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Stephen Barba

Executive Director of University Relations

Email
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.

Barba currently serves in these and other community positions:

• Director, Citizens Bank-New Hampshire
• Trustee and Secretary, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
• Trustee, Dartmouth Hitchcock Alliance
• Advisory Board, Anthem-Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire
• Director, Pemi Youth Center
• Director, Plymouth Chamber of Commerce
• Director, The Northern Forest Center
• Special Trustee, The Neil and Louise Tillotson Charitable Trust

Previous positions served:

• 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
• Member, Coos County Planning Board
• Member, Governor's Job corps Center Task Force
• Director, Business and Industry Association
• Director, New Hampshire Nature Conservancy
• Director, New England Innkeepers Association
• Vice-chair, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
• Vice-chair, New Hampshire Joint Promotional Program (25 years)
• Selectman, Town of Dixville (35 years)
• Director, Northern New Hampshire Foundation
• Commissioner, The Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission on Educational Funding
• Trustee, New Hampshire Historical Society

Awards:

• New Hampshire Public Radio "25 in 25" - One of Twenty-five citizens who have shaped New Hampshire during twenty-five years of NHPR—2007
• Master of New England Innkeeping Award - One of ten awarded between 1907 and 2007
• Distinguished Citizen Award - Boy Scouts of America, Daniel Webster Council—2006
• Lifetime of Service Award - Northern New Hampshire Foundation—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 Public Relations Society of America—1992
• National Resort Executive of the Year—1991
• New England Inns and Resorts Association: Lifetime Membership Award—2005
• New Hampshire Tourism Person of the Year—1988
• New Hampshire Innkeeper of the Year—1981