Jason Boyd
Senior VP of Operations, Peak Resorts
Age: 30 (but 29 through the winter season)
Hometown: Wildwood, Mo.
Six-word bio: Always be grateful for every opportunity.
Fun fact: Listens to symphony music when stressed.

Jason Boyd comes from solid ski industry stock. His father, Tim, built Missouri’s Hidden Valley Ski Area in 1982, and the family operates 14 areas under the Peak Resorts umbrella. Boyd, his sister and two brothers have all migrated to the business. In 2011, at age 24, Jason moved to Ohio to run Boston Mills/Brandywine. Now, as Peak’s Senior VP of Ops, he travels to resorts in the East and Midwest to ensure they are running smoothly. One GM acknowledged Jason’s understanding of the industry and called him “thoughtful and respectful. He is not quick to judge, but also not afraid to make a decision.”

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR SKI INDUSTRY UPBRINGING.
I grew up completely immersed in the industry. We’d have family dinners at Hidden Valley and be up there almost daily in the winter. My first “job” was in fourth grade, handing out gear at the rental shop. I worked as a lift operator in middle and high school, and managed the lift ops department once I was 17.

WHAT ABOUT LATER?
Through college, we’d always have projects. We’d just purchased Mount Snow and Attitash, so during summers, we were doing huge snowmaking installation projects at both areas. I’d go work with my brothers, and we installed snowmaking systems, mainly fan guns. Once I graduated, I managed lift ops at Mount Snow for a winter.

WHAT’S A DAY LOOK LIKE ON THE JOB NOW?
Pretty hectic. Essentially, nine GMs directly report to me. I’m in constant communication with all of them, talking about operational plans, ticket pricing, ticket strategy, marketing strategy. Pretty much all aspects of operations.

WHAT WAS A PROUD MOMENT?
Probably the rebuilding of the lodge at Brandywine, because that was a huge amount of responsibility for me at 26 years old. Being in charge of a $5 million lodge rebuild was pretty daunting.

WHAT ABOUT A CONFLICT YOU’VE HAD TO OVERCOME?
We had a fire at the lodge at Mad River on September 16, 2015. It was a traumatic event. A lot of things run through your mind. It’s September 16. Your lodge is on fire. How do you get the resort operational for the winter when you don’t have a lodge anymore? You don’t always have a plan for that. You just go, and you react to it.

IN 10 YEARS?
Probably doing the same thing. I don’t have a ton of upward mobility at this point. I think in 10 years we’ll be doing what we’re currently doing—trying to acquire new ski areas, grow the business, and help skiing and the industry continue to grow and carry on the legacy it has in providing an awesome and unique experience to people.