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Otten would be defeated the Republican primary by [[Waterville, Maine|Waterville]] mayor [[Paul LePage]], who would go on to win the general election and serve two terms as Governor of Maine. Otten finished second in the Republican primary with 17.4% of the vote, 20 points behind LePage's 37.4%.
Otten would be defeated the Republican primary by [[Waterville, Maine|Waterville]] mayor [[Paul LePage]], who would go on to win the general election and serve two terms as Governor of Maine. Otten finished second in the Republican primary with 17.4% of the vote, 20 points behind LePage's 37.4%.


Otten stated in 2020 that he would vote for [[Joe Biden]], despite being a Republican.<ref>{{Cite web|last=DiStaso|first=John|date=2020-11-02|title=Republican Les Otten expected to be first in US to vote on Election Day, backing Biden|url=https://www.wmur.com/article/republican-les-otten-expected-to-be-first-in-us-to-vote-on-election-day-backing-biden/34555016|access-date=2020-11-03|website=WMUR|language=en}}</ref>
Otten stated in 2020 that he would vote for Democrat [[Joe Biden]] for President, despite being a Republican.<ref>{{Cite web|last=DiStaso|first=John|date=2020-11-02|title=Republican Les Otten expected to be first in US to vote on Election Day, backing Biden|url=https://www.wmur.com/article/republican-les-otten-expected-to-be-first-in-us-to-vote-on-election-day-backing-biden/34555016|access-date=2020-11-03|website=WMUR|language=en}}</ref>


==Personal life and family==
==Personal life and family==
Otten lived in [[Greenwood, Maine]] until early 2020. When he learned that the town of [[Dixville Notch, New Hampshire]], had dwindled to a population of four and would be unable to continue its tradition of [[New Hampshire midnight voting|midnight voting]] without at least five [[selectmen]], Otten moved to Dixville Notch to ensure the practice would survive.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McCormack |first1=Kathy |title=Dixville Notch Finds Enough People To Continue Midnight New Hampshire Primary Voting |url=https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/01/10/dixville-notch-new-hampshire-2020-presidential-primary-first-voting-ballots/ |access-date=January 11, 2020 |work=CBS Boston |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=January 10, 2020}}</ref>
Otten lives in [[Dixville Notch, New Hampshire]].{{cn|date=February 2024}}


==Electoral history==
==Electoral history==
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#E27F7F|LePage}}
|{{legend|#FFE0EA|20–30%}}
|{{legend|#FFC8CD|30–40%}}
|{{legend|#FFB2B2|40–50%}}
|{{legend|#E27F7F|50–60%}}
}}
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#FF9A50|Otten}}
|{{legend|#FFCCA9|30–40%}}
}}
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#47CC9D|Beardsley}}
|{{legend|#B4FFE5|30–40%}}
}}
]]
{{Election box begin no change
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2010 Maine gubernatorial Republican primary results<ref name="Results">{{cite web|url=http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/prior10-11.htm |title=Maine Governor Primary Results |work=Maine SOS |date=June 8, 2010 |access-date=August 9, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118110254/http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/prior10-11.htm |archive-date=November 18, 2010 }}</ref>
| title = Republican primary results<ref name="Results"/>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = '''Paul LePage'''
| candidate = '''[[Paul LePage]]'''
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = '''49,126'''
| votes = '''49,126'''
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}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Peter Mills
| candidate = [[Peter Mills (American politician)|Peter Mills]]
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 19,271
| votes = 19,271
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}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Steve Abbott
| candidate = [[Steve Abbott (politician)|Steve Abbott]]
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 17,209
| votes = 17,209
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}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = William "Bill" Beardsley
| candidate = [[William Beardsley (politician)|William Beardsley]]
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 12,061
| votes = 12,061
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}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Bruce Poliquin
| candidate = [[Bruce Poliquin]]
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 6,471
| votes = 6,471
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}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Matt Jacobson
| candidate = [[Matthew C. Jacobson|Matt Jacobson]]
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 4,324
| votes = 4,324

Revision as of 20:51, 17 June 2024

Leslie B. Otten
Born1949 (1949) (age 75)
Teaneck, New Jersey, U.S.
EducationIthaca College (BS)
OccupationBusiness executive
Known forFormer CEO of American Skiing Company
Political partyRepublican
Websitelesotten.com[dead link]

Leslie B. Otten (born 1949)[1] is the former CEO of the American Skiing Company. Since resigning as its chief executive officer in 2001, Otten has been involved in numerous other businesses and industries, including the Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox.

Early life and career

Otten was born in Teaneck, New Jersey, where he received his early education.[2] He graduated high school from the Hun School of Princeton in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1967[3] and was named an Alumnus of the Year in 1999. Otten received a B.S. in Business Administration from Ithaca College in 1971, after which he worked for Killington and Sunday River ski resorts. In 1980, he purchased Sunday River, and his company, LBO Resort Enterprises, grew by acquiring Sugarbush, Attitash Bear Peak, and Cranmore in the Vermont-New Hampshire skiing areas.

Ski industry career

Otten started his career at Killington Ski Resort in Vermont in 1971. In 1973, at the age of 23, Otten was named ski operation manager of Sunday River in Newry, Maine. In 1980 Otten purchased Sunday River. In 1989, Otten was named Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year, Turnaround Category.

In 1995 he formed American Skiing Company by acquiring S-K-I, and this expanded his resorts to include Killington, Mount Snow, Haystack, Waterville Valley, and Sugarloaf/USA. He was forced to divest his interests in Waterville Valley and Cranmore but went on to buy Pico Peak in Vermont.[4][5]

Under Otten, American Skiing Company invested heavily in marketing and infrastructure. While these investments are credited with major turnaround and growth, they overleveraged the company. A later bailout by an investment firm ultimately caused him to leave day-to-day operations while remaining on the Board of Directors. Otten resigned this position on February 26, 2007, to pursue other options.

In 2009, Otten was inducted into the Maine Ski Hall of Fame.[citation needed]

On February 28, 2016, The Boston Globe reported that Otten had purchased part of the now-closed Balsams Resort in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire. According to the article, Otten plans to spend over $100 million to renovate and rebuild the resort with the goal of turning it into a four seasons destination. If finished, the skiing area would be the largest in New England, with 2,200 acres of skiiable terrain.[6]

On March 23rd 2024, Otten was inducted into the US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame during "Skiing History Celebration" in Park City, Utah.[citation needed]

Boston Red Sox

From 2002 through 2007, Otten was vice chairman and minority partner of the Boston Red Sox American Major League Baseball franchise. In 2004, the Red Sox won their first World Series Championship since 1918 while Otten was part of the ownership group.[7]

Political career

Otten was a candidate for Governor of Maine in the 2010 election, announcing his participation in the Republican gubernatorial primary on October 19, 2009. Otten first announced an exploratory committee on June 22, 2009.[8][9]

The campaign was criticized by the Maine Democratic Party for allegedly copying President Barack Obama's famous "O" insignia and website layout from the 2008 presidential election cycle.[10] A statement from Otten's website claimed that the Obama campaign had first "copied" the logo from the new Pepsi logo.[11] This claim was refuted,[improper synthesis?] as the Obama "O" was first used months before Pepsi revamped their logo.[12]

Otten would be defeated the Republican primary by Waterville mayor Paul LePage, who would go on to win the general election and serve two terms as Governor of Maine. Otten finished second in the Republican primary with 17.4% of the vote, 20 points behind LePage's 37.4%.

Otten stated in 2020 that he would vote for Democrat Joe Biden for President, despite being a Republican.[13]

Personal life and family

Otten lived in Greenwood, Maine until early 2020. When he learned that the town of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, had dwindled to a population of four and would be unable to continue its tradition of midnight voting without at least five selectmen, Otten moved to Dixville Notch to ensure the practice would survive.[14]

Electoral history

2010 Maine gubernatorial Republican primary results[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Paul LePage 49,126 37.4
Republican Les Otten 22,945 17.4
Republican Peter Mills 19,271 14.7
Republican Steve Abbott 17,209 13.1
Republican William Beardsley 12,061 9.2
Republican Bruce Poliquin 6,471 4.9
Republican Matt Jacobson 4,324 3.3
Total votes 131,407 100

References

  1. ^ "Les Otten - New England Ski History Biography". www.newenglandskihistory.com. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  2. ^ McCue, Julia. "BIOGRAPHY: LES OTTEN", Portland Press Herald, December 22, 2001. Accessed March 6, 2011.
  3. ^ Leslie B. Otten of Sports Loyalty Systems, Inc., Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Accessed March 6, 2011. "He attended public schools in Teaneck, New Jersey, The Hun School in Princeton, New Jersey, and Ithaca College."
  4. ^ "Winter 1997". Ithaca.edu. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
  5. ^ "History of American Skiing Company – FundingUniverse". Fundinguniverse.com. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
  6. ^ Nanos, Janelle (2016-02-28). "Les Otten to make stand with old Balsams Hotel". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
  7. ^ "ICQ 2004/4". Ithaca.edu. 2005-01-18. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
  8. ^ [1][dead link]
  9. ^ "Les Otten Mulls Race for Maine Governor - WBZTV.com". Archived from the original on 2009-07-02. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
  10. ^ "Les Otten Web site draws complaint from Democrats". Archived from the original on 2009-07-09. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
  11. ^ "Les Otten for Governor - Otten Blog". Archived from the original on 2009-07-04. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
  12. ^ Khan, Huma (2009-01-12). "Yes, We Can (Try to Hop on the Obama Marketing Bandwagon) - ABC News". Blogs.abcnews.com. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
  13. ^ DiStaso, John (2020-11-02). "Republican Les Otten expected to be first in US to vote on Election Day, backing Biden". WMUR. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  14. ^ McCormack, Kathy (January 10, 2020). "Dixville Notch Finds Enough People To Continue Midnight New Hampshire Primary Voting". CBS Boston. Associated Press. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  15. ^ "Maine Governor Primary Results". Maine SOS. June 8, 2010. Archived from the original on November 18, 2010. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
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