ASPEN – The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies announced Sunday that it has hired Chris Lane as its chief executive officer.Lane, a Basalt resident, will leave his post as vice president of environmental affairs for Xanterra Parks & Resorts, which has contracts to run lodging, restaurant, retail shops and other operations at such areas as Death Valley, California; the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona; Zion National Park in Utah; and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.”I am thrilled to join the dedicated team of staff and board at ACES,” he said in a statement. “I share their vision and their passion for environmental sustainability and education. I look forward to bringing my experience from the private sector back home to such a renowned organization as ACES and to work with the Roaring Fork Valley community, where my heart has been since 1991.”Lane replaces Tom Cardamone, who will remain with ACES as the president and chief ecologist.”ACES’ strong team of dedicated and capable naturalists, educators and land stewards is beyond enthusiastic about having Chris Lane join us. He brings the capacity to help ACES realize its full potential,” Cardamone said.Lane has a wife and two children. He will join ACES on May 1.John Bennett will continue in his transitional role through June 30 in an effort to incorporate For the Forest programming into ACES.ACES is an Aspen-based nonprofit that focuses on preserving and restoring biodiversity. It offers programming at Hallam Lake, Rock Bottom Ranch, the Catto Center at Toklat and Spring Creek.