit it’s that same familiarity, but better than what you remembered.
Unfortunately we face many challenges in that pursuit; whether it be climate change, economic uncertainty, changes in the ski industry, or the effects of the pandemic. I believe it’s our responsibility to ensure that we are prepared to meet those challenges without changing what our skiers value most. Our efforts should revolve around making sure that those that come after us are able to enjoy Mad River as we do.
