MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: ALEX REGEN BUILDS COMMUNITY ON ICE

By Sarah Marques, DLE Communications Intern, Senior at Marist College

Alex Regen, a longtime member of the DLE, blends his sales skills with his passion for hockey and the Berkshires to unite people on the ice.

He’s the founder of the Berkshire Pond Hockey Classic, a 16-team, 4-on-4, co-ed pond hockey tournament that recently celebrated its second anniversary in a bucolic New England setting, on beautiful Benedict Pond in Beartown State Forest in the Berkshire town of Great Barrington. The success of attracting hundreds to a fun-filled day on the ice has inspired Alex to set a bigger goal of creating a refrigerated outdoor rink in downtown Pittsfield with a full slate of outdoor winter skating programming for the community.

“This project is morphing into something even bigger than a pond hockey tournament,” Alex notes. “I’m currently working with the City of Pittsfield and the Town of Monterey on proposals for a refrigerated outdoor rink. Not only would that be for a pond hockey tournament, but much more importantly would be for providing inclusivity for the entire community.”

The second annual Berkshire Pond Hockey Classic this past February attracted 12 teams, 72 skaters, dozens of spectators and 10 sponsors. You can read a recap article here from the Berkshire Eagle.

Alex credits curiosity with playing a huge role in the success of Berkshire Pond Hockey Classic. “Working in sales taught me how to approach anyone and stay curious,” he says. “I also learned that persistence has big benefits.”

Growing up in the Berkshires, Alex is one of the first members of the DLE, attending the inaugural DLE Retreat held in 2008 as a senior at Syracuse University. His sales experience started that year as well. A conversation with the founders of Minyanville Media, while they were visiting the Syracuse campus, led to a job offer in sales. After four years, Alex was the company’s Director of Advertising Sales. “I stay really determined to find a work environment where the people keep me enthusiastic and where there’s more meaning to it than just being a job,” he reflects.

Since then, he has held positions with multiple media and technology companies on both coasts, leading to his role today working as a consultant to various founders and start-ups. “I’m leading new business efforts at a boutique brand identity and design studio called Solidarity, which works with brands like Patagonia, Burton, Nike and Microsoft.”

“One of the things I remember learning from the DLE was that careers zig-zag. They rarely are a straight line,” he recalls. “When I heard that as a college kid, I thought that wasn’t going to be me. I had found this really cool company that was a good startup, and I wanted to work there for 15 years, but things changed.”

Throughout his moves and positions, Alex kept a steady connection with the Berkshires, where his family has a home, and his network of contacts in area nonprofits and businesses. He leveraged that network when the idea for an ice hockey tournament sparked. “I had a lot of conversations. I did a lot of listening,” he says. “The more people I spoke with, the more I learned how much the local community is really into hockey, skating and outdoor recreation.”

Alex has set a goal of converting a small pond event into a larger outdoor skating arena in the Berkshires that can attract tourists, benefit area youth and residents, and contribute to the region’s economy. Once again, he’s relying on conversations to build momentum. Alex has met with dozens of political, business, government and civic leaders to explore possibilities and attract interest.

 “I’ve always been very interested in giving back and providing exposure for kids,” he shares. “To play hockey, you need an incredible support system. Someone needs to take kids to games and practices and pay for resources like coaching, camps, ice time and equipment. With a refrigerated rink and a well-thought-out youth program, we can make sure that kids of all backgrounds in the Berkshires have the resources to learn to skate and learn to play the game. Inclusivity is at the heart of this project.”