MOUNT WASHINGTON OBSERVATORY WELCOMES NEW PRESIDENT

North Conway, NH – August 30, 2016 – The Board of Trustees of the Mount Washington Observatory (MWO) are pleased to announce the appointment of Sharon K. Schilling to serve as President of the organization.

“This is an exciting time for MWO and for the future of our organization,” said Brad Griswold MWO Board Chair. “The search committee sought out a vibrant leader who could harness that excitement and take us to the next level in terms of recognition, engagement, education, and philanthropy. Sharon is all that and more.”

Schilling is a proud representative of one of the first classes of women to graduate from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1984. She went on to serve 22 years in the Coast Guard before retiring in 2006 as a Commander. In addition she holds an MBA in Business Administration, Management & Operations from George Mason University that she utilized in carrying on in a leadership role as a manager at Battelle Memorial Institute in Arlington, Virginia. At Battelle she managed an $8-10 million budget and as many as 80 employees located in various locations across the United States. Battelle, founded in 1929, is a $6.2 billion private non-profit applied science and technology development company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

“Her life experiences and professional skill sets run parallel to many of the challenges the MWO faces. The challenges and responsibilities she had in the USCG are impressive and they provide her with significant credibility,” said Brian Underwood Board Treasurer. “Most importantly she is deeply passionate about MWO and the community that surrounds us. We are confident that she will make enormous contributions toward the shared goal of advancing the mission of the Observatory for future generations.”

Schilling and her husband Kirk (retired USCG Commander) plan to build a home in Madison, N.H. where they had purchased land after spending many summers with family on Duncan Lake in Ossipee.

Photo: Mount Washington Observatory’s new President Sharon Schilling on a recent visit to the summit of Mount Washington

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