Welcome to this month's update on happenings about people in the ski industry. Two former colleagues at the Tecnica Group return to the ski biz, inside and outside the Group, and two managers with Vail Resorts ties take on new jobs, inside and outside VR.

Megan Burch is the new director of sales and marketing Mount Sunapee Resort in New Hampshire, succeeding longtime marketeer Bruce McCloy, who recently retired. Burch is a former ski racer and has years of ski industry experience, previously serving as marketing manager for Tecnica Blizzard. Most recently, she was the marketing director for a lumber company in the Lake Sunapee region. “Megan's energy for marketing and skiing is contagious. She has expertise in multiple sales and marketing platforms and she brings a fresh approach, which makes her the perfect fit for this role following the retirement of industry veteran Bruce McCloy,” said Jay Gamble, vice president and general manager of Mount Sunapee.

Chris Licata will succeed Peter Weaver as CEO of Tecnica Group USA. Weaver will continue to serve on the board of the Tecnica Group as an advisor following his retirement in September. Licata had previously served as president of the Tecnica and Blizzard divisions of the Tecnica Group. Most recently, he was the president and chief executive officer of Blake's All Natural Foods. Said Licata, “I am super excited to be returning to the ski industry, and specifically, to be working again with the Tecnica Group teams. The ski industry has always felt like home for me and I can't wait to be back!”

Chris SorensenChris Sorensen is the new general manager at Mt. Brighton in Michigan. Vail Resorts, which has owned the ski area since 2012, promoted Sorensen from his previous position as senior guest experience and lift access manager at Breckenridge. He takes over for Taylor Ogilvie, who was named GM of VR's newest Midwest property, Wilmot Mountain, Wis. During his 12 years in the ski industry, Sorenson has gained experience in guest services, skier services, grooming, snowmaking, lift ops, and summer operations. He started at Mt. Brighton on July 5.

John Santaniello has joined The Omni Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire as managing director. Santaniello oversees the operations for all aspects of the resort, including the Bretton Woods ski area. He started in the hospitality side of the ski industry 16 years ago as the manager of lodging operations at Keystone. Prior to that, he managed several high-end hotel properties in California, the state in which he grew up as part of a skiing family. After Keystone, Santaniello served as VP of hospitality at Steamboat, and most recently, he was GM of the Ritz-Carlton properties at Vail and Bachelor Gulch. During the first few months in his new role at Omni Mount Washington Resort, Santaniello plans to be on a listening tour to learn about the existing operations. He said he looks forward to fostering synergies between the hospitality guests experience at a luxury hotel and what is offered as part of the skiing and riding experience at the mountain.

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