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SAM Taps Whistler Blackcomb to Host 2025 Summer Ops Camp
SAM Magazine—Whistler, British Columbia, March 18, 2025—SAM’s Summer Ops Camp will be held at Whistler Blackcomb, Sept. 2-4, 2025, offering three days of education, networking, and hands-on learning focused on the future of summer operations at mountain resorts. This year’s camp will also feature a partnership with the Canada West Ski Areas Association (CWSAA), bringing together a dynamic mix of resort professionals from across North America. Whistler Blackcomb has been at the forefront of year-round recreation development, balancing business innovation with environmental sustainability. With a robust lineup of summer attractions—including the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Peak...
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In SAM’s Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves 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 MATT PETERSON, PALISADES TAHOE, CA Palisades Tahoe hired Matt Peterson as its senior director ...
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 JJ TOLAND, SUGARBUSH, VT Sugarbush Resort has brought on JJ Toland as vice presiden...
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 GREG GAVRILETS, MT. ROSE SKI TAHOE, NV Greg Gavrilets will take over as gener...
PEOPLE JULIE GERMOND and KYLIE SIMPSON, STEAMBOAT, Colo.Kylie SimpsonJulie Germond Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation added two new directors to its team: Kylie Simpson was named director of conference catering, and Julie Germond joined in the newly created role of director of resort transformation. Simpson reports to Rob Spence, vic...
SAM Magazine—Lake Geneva, Wis., Aug. 20, 2021—The Midwest Ski Areas Association (MSAA) hosted the first in-person ski industry meeting and trade show since Covid-19 upended things. On Aug. 15-18 at Grand Geneva Resort in Wisconsin, 254 attendees from ski areas, associations, and affiliates joined 119 supplier representatives to celebrate the su...
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., August 11, 2021—Vail Resorts has named Rob Katz’s successor: Kirsten Lynch, currently the company’s chief marketing officer, will be appointed chief executive officer and elected to the Vail Resorts’ board of directors, effective Nov. 1, 2021. Kirsten LynchAt that time, Katz, CEO since 2006, will move into...
SAM Magazine—Denver, Aug. 10, 2021—Alterra Mountain Company has promoted industry veteran Dee Byrne to the role of president and COO of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows (SVAM), effective immediately. Byrne has served as SVAM vice president of skier services since 2017. She will now report to Mark Brownlie, Alterra chief operating officer—mountain...
In SAM’s Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry. RESORTS JULIE CALDER, JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) promoted Julie Calder to vice president of guest experience, a new position created to lead JHMR’s strategic initiative to elevate the guest experience...
SAM Magazine—Government Camp, Ore., July 14, 2021—After a months-long search, Timberline Lodge, Ore., has promoted two longtime staff members to general manager roles: Rose Phillips will serve as GM of ski area operations, and Scott Skellenger will be the GM of hotel operations. Rose Phillips and Scott Skellenger “The results of this extens...
SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., June 14, 2021—The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to Bill Jensen, former Vail Resorts mountain division president and Intrawest CEO, and Tim Silva, longtime Sun Valley, Idaho, general manager and former Northstar, Calif., GM. Jensen and Silva were recognized at NSAA’s 2...
SAM Magazine—Denver, Colo., June 11, 2021—Alterra Mountain Company named Ron Cohen president and COO of Mammoth Mountain and June Mountain, Calif., effective immediately. He will oversee all operations at both resorts, and will lead significant developments planned for Mammoth, Alterra’s largest and most visited destination. Cohen has served ...
SAM Magazine—Denver, Colo., June 3, 2021—Alterra Mountain Company named Rob Rohn president and COO of CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures, effective immediately. Rohn will oversee operations and be responsible for driving growth at the Banff-based outlet, which includes 11 luxury lodges, a fleet of helicopters, and 140 guides. He will repor...
RESORTS NICK LAMBERT, BOYNE RESORTS Boyne Resorts, Mich., named Nick Lambert chief marketing officer, effective June 1, 2021. He succeeds Ian Arthur, who is retiring after six years with the team. Lambert was the vice president of sales and marketing for the company’s Sunday River Resort, Maine, and Gatlinburg SkyLift Park, Tenn. In h...
SAM Magazine—Denver, June 1, 2021—Jared Smith will serve as president of Alterra Mountain Company, effective June 7, 2021. Smith, who will report to CEO Rusty Gregory, will be responsible for overseeing and developing Alterra’s 15 mountain destinations. Smith comes to Alterra from Live Nation Entertainment. There, he most recently served a...
SAM Magazine—Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, May 20, 2021—Amber Broadaway has been selected as the new president and chief operating officer of Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah, beginning June 1. She succeeds Kim Mayhew, who is retiring after holding Solitude’s top spot since 2015. Broadaway currently serves as vice president of guest services ...
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., May 7, 2021—Vail Resorts (VR) has named new senior leaders to three of its Colorado resorts: Jody Churich, VP and COO of Breckenridge; Tara Schoedinger, VP and GM of Crested Butte; and Chris Sorensen, VP and GM of Keystone. All three will assume their new roles June 7. Jody Churich, Tara Schoedinger, and Chri...
SAM Magazine—White Pass, Wash., May 6, 2021— Kevin McCarthy is stepping down as White Pass GM on July 1 after 36 years at the helm. Former COO Rikki Cooper will succeed McCarthy as GM. “Trying to fill Kevin McCarthy's shoes is an impossible task,” said Cooper. “He has faithfully led this company since the year I was born, and his deter...
SAM Magazine—Montville, N.J., April 21, 2021—SNOW Operating has appointed Jeff Boliba chief operating officer for its SnowCloud technology company. Boliba spent the last 21 years with Burton Snowboards, most recently as its global marketing vice president of sport and participation. In his role with SnowCloud, he’ll be responsible for helping...
SAM Magazine—East Rutherford, N.J., April 14, 2021—Big SNOW American Dream named Mark Dobrowolski as its new general manager. Dobrowolski has been serving as interim GM since former general manager Jim Haas died in March. Dobrowolski joined Big SNOW, a year-round, indoor snowsports venue, as the guest experience manager in October 2019, prio...
SAM Magazine—Denver, Colo., April 5, 2021—Alterra Mountain Company has promoted Mark Brownlie from regional chief operating officer (RCOO) for the company’s Western Region to chief operating officer of resorts. Working with the COO of hospitality to drive profitability and growth, Brownlie will oversee all of the company’s 15 destination op...
Resorts Maggie Murray and Jesse True, Arapahoe Basin, Colo. Arapahoe Basin welcomed Maggie Murray as its new finance director and Jesse True as its new marketing director. Murray began her career at Morgan Stanley in Boston before realizing that office towers were not her natural habitat. Her background includes top finance roles in local n...
RESORTS Sarah Sherman, Snowbird Sarah Sherman has been appointed communications manager at Snowbird, working within the marketing team to oversee the resort’s public and media relations and communications. Originally from Los Angeles, Sherman began her career as a snow reporter at Mammoth Mountain after graduating from the University of Souther...
In SAM’s monthly Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry. STEVE KRUSE, TIMBERLINE LODGE After 31 years at Timberline Lodge, Ore., longtime GM Steve Kruse has retired. Kruse was a World Cup technician in the 1980s and started at Timberline as the rental and repair m...
SAM Magazine—Wausau, Wis., July 8, 2020—Granite Peak Ski Resort has hired industry veteran Greg Fisher as its new general manager and marketing director. Fisher will be responsible for the overall operations of Granite Peak, including overseeing mountain operations, skier services, food and beverage, ski school operations, facilities, and resor...
In SAM’s Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry. For even more updates on industry people, be sure to read News & Views in the upcoming July issue of SAM. Resorts Don Finn, Crystal Mountain, Wash. Don Finn started as Crystal Mountain’s director of sales on March 15...
Snow People is our monthly roundup of happenings to the people of and around the mountain resort industry. Send any personnel news to: news@saminfo.com. CHRIS JARNOT, MAYFLOWER MOUNTAIN VILLAGE, UTAH Industry veteran , and former SAMMY winner, Chris Jarnot has accepted a consulting role with Extell Development Company (EDC), focusing on Extell’...
SAM Magazine—Killington, Vt., Feb. 7, 2020—Following a strong western meeting in Squaw Valley, the 2020 National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) Eastern Winter Conference and Trade Show was held at Killington Resort, Feb. 4 and 5. A big crowd of 677 ski area operators, suppliers, and speakers gathered for informative sessions, great skiing and rid...
Snow People is our monthly roundup of happenings to the people of and around the mountain resort industry. Send any personnel news to: news@saminfo.com.Longtime lift mechanic and operations manager Jeff Harvey Sr., right, stands with his son, Jeff Jr., at Ski Butternut. Jeff Harvey, Sr., and Jeff Harvey, Jr., Ski Butternut, Mass.Jeff Harvey Sr., o...
SAM Magazine—Olympic Valley, Calif., Jan. 17, 2020—A variety of important topics and current issues were presented, pondered, and discussed at the 2020 National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) Western Winter Conference and Trade Show, held at Squaw Valley, Calif., Jan. 14 and 15. A crowd of 687 ski area operators, suppliers, and speakers were full...
Snow People is our monthly roundup of happenings to the people of and around the mountain resort industry. Send any personnel news to: news@saminfo.com. SAMMIE LUKASKIEWICZ, CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, MICH. Longtime communications professional Sammie Lukaskiewicz has joined Crystal Mountain as public relations director. Since 2017, Lukaskiewicz had been w...
Snow People is our monthly roundup of happenings to the people of and around the mountain resort industry. Send any personnel news to: news@saminfo.com.RICK HERLIHY, WINTER PARK, COLO.Rick Herlihy has transitioned within Alterra Mountain Company from senior revenue manager at Snowshoe Mountain, W.Va., to director of sales at Winter Park, Colo. Herl...
CRANMORE, N.H.Cranmore Mountain Resort, N.H., announced several staffing updates. In resort operations, Tricia Garcia has been promoted to director of base area operations. She brought on Gregg Ludvigson as the resort’s new mountain bike and ski rental shop manager. Linda Dean, former member services supervisor at the rec...
SAM Magazine—Jay Peak, Vt., Oct. 11, 2019—The third annual Mountain Technology Symposium, held Oct. 2-4 at Jay Peak Resort, Vt., drew more than 130 ski industry tech leaders and suppliers to discuss the future of technology in the ski industry. A pre-conference survey highlighted that, according to attendees, the biggest resort challenge and th...
SAM Magazine—Montville, N.J., Sept. 27, 2019— Four-decade industry veteran Jim Haas has been hired as the general manager of Big SNOW America, the new real-snow, indoor, year-round ski and snowboard center at the American Dream retail complex. Haas started his career with Snowshoe Mountain, where he held several management positions in risk, h...
resorts SARAH JONES, STEAMBOAT SKI RESORT, COLO. Sarah Jones has been named the first ever director of sustainability and community engagement at Steamboat Ski Resort. Starting Sept. 30, Jones will be responsible for furthering the resort’s policy goals on climate and energy and developing and driving the resort’s sustainability practic...
SAM Magazine—Lake Geneva, Wis., Aug. 26, 2019—The Midwest Ski Areas Association (MSAA) Summer Meetings & Trade Show drew a large crowd of 424 attendees—including supplier reps and personnel from 55 different ski areas—to the Grand Geneva Resort, Aug. 18-21. The first-time location, a former Playboy Hotel, was well received. Grand Geneva...
In SAM’s monthly Snow People, we highlight recent happenings to people who are part of the mountain resort industry. This time around, we’ve combined July and August. For even more updates on industry people, be sure to read News & Views in each and every issue of SAM Magazine. TESS HOBBS, SNOWBIRD, UTAHTess Hobbs Tess Hobbs has been pr...
In SAM’s monthly Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry. For even more updates on industry people, be sure to read News & Views in the upcoming July issue of SAM. DON MACASKILL, WHITETAIL RESORT, MERCERSBURG, PA.Long-time vice president and general manager Don...
SAM Magazine—June 7, 2019, Jay Peak, Vt.—The Vermont Ski Areas Association (Ski Vermont) held its annual meeting at Jay Peak Resort, June 5-6, 2019, a gathering that welcomed 190 attendees from resorts, brands, and tourism. Ski Vermont revealed 2018-19 total skier visits in the state reached 4.1 million, up 5.2 percent year-over-year. “From ...
SAM Magazine—Conway, N.H., June 7, 2019—Ski New Hampshire hosted its annual conference and trade show in Meredith, N.H., June 4-5. At the conference, Ski NH president Jessyca Keeler reported that total visits—including alpine, cross country, and tubing—for winter 2018-19 were an estimated 2.3 million, up more than 100,000 over last year, or...
By Dave ZookThe California mountain resort industry gathered in Squaw Valley for the Lift Maintenance and Operations Education Conference (LMOE) for the second year running on June 4-6, 2019. The underlying theme of the content-rich conference was working together to create a safer, better industry. Topic areas were addressed through three days of ...
In SAM’s monthly Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry. MIKE FERGUSON, ALTERRA MOUNTAIN COMPANYAlterra Mountain Company named Mike Ferguson as chief human resources officer. Ferguson will lead the development and implementation of attracting and retaining talent. His responsibil...
SAM Magazine—San Diego, Cali., May 6, 2019 - More than 950 members of the winter resort industry descended on the Hilton Bayfront Hotel in San Diego, Calif., April 29–May 2 for the NSAA National Convention and Tradeshow. It was the most highly attended national convention since 2008. Conventioneers reveled in the aftermath of the fourth-greates...
In SAM’s monthly Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry.MARK SEITER and GREG RALPH, Angel Fire Resort, N.M.Mark Seiter was named Angel Fire Resort’s new CFO, and Greg Ralph was named the new director of marketing. Both Seiter and Ralph will report to Angel Fire CEO John Kitts. Seite...
Special Report by Steven Threndyle What do China, shopping malls, and snowball fights have in common? All three were floated as possible ideas for increasing skiing and snowboarding participation during the Mountain Travel Symposium (MTS) at Whistler-Blackcomb in early April. From the cavernous convention space of the Whistler Conference Centre t...
The combined forces of Ski Areas of New York (ISKINY) and Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association (PSAA) once again staged an informative, lively, and entertaining expo, this time at Peek’n Peak in western New York. A total of 324 ski area personnel and suppliersNSAA's Mike Lane uses props to demonstrate ski lift functions with the help of Doppelmayr'...
Nearly 450 resort staff, industry partners, and exhibitors attended the 2018 New England Summit Sept. 11-12 at Sunday River Resort, Maine.Wintry Mix's Alex Kaufman helps us develop PodSAM at NES (Photo courtesy of Dave Gibson) The event kicked off with seminars on topics ranging from web trends to climate change and ended with multiple sessio...
More than 450 ski area and supplier members attended the Midwest Ski Areas Association Summer Meetings and Trade Show, Aug. 19-22, at Boyne Highlands Resort in northern Michigan.MSAA president Amy Reents with two-time Olympic medalist, and Midwesterner, Nick Goepper. Photo: Dave Gibson, Propeller Mediaworks The event was NSAA president Kelly Pawla...
SAM Magazine—Killington, Vt., July 17, 2025—Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports and the Bart Adaptive Sports Center plan to merge, forming what will be the largest year-round adaptive sports organization in the eastern region of the U.S. Under the proposed plan, which is pending legal finalization, Bart Adaptive will merge into Vermont Adaptive by...
SAM Magazine—Winter Park, Colo., July 16, 2025—The booking pace at Western mountain destinations ticked up slightly in June, the first such gain since last November. Revenues also posted a comfortable year-over-year increase. However, booking pace results were skewed by a drop in the number of available room nights. “When we simply count the ...
SAM Magazine—Henniker, N.H., July 14, 2025—In less than 24 hours, more than 120 students in career and technical education (CTE) programs around New Hampshire pre-registered for The. Pipeline Project’s first-ever Ski Career Exploration event, scheduled for Oct. 15 at Pats Peak, N.H. The event is designed to help students explore career option...
SAM Magazine—Olympic Valley, Calif., July 10, 2025—The massive planned base area development at Palisades Tahoe appears to be moving forward after the resort and two Tahoe-area environmental conservation groups agreed to various reductions in scope, ending a 14-year legal battle that has delayed the project from breaking ground. Prior to the a...
SAM Magazine—Nederland, Colo., July 9, 2025—The Town of Nederland has signed a letter of intent to buy Eldora Mountain Resort from Powdr following months of negotiations that began in fall 2024. The two entities will continue negotiating based on the rules set forth in a mutually agreed upon term sheet and could close by early October, accordin...
SAM Magazine—Keystone, Colo., July 7, 2025— Ski area representatives attending the Mountain Towns 2030 Climate Summit this October are invited to arrive early for a special pre-Summit gathering hosted at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area on Monday, Oct. 6. The event is a collaboration between Mountain Towns 2030, the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA)...
SAM Magazine—Longmont, Colo., July 7, 2025—While Washington has been focused on Trump's megabill, the administration has continued to pursue its anti-immigration policies and efforts to downsize the bureaucracy. The J-1 cultural exchange program, which many resorts tap for seasonal workers, could fall victim to this effort in a year or two, eve...
SAM Magazine—Durango, Colo., July 3, 2025—Mountain Capital Partners (MCP) plans to acquire a controlling stake of Andacor S.A., the longtime owner and operator of El Colorado and Parque Farellones near Santiago and majority shareholder of Pillán (Villarrica) and Volcán Osorno ski areas in southern Chile. Photo credit: El ColoradoIf all corpo...
SAM Magazine—Salem, Ore., July 2, 2025 — Bipartisan efforts to restore the enforceability of recreational liability waivers in Oregon failed to advance before the close of the state legislative session June 29, leaving the state’s ski areas and other recreation providers facing an escalating insurance and liability crisis.Oregon State House ...
SAM Magazine—Boise, Idaho, June 30, 2026—The Idaho Supreme Court has reversed its precedent-breaking December 2023 ruling in Milus v. Sun Valley Co., reinstating a lower court’s summary judgment in favor of Sun Valley Resort in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the widow of a skier who died after colliding with snowmaking equipment. The De...
SAM Magazine—Denver, June 30, 2025—Outside’s second-annual Festival and Summit, May 29–June 1, drew roughly 35,000 visitors to Denver’s Civic Center Park. Attendance was nearly double that of the inaugural event in 2024, a sign the concept has room to grow and could yet become a meaningful way to promote participation in a wide range of ...
SAM Magazine—Victoria, Australia, June 24, 2025—Mt. Buller added a new staff member to its ski patrol, 5-month-old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling retriever Chilli, who is poised to pioneer a therapy dog program at the resort. Her handlers are experienced patrollers and married couple Tess Hoinville and Campbell Allen-Craig. Hoinville was a driver ...
