In what has to be a surprising development, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy is once again looking for an executive director and chief executive officer, as Mark Wenger, on board for just 18 months, is leaving at the end of the month.
Steve Paradis, former chief operating officer of the ATC, will serve as interim Executive Director/CEO until Mr. Wenger’s position has been permanently filled to ensure a smooth transition. The board of directors, which didn't cite a reason for Mr. Wenger's departure, expects to fill this position by the end of this year.
Mr. Wenger joined the ATC in 2012, replacing David Startzell.
The Appalachian Trail is a unit of the National Park System, stretching from Georgia to Maine, at approximately 2,180 miles in length. Volunteers typically donate more than 220,000 hours of their time doing trail-related work each year, and about 2 to 3 million visitors walk a portion of the A.T. each year.