Allan Cosgrove has joined the Milford Community Trust as the community-elected trustee.
Trust chairwoman Jane Taylor said an election was held last week after the previous community trustee, Jason Steele, resigned before moving north.
There were three nominations.
The Fiordland Lobster Company depot manager in Milford, Mr Cosgrove has lived in Milford since June 2002.
He has been the co-owner and operator of a cafe in Te Anau, Moeraki Boulders restaurant manager, a troop sergeant with the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps and an electronics technician for the University of Otago's geology department.
He has been a Waitaki Chamber of Commerce committee member and the Moeraki Area Promotions group chairman.
Mr Cosgrove believes if Milford is to remain New Zealand's premier tourism destination, infrastructural assets and management systems need to change as the expectations of visitors and residents change.
"The increasing number of self-drive visitors to Milford Sound has put pressure on short-term car parking, overnight camping, increased road usage, ablution facilities and rubbish dumping," he said.
Mr Cosgrove would continue with two projects Mr Steele was involved in - the community gymnasium and the development of an emergency response team.
The trust will hold its next meeting on November 28.
Community members are encouraged to meet the trustees.
