Office of the President

Executive Director of University Relations

e-mail
MSC#2
Phone: (603) 535-2722
Fax: (603) 535-3126
University Relations is located in the Speare Administration Building 2nd floor, Room 202

Reports: Business Liaison Office, Conferences and Special Events, Office of Public Relations, Silver Center for the Arts

Professional Information

Stephen P. Barba worked for 48 years at The BALSAMS Grand Resort Hotel in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire starting in 1959 when, as a thirteen year old in 1959, he attended the 40-member caddy camp. He spent succeeding summer seasons there serving in a variety of jobs: including pool boy, greens-keeper, bell hop, doorman, waiter, and bartender. Through to his graduate teaching assistantship in English literature at Michigan State University – whenever school was out – Barba returned to Dixville Notch. In 1970 faculty and students at 500 colleges across the country went on strike in protest of the war in Southeast Asia, so Barba once again went back to The BALSAMS. Along with his friend and fellow employee, Barba accepted the responsibility for the general management of The BALSAMS in 1971.

With his managing partners, Barba soon owned the operating company for the 15,000 acre destination resort. His continuous management spanned 35 years until his retirement in 2005. During those years Barba was Dixville Notch’s senior selectman and was among the 20-some citizens who voted “first in the nation” every four years. Barba served as Innkeeper Emeritus until 2006 to provide on-site counsel and continuity to the new management.

In 2006 Barba accepted a senior administrative position with Plymouth State University as Executive Director of University Relations.

Current Community Positions:

• Director, Citizens Bank-New Hampshire
• Member, RBS Citizens – New England Regional Advisory Board
• Trustee and Officer, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
• Trustee, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health System
• Special Trustee, Neil Tillotson Trust
• Director, Tillotson Corporation
• Director, Plymouth Chamber of Commerce
• Director, Pemi-Youth Center
• Director and Officer, The Northern Forest Center
• Incorporator, Northern New Hampshire Foundation
• Member, Stay-Work-Play NH, Board of Directors, University System of New Hampshire
• Member, New Hampshire Forum on the Future Advisory Board

Previous Community Positions:

• President, New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association
• President, New Hampshire Travel Council
• President, NH Golf Association
• Chairman, New Hampshire Public Television
• President, Ski the White Mountains
• Chairman, National Resort Committee – American Hotel & Lodging Association
• Founding Member, Coös County Planning Board
• Director, Business and Industry Association
• Director, New Hampshire Nature Conservancy
• Director, New England Innkeepers Association
• Director, New Hampshire Community Technical Colleges Foundation
• Director and Vice-chair, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
• Vice-chair, New Hampshire Joint Promotional Program (25 years)
• Trustee, New Hampshire Historical Society
• Selectman, Town of Dixville (35 years)
• Director, Northern New Hampshire Foundation
• Commissioner, The Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Educational Funding
• Member, New Hampshire State Commission to Develop a Plan for the Expansion of Electrical Transmission Capacity in the North Country

Awards and Accomplishments:

• Master of New England Innkeeping – New England Inns & Resorts – 2007
• New Hampshire Public Radio “25 in 25” – One of twenty-five citizens who have shaped New Hampshire during twenty-five years of NHPR – 2007
• Distinguished Citizen Award – Boy Scouts of America – 2006
• New Hampshire Business Excellence Hall of Fame–2006
• Lifetime of Service Award – Northern New Hampshire Foundation – 2005
• New England Inns and Resorts – Lifetime Membership – 2005  
• Official Commendation – Governor John H. Lynch – 2005
• New Hampshire Business Leader of the Year – 2003
• Official Resolution – New Hampshire State Senate – 2001
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Business and Industry Association of NH – 2001
• Lifetime Achievement Award – New Hampshire Travel Council – 2001
• Volunteer of the Year – American Hotel and Lodging Association – 2000
• Granite State Award – University of New Hampshire – 1998
• Yankee Award – The Yankee Chapter of PRSA  – 1992
• National Resort Executive of the Year – 1991
• New Hampshire Tourism Person of the Year – 1988
• New Hampshire Innkeeper of the Year – 1981
• Founding Member – New Hampshire Travel Council
• Founding Member – Ski NH
• Founder – The Great North Woods Region