NEW OWNERS AT BUCK HILL, SNOW RIDGE
Buck Hill Ski Area, Minn., founded in 1954 by Chuck and Nancy Stone, has been bought by current general manager Don McClure, along with partners David Solner and his wife Corrine. McClure has been involved with Buck Hill for more than 40 years; David Solner has led Cuningham Group Architecture, Inc. The new team plans to turn Buck Hill into a year-round entertainment facility.

The mother and son duo of Cyndy Sisto and Nick Mir have acquired Snow Ridge Ski Resort, N.Y., on the western edge of the Adirondacks, from Russell Horn. The new owners plan to expand the learning facilities and race programs, strengthen the terrain parks, and build up summer operations.


ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOK
More than 120 ski and snowboard resorts have signed up to take part in a Guinness Book of World Records biggest-lesson-ever attempt Jan. 8, 2016, and generate press coverage that will kick off Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month.


PEOPLE
In the West, Sugar Bowl Resort, Calif., has hired Greg Dallas, former COO of Mammoth and June Mountains, as CEO.

Eldora Mountain Resort, Colo., has named Brent Tregaskis as its new general manager. Tregaskis was formerly GM at Snow Summit, Calif.

Mt. Hood Meadows, Ore., has named Steve Warila, Jeremy Riss and Matt Troskey to new positions as part of an organizational restructuring. Warila is VP of mountain operations and planning; Riss, VP of resort and commercial operations; and Troskey takes on the role of VP of administration.

Stevens Pass, Wash., has made several management changes. New to the company are Alysa Hetze, communications and social media manager, formerly with Vail Resorts;
Joseph Nagy, executive chef;
and Lori Nixon, food and beverage manager, and
Emily Vanderhoof, human resources manager, both formerly with Snowbasin Resort. In new roles are Chris Danforth, VP sales and marketing, who now oversees ski and snowboard school and IT as well;
Jon Andrews, mountain operations supervisor;
Chris Brixey, patrol and risk manager;
 Nikol Ehni, accounting manager;
Ryan Forbes, mountain operations manager;
Scott Olsen, lift maintenance manager; and
Angela Seidling, assistant patrol manager.

Northstar Resort appointed Marcie Bradley senior manager of communications. ... Liesl Kenney is now PR manager at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows.

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has three new members on its board of directors: Eric Macy, Mary Kate Buckley and Mark Barron.

In the Midwest, Dan McCanna is now GM at Snowstar Winter Park, Ill., and John Thomas is outside hill/maintenance manager. ... Josh Faber was named GM at Tyrol Basin, Wis.; the former GM at Mad River, Ohio, had been out of the ski biz for years. ... Pam Hoye is marketing and PR manager at Afton Alps Ski Area, Minn. She replaces Amy Reents, who left to oversee activities at the family-owned Mount Kato Ski Area, Minn.

Tom Price is the new GM at Peak Resorts’ Mad River, Ohio. Ian Oliver is Peak Resorts’ Ohio director of marketing. ... Dave Grenier, GM of Snow Creek, Mo., received the 2015 Jim VanderKelen Achievement Award at the Midwest Ski Areas Assn. meeting in August.

Boyne Highlands has named Kayla Potter as head coach for Boyne Flyers and Team Elite.

In the East, Bill Nupp has been named president and COO of Stratton Mountain, Vt. ... Peak Resorts named Rick Thorpe Northeast director of sales and P.J. McSparran Northeast manager of sales and business development. ... Sugarloaf has made Brent Larson its new director of lifts.

In Canada, Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing has named Tim Foster, former GM of Beaver Valley Ski Club and Mount Baldy Ski Area, as its new GM.

Long-time NASTAR director of operations Bill Madsen has joined the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association and continues to manage NASTAR’s operations.

Dave McCoy, who founded Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort, Calif., celebrated his 100th birthday Aug. 24.

The Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association presented its Spirit of Excellence Award to attorney Hugh Emory.


SUPPLIER NEWS
Burton revised its organizational structure, hiring Franck Waterlot, who is now VP of sales and marketing Europe.

Alpina Sports Corp. has hired Kahl and Partners (Doug Kahl in Denver, Travis Rosen in Texas) to rep the company in the Eastern Rocky Mountains plus Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. In the Northwest, Redfish Outdoor Associates (Nate Pickens and Heidi Williamson) has been chosen to rep Alpina downhill products, Masters ski poles, and Elan skis.

Scott Sports has acquired Dolomite from the Tecnica Group.


OBITUARIES
Jan Leonard, 69, a principal in Skytrac lifts and former president of Doppelmayr, died Aug. 26. See more about Jan in “Trailblazers,” SAM May 2015, or online: http://www.saminfo.com/article/trailblazers-jan-leonard

Ed Lewi, 81, founder of the public relations agency that managed media relations for the XIII Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, N.Y., died Aug. 29.

Longtime lift advisor and installer Werner Wagner, 78, died Sept. 25 after a prolonged illness.