Four Breckenridge residents will join the Breckenridge Tourism Office’s board of directors in June. Selected from a pool of 15 applicants, the four were approved on Jan. 28.

“We have never had a pool of applicants like that,” Lucy Kay, Breckenridge Tourism Office CEO said. “We are so fortunate in this community to have so many people that are willing to step up and help.”

The new board members include:

Travis Beck: SE Group director of environmental services — approved by Town Council

Jay Beckerman: Blue River Bistro managing member — approved by Town Council

Christine Berwyn: Pinnacle Mountain Homes and Lodging director of marketing — approved by BTO Board

Cary Cooper: community philanthropist and volunteer with extensive board experience — approved by BTO Board

Kay noted that each member was selected for the unique experiences they could bring to the board. She said Beck’s work with environmental affairs would contribute a new skill set that would assist BTO with its management goals.

“He’s bringing a skill set to the table that hasn’t typically been part of the board,” she said.

Beckerman, a longtime community member, would give the board a voice with local restaurants, while Berwyn’s history in working on the “Breck Because” marketing project would be an asset.

Finally, Cooper was selected for his long-standing history with local nonprofits, having served as president of the Summit Foundation for two terms.

“We want to have a hand in helping shape that experience once people are here,” Kay added of the BTO’s current goals.

REP. POLIS CO-HOSTS INDUSTRIAL HEMP EXPO

Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., co-hosted and industrial hemp expo at the U.S. capital on Tuesday, Feb. 2 with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). The expo drew more than 100 visitors to showcase small businesses that make products using industrial hemp.

The day-long event was hosted in light of the Industrial Hemp Farming Act, a bill sponsored by the four representatives to lift the federal ban on hemp, allowing each state to vote individually on whether it can be cultivated. The cultivation of hemp is currently prohibited in the U.S., as it is classified as marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act, although it is not psychoactive.

“Visitors at today’s expo saw firsthand the incredible economic opportunities we’re depriving our nation by leaving in place the outdated ban on industrial hemp production,” Polis said. “We need to pass the Industrial Hemp Farming Act, so that America’s farmers and innovators can finally start participating in this booming global industry, creating jobs for Americans and reducing prices for consumers.”

While hemp may be cultivated in Colorado under Amendment 64, it is illegal to transport it across state lines.