July 29, 2004

Adirondack Mountain Club Appoints New Executive Director

The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) has announced the appointment of Neil Woodworth as executive director and John Million as deputy executive director.

Woodworth, former deputy executive director and counsel of ADK, has fifteen years of experience working with ADK to protect wilderness in New York State and to promote the club's programs in education, conservation, and responsible recreation. In announcing Woodworth's appointment by a unanimous vote of ADK's Board of Directors, President Tom Wheeler said, “While many of us have a strong attachment to ADK, Neil has made service to our organization his life's work. He brings an exhaustive knowledge of the issues and concerns that relate to the protection of our wild lands, and he has an outstanding reputation in the environmental community.”

Prior to his service with ADK, Woodworth, a graduate of Albany Law School, was an attorney working with Seymour Fox, P.C. He has received appointments to the Congressional Northern Forests Lands Council, the Governor's Task Force on the Adirondack Park Agency, and the New York Forest Preserve Advisory Committee. Within ADK, he has served in many volunteer positions including: second vice president, member of the board of governors representing the Albany Chapter, Conservation Committee chairman, and member of the Albany Chapter Outings Committee.

Woodworth is active in many outdoor pursuits, including hiking, canoeing, backpacking, backcountry skiing, and bird watching. As Adirondack Forty Sixer Number 2036, he has climbed all of the highest mountains in New York.

Woodworth replaces the retiring Jo Benton, who served ADK for eight years as executive director. Under Benton's leadership, ADK membership nearly doubled and the club expanded its many programs and services.

Million, former operations director, came to ADK as North Country facilities director in April 1999 and oversaw the Heart Lake and Johns Brook Lodge properties in that position. He became operations director for ADK in December 2000 and has since served in that role. Prior to ADK, Million worked in sporting goods management with Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), as well as with Timberland, and Champs Sports. Million resides in Lake Placid with his wife Katie.

For more information on these appointments, contact Neil Woodworth at ADK's Public Affairs Office in Albany: 518-449-3870, nwoodwor@nycap.rr.com.