They like chocolate. They are powder junkies. Nominated by their peers, bosses and former professors, this year’s crop of the hottest young talent in the ski industry is a varied group, working in such disparate positions as ski patrol, risk management and marketing. But, like their love of powder and Snickers bars, they share some common traits: hard working, creative and driven to excellence. 

Sarah Carlstrom

Assistant Ski Patrol director, Pats Peak, N.H.

Ski/ride preferences: Snowboard. I’ve been snowboarding for about six years.

Why she chose ski industry over real job: Where else can you spend half the day looking for things to jump off of?
Greatest job challenge: Trying to look like I am actually working.

Pet peeve: Lift lines...thankfully we invented the Ski Patrol short-cut line...only to be used in emergencies of course.

Deepest powder day: Eight inches of pow pow at The Peak, watch out now!

First real accomplishment: Convincing Bob to hire me at Pats Peak.

Latest accomplishment: Convincing Bob to continue employing me at Pats Peak.

Worst crash while skiing/riding: Big Air = Broken A$$.

Snickers or Power Bar: Snickers.

Josh Faber

GM, Mad River Mountain, Ohio

Ski/ride history: I learned to ski when I was eight years old, and have never looked back!

Why he chose ski industry over a real job: I used to ask myself this all of the time, especially after college and graduation with a degree in Aviation Management and Flight. But when you enjoy going to work every day, life is great. I tell everybody, “it’s a lifestyle not a job!”

Greatest job challenge: Trying to run an efficient ski area while providing the customer with the best possible product we can offer.

Greatest mentor: Industry wise I would have to say Tim Boyd, hands down. The overwhelming things he has accomplished over the past 25 years are unbelievable.

Latest accomplishment: I would have to say being transferred here to Mad River Mountain to take over the general manager position.

Snickers or Power Bar: I hate to say it, Snickers.

Mike Green

Risk Management, Terrain Park Design and Development, Chicopee, Ontario

Ski/ride preferences: Ride!

Greatest job challenge: One is to make sure that all guests and employees have a safe place to work and play. I can’t really relax till the end of the season when I can look back and say, ‘We made it.’ Another is the design of the two terrain parks. It’s hard to make everyone happy when it comes to terrain park design, but I like to listen to what the local skiers, boarders and staff want and try to make it happen for them. In the end you can’t please everyone, but as long as people are having fun, I’m happy.

Goal: To still be snowboarding when I’m 80.

Favorite après ski beverage: Being Canadian, beer, but I like to mix it up once in a while. Spicy Caesars or an Irish Car Bomb, (Guinness, with a shot of Baileys and Jamieson’s Irish Whisky) never hurt…well, maybe the day after.

Snickers or Power Bar: Snickers.

Janet Hutzul

Event Office Lead Hand/Volunteer Coordinator (winter) and Administration Supervisor for Kokanee Crankworx (summer), Whistler, B.C.

Ski/ride preferences: Snowboard

Why she chose ski industry over real job: Why not? Instead of saving up to travel to a vacation destination, you can live a vacation type life all year round.

First real accomplishment: Working with about nine other students in the SRO program to pull off a successful JibFest when none of us had a lick of event experience.

Worst moment: Most embarrassing moment would have to be falling off the chairlift my first year here. I was getting on the lift and not paying much attention and my board caught an edge and I fell off the chair and caused it to stop. I was working and in uniform at the time. Super embarrassing.

Snickers or Power Bar: Snickers.

John Kelly

Manager of Lift Operations and Ticket Checking, Telluride, Colorado

Ski/ride preferences: Alpine Skiing

Why he chose ski industry over real job: I worked as a financial analyst for a year after college and after working a couple years in the ski industry there really is no comparison between the two. Being around people at work who love what they do and love where they live creates an energy level and positive attitude in the work environment that I never want to leave.

Latest accomplishment: Bringing together a staff of 100 people at the beginning of the winter, getting the group trained, organized, and ready to operate 18 lifts in a four-month span is always a challenge. We have an incredible staff this winter, which has made this the best, most enjoyable season as a manager yet!

Snickers or Power Bar: Snickers.

Pat Morgan

Terrain Park Manager, Youth Marketing Specialist, Holiday Valley Resort, New York

Ski/ride preferences: Sliding sideways downhill in a regular fashion, running hot laps with a crew in the park.

Why he chose ski industry over real job: Wait, this isn’t a real job? Then why do I work so much? I don’t know if I chose it, it just sort of happened. Once college was over, one job led to another and now here I am. It’s pretty great having all my ‘real job’ friends grumble at me from their cubicles about how much fun I’m having.

Greatest job challenge: I think the biggest challenge is always trying to figure out what’s next, trying to stay ahead of the game and forge new paths, be it either in creative marketing or event concepts, or coming up with ways to maximize on-hill resources without hurting the bottom line too much.

Pet peeve: Tall tee mania, young riders who don’t respect the sport and its beginnings, and who fail to see the big picture. Oh, and I can’t stand ‘rad dads’ and soccer moms wrecking the sport for young riders with unrealistic pressure.

Snickers or Power Bar: Snickers.

John Henry Oates

Snow Cat Operator and Slashing Crew Supervisor, Silver Star Mountain Resort, B.C.

Why he chose ski industry over real job: Awesome people and awesome places. And I can’t stand being stuck inside.

Worst moment: Working an overnight snowmaking shift and getting my snowmobile stuck under a wet gun—I later ended up with pneumonia.

Motto: If you don’t enjoy what you do, you’re doing the wrong thing.

Biggest air ever caught: An unexpected 75 feet off a knoll. I didn’t stomp it, but the ladies at the bottom of the pitch gave me a 10.

Best thing to eat for lunch while working on the mountain: Long John burger and caesar salad.

Snickers or Power Bar: Snickers.

William Ringenoldus III

GM, Nordic Mountain, Wisconsin

Ski/Ride preferences: Ski

Why he chose ski industry over real job: Where else can you work 100 hours a week but only get paid for 40 and not mind? I love the ski industry. Nothing is better than when a costumer sends you an e-mail saying how much they loved your resort and can’t wait to come back. That makes it all worth while.

Greatest job challenge: Turning a disgruntled costumer into a happy costumer.

Favorite moment: Sitting in the bar having a conversation with a family and the Mom told her son, “see, if you work hard you could be successful at a young age.”

Snickers or Power bar: Definitely a Snickers.

Jon Slaughter

Director of Marketing, Boreal, California

Ski/ride history: Skied for five years, snowboarding for 12 years.

Greatest job challenge: The constant changing technology, especially social media. I try to stay on top of this stuff, but a new site pops up daily. Another challenge that I embrace is the small marketing department here at Boreal. I only have two people, plus myself working in marketing and sales, so we do a lot.

Latest accomplishment: Developing and managing the 1-2-3 Ride Free Program here at Boreal. The new program has been extremely successful, bringing Boreal’s ski school retention from six percent to 27 percent in the month of December. We are developing skiers and riders, and hopefully converting them into lifetime enthusiasts.

Best thing to eat for lunch while working on the mountain: Smashed PBJ from your pocket after riding with it all day.

Snickers or Power Bar: Snickers.

Daidre Streeter

Assistant Office Manager, Hoodoo, Oregon

Ski/ride preferences: Was a skier growing up, but I am now a snow biker for life!

Greatest job challenge: Winning back the Employee Department Costume Cup from the rental department at Winter Carnival in February.

Pet Peeve: Guests who really believe that we can control the weather and the conditions.

Best way to spend the last day of the season at home mountain: On our last day of operation we hold the employee party. The managers run the lifts and we ride and play all day, we have the whole mountain to ourselves. We lay in the sun and skim the pond! A great end to the season.

Snickers bar or Power Bar: Snickers satisfies.