In SAM’s Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry. From resort hires, promotions, and retirements to supplier news, awards and obits, we celebrate the people that make this industry thrive.

PEOPLE

JAY RYDD, DIAMOND PEAK RESORT

Diamond Peak Resort has promoted Jay Rydd to operations manager. Rydd brings decades of industry experience from various jobs including project manager for PFM snowmaking, regional sales representative for Kassbohrer Vehicles, and most recently mountain operations manager at Diamond Peak. 

ANTHONY ARMSTRONG, UNITED STATES SKI MOUNTAINEERING ASSOCIATION

Anthony Armstrong has been appointed executive director of the United States Ski Mountaineering Association (USSMA). Armstrong’s experience includes more than three decades of executive leadership. He spent the majority of his career as a leading merger-and-acquisition banker. He will be responsible for leading USSMA in preparation for the 2026 Winter Olympics among other tasks. 

GEORGE BROOKS, SKI NEW MEXICO

Ski New Mexico’s executive director George Brooks has retired after 17 years. Brooks worked hard to build bridges between tourism organizations and businesses to ensure that New Mexico was able to offer world-class experiences and amenities to skiers and riders. He was inducted into the New Mexico Tourism Hall of Fame in 2013.

GREG KEELER, JENNIFER KARNAN, CHARLIE ROY, and JEFF COLLINS, CANNON MOUNTAIN

Greg Keeler has been named interim general manager at Cannon Mountain, N.H. Keeler most recently served 15 years as Cannon’s director of sales and marketing.

Jennifer Karnan has been appointed to director of sales and marketing at Cannon Mountain and Franconia Notch State Park. Karnan brings more than a decade of professional experience in the ski industry. Her most recent role was marketing manager and communications coordinator for Gunstock Mountain Resort, N.H. 

Charlie Roy has been appointed snowsports school director. Roy has more than 10 years’ experience in snowsports at various resorts including Cannon, Stowe Mountain, Vt., and Bolton Valley, Vt. He is PSIA-AASI Alpine Level 3 certified along with certification in telemark and snowboard instruction. Roy serves as a PSIA Eastern team member and examiner and was a SAM 10 Under 30 winner in 2020.

Jeff Collins has been appointed to patrol director and trail crew chief. Collins brings more than 20 years of experience in various roles at Cannon including snowmaking, grooming, lift operations, and patrol. He most recently served as assistant patrol director. 

ROB HODGKINS, JAY PEAK RESORT

Rob Hodgkins has been promoted to director of revenue, reporting, and product integration at Jay Peak Resort, Vt. Hodgkins has been with Jay since 2009 as director of resort sales. Prior to that, he was the director of sales and summer marketing for Vermont’s Okemo Mountain Resort.

MIKE JANKOWSKI, SUGAR BOWL RESORT

Mike Jankowski has been named executive director of sport for Sugar Bowl Resort, Calif. Jankowski has coached the U.S Olympic Ski and Snowboard teams since 2003, becoming head coach in 2006. In his new role, he will lead Sugar Bowl’s ski and snowboard school, high-level sport education, and summer experiences.

MICHELLE DUBOISE and CASSIE HAHN-HIGMAN, MT. ROSE SKI TAHOE

Michelle Duboise has been named food and beverage manager of Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. Most recently, she was general manager of Wild Pine Restaurant at Northstar California Resort and the food and beverage general manager at Kirkwood Mountain Resort.

Cassie Hahn-Higman has been promoted to mountain operations administrative assistant. Hahn-Higman has worked at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe for the past 17 seasons in ski patrol dispatch. In her new role she will provide administrative support and customer service to lift maintenance, vehicle maintenance, ski patrol, and the snowmaking and grooming departments.  

ERIN BOHON, MT. BACHELOR

Mt. Bachelor, Ore., has promoted Erin Bohon to director of resort services, overseeing the guest services, retail, and rental teams. She was most recently the senior manager of experiential marketing, responsible for partnerships and events at the resort. Bohon has been at Bachelor for seven years and has held various key leadership roles in her two decades in the ski industry.

DARCY ALEXANDER and AMY BLAKENEY, SUN PEAKS RESORT

Sun Peaks Resort has promoted Darcy Alexander, vice president and general manager for the past 32 years, to CEO. Alexander will focus on long-term strategy, investment opportunities, government relations, and real estate and infrastructure development. Current CFO Amy Blakeney will assume the role of COO in addition to her present responsibilities. Blakeney will lead mountain and base area functions as well as operations for the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel and Conference Center. Find a full report on SAM’s Headline News.

Darcy Alexander

Amy Blakeney

JOHN DEVIVO, ANTELOPE BUTTE MOUNTAIN

John “JD” DeVivo will assume the role of general manager of Wyoming’s non-profit Antelope Butte Mountain Recreation Area. DeVivo leaves Cannon Mountain, N.H., after 16 years, and with a total of 33 years in the outdoor industry. Find a full report on SAM’s Headline News.

TINA BURFORD, MOUNT HOTHAM SKIING COMPANY

Australia’s Mount Hotham Skiing Company has named Tina Burford its new general manager. Burford comes to the position with almost four decades of experience, including 32 years at Perisher, where she served as resort services director. Find a full report on SAM’s Headline News.

ALAJOS FIEL, MAD RIVER MOUNTAIN

Vail Resorts has promoted Alajos Fiel to the role of general manager of Mad River Mountain, Ohio. Fiel brings many years of institutional knowledge to the role, having worked at Mad River since 2009, when he joined the team as terrain park manager. Find a full report on SAM’s Headline News.

ARAH JOHNSON, CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN

Arah Johnson was promoted to SVP of sales and marketing at Crystal Mountain, Mich.

SHANNON BUHLER, STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT

Vail Resorts appointed Shannon Buhler vice president and general manager of Stowe Mountain Resort, Vt. Buhler most recently served as senior director of mountain operations at VR-owned Northstar California. Find a full report on SAM’s Headline News.

SARA BROWNLEE, VAIL RESORTS

Sara Brownlee was named HR chief of staff at Vail Resorts.

SIMON PAGÉ, LES SOMMETS

In Quebec, Simon Pagé was named VP of customer experience at Les Sommets.

SUPPLIERS

MALCOM SEAMANS and BRETT BAGLEY, SNOW OPERATING

Malcolm Seamans has joined SNOW Operating as project and marketing manager. He previously worked at the National Ski Areas Association as marketing specialist.  

SnowCloud has promoted Brett Bagley from VP of implementation to chief operating officer.  

TIM STONE, MOUNTAIN CREEK

Tim Stone has been promoted to resort operations ranger at Mountain Creek, N.J.

Malcolm Seamans

Brett Bagley

Tim Stone

AWARDS

JOHN FEELY, PURGATORY RESORT

John Feely, Purgatory’s chef de cuisine, was named Colorado Ski Country USA’s Food and Beverage Professional of the Year. 

COLORADO SNOWSPORTS HALL OF FAME

The Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 will be inducted on Aug. 27. This year’s class includes: Cheryl Jensen, founder of the Vail Veterans Program (inspiration); ski mountaineer and alpinist Hilaree Nelson (inspiration); John Norton, innovator at Crested Butte and Aspen (sport builder); coach and ski racer Sandy Hildner (sport builder); and Seth Masia, longtime editor and ski writer (inspiration).

OBIT

DOUG PFEIFFER

Doug Pfeiffer, PSIA founder and influential editor, died on July 23 at age 96. Pfeiffer served as national editor then editor-in-chief of Skiing magazine, where he launched the ski testing program and championed freestyle skiing. As president of the Far West Ski Instructors Association, he played a key role in founding the Professional Ski Instructors of America and was a creator of the original “American Ski Technique” developed in PSIA’s infancy. Pfeiffer was elected to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame in 2017. 

JAMES CROWN, ASPEN SKIING COMPANY

James “Jim” Crown, an owner and managing partner of Aspen Skiing Company, died in a crash at the Aspen Motorsports Park on June 25. He was the grandson of industrialist Henry Crown and is survived by his wife, four children, and his parents. Crown was celebrating his 70th birthday. Find a full report on SAM’s Headline News.

MARK KUNTSON, DETROIT MOUNTAIN

Detroit Mountain, Mich., general manager Mark Knutson, 53, died July 9 in a vehicle-involved biking accident. Knutson was the longtime manager of the Fargo Marathon and organized several other fitness events. He was named GM of Detroit Mountain in 2022. Find a full report on SAM’s Headline News.

ANNA MCINTYRE

Influential ski racer Anna McIntyre, 91, died Aug. 9. McIntyre became the world’s first certified International Ski and Snowboard Federation chief of race and was a longtime member of the Waterville Valley (N.H.) Black and Blue Trail Smashers, the New Hampshire Alpine Racing Association, the Eastern Ski Association, U.S. Ski and Snowboard (formerly Association), and the Federation of International Skiing. She was inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1998 and received The North American Snowsports Journalists Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.

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