BERRY RETIRING, NSAA SEEKS SUCCESSOR
NSAA president Michael Berry informed the board of directors in January he intends to retire at the end of the calendar year. Berry has led NSAA since 1993, and has been instrumental in turning NSAA into the strong organization it has become, driving several initiatives aimed at growing participation in skiing and snowboarding. The board of directors’ executive committee is conducting the search for Berry’s successor on its own, and the position is posted at nsaa.org. The committee hopes to identify three or four finalists by April, and to interview finalists at the national convention in Scottsdale, Ariz., in early May.

NEW YORK TO INVEST MILLIONS AT GORE AND WHITEFACE
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is committing $28 million for capital enhancements at two of New York’s state-owned facilities—Whiteface and Gore Mountain. Both ski areas are located in the Adirondacks, and Cuomo said the goal is to attract more tourists to the areas so they can rival ski resorts in nearby Vermont and Canada. More than $20 million will be invested at Whiteface, to fund the renovation and expansion of two of its lodges, a new lift, a new zip line, and “the longest mountain coaster in the U.S.” Projects at Gore include renovating and adding a third story to its main base lodge, expanding and renovating the Saddle Lodge, and restoring the original gondola upper terminal and turning it into a warming facility and overlook.

INNTOPIA ACQUIRES DESTIMETRICS
In early January, software as a service (SaaS) e-commerce company Inntopia acquired Denver-based DestiMetrics, which has been supplying lodging metrics and market intelligence to North American travel destinations, including the mountain travel industry, since 2004. This is the second acquisition for Inntopia since October, when it acquired database and CRM firm Ryan Solutions. DestiMetrics adds a suite of market intelligence reports and analytics to Inntopia’s current e-commerce platform, database marketing, and CRM products, which will all combine to give destinations the use of these collective resources to better inform lodging rates, target resorts’ marketing efforts, and leverage data.

NSAA REGIONAL EVENTS UPBEAT
The mood at both NSAA regional conferences—western at Steamboat, Colo., Jan. 16-19, and eastern at Mount Snow, Vt., Jan. 31–Feb. 1—was generally upbeat and energetic, thanks to consistent snowfall and strong visitation on both sides of the country. Each event included educational sessions covering a wide range of topics. Of special interest was a session on lift maintenance programs, with presenters calling for the industry to come together and share and develop common practices to train lift mechanics. The tradeshows at each event featured a mix of well-known suppliers and new companies introducing their products. The NSAA National Convention is in Scottsdale, Ariz., May 5-8.

PEOPLE
NSAA president Michael Berry will be retiring at the end of this calendar year.

In Vermont, Matt Lillard has been named general manager of Mad River Glen. … Michael Giorgio is now food and beverage director at Mount Snow.

Out West, Steve Graff was promoted to director of mountain operations at Deer Valley, Utah, following the retirement of Chuck English. … Colin McBeath is now general manager at Purgatory Resort, Colo. … Keystone, Colo., appointed Tracy Bartels as its senior director, mountain operations. … Executive director Andrew Gast is leaving the Antelope Butte Foundation, Wyo., but will serve as a consultant long-term. … Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa, Colo., appointed Joshua Bettis as executive chef.

In the Pacific, Mike Bandelin has been promoted to general manager of Diamond Peak Ski Resort, Nev. … Jay Rydd is returning to Diamond Peak as mountain operations manager. … David Horung is now the senior safety engineer at Cal/OSHA Tramway Unit.

Michael Jaquet, CMO of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, will be leaving the organization at the end of the 2016-17 winter season.

SUPPLIER NEWS
Robin Carey has joined Inntopia as accounting manager. … Tim Hendrickson has been promoted to senior vice president at MountainGuard’s Salt Lake City office. … Propeller Media Works is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

OBITUARIES
David McPhee, a 50-year veteran of the ski industry at Nashoba Valley, Mass., died in a groomer accident on Nov. 22, 2016. He was 70 years old. … Ernest Max (Bud) Fischer III, an engineer with Lift Engineering and longtime employee of Brian Head Resort, Utah, died Dec. 30, 2016. … Gold medal winning downhill skier Jean Vuarnet died on Jan. 2, at age 83. … Squaw Valley, Calif., ski patroller Joe Zuiches died while performing avalanche control duties on Jan. 24.