BRIDGTON – The Bridgton Academy board of trustees has announced the appointment of Graydon E. Vigneau Jr. as the 47th headmaster of the school. He will replace Headmaster David N. Hursty, who will retire in June 2008.

“I am pleased to announce Grady Vigneau’s appointment as headmaster-elect of Bridgton Academy. He brings a special combination of leadership, experience and passion that will fit the needs and culture of Bridgton Academy extremely well,” said Kevin Hancock, president of the board of trustees.

“Grady is an excellent ‘DNA’ match for our school, and he will be well received by our students, faculty, alumni and friends. I am excited both for Grady and for Bridgton Academy,” said Hancock.

Vigneau earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s degree in business administration from Columbia University. He has spent the past 29 years in a variety of leadership roles in education, including coach, and as president and director of the Vermont All-Star Sports Camps, which he founded in 1982.

Vigneau spent two years as a management consultant for Bain and Co. in Boston prior to becoming the owner and manager of the Round Hearth, LLC, in Stowe, Vt., an organization that includes lodging, diverse recreation programs, sports instruction, arts and educational events.

The combination of business expertise and entrepreneurial savvy, coupled with his mentoring of young men in and out of the classroom, that Vigneau brings to the position will benefit the academy community, Hancock said.

“I am humbled by my appointment as the 47th headmaster in the storied 200-year history of Bridgton Academy. The many opportunities that lie ahead for our great institution are exciting to consider,” said Vigneau. “I look forward to honoring two centuries of history while working fiercely to ensure that the academy’s third century is characterized by unwavering pride, strong loyalty and the continued delivery of unparalleled value for our deserving students and their families.”

Vigneau will make several visits to the campus in the coming months before officially assuming his responsibilities as headmaster this summer.

He will live in the on-campus residence of the headmaster, Fernald House, with his wife, Merry, and their four young adult children.