Traditionally, the focus of SAM’s September issue is staffing and HR. So it is with this issue. But another theme has permeated this issue, too—the growth of our sports. So much so that we made it our cover story (“Growing Together,” p. 47).

The topic of growth manifests in a variety of ways throughout the magazine:
• “Ski Towns of the Future,” page 50, is all about appealing to the next generation of visitors.
• Senior editor Dave Meeker’s story “R.I.D.E. On,” page 24, describes how Snowbird has spearheaded a rideshare app to make it easier for a generation of carless urbanites to get to the mountains.
• Read our interviews with the new blood in charge of ski area associations across the industry (“All Together Now,” p. 56) and you’ll hear a theme of working together for change and growth.
• Our Summit Series seminar, “Management Roundtable,” page 58, repeatedly addresses growth issues.
• Even our training article by Erica Mueller (daughter of Tim and Diane Mueller, “Our Training Recipe,” p. 45), is spiced with growth concerns.

No doubt, growth is on everyone’s minds.

Food for Thought
The growth of our industry will be in the hands of the next generation of leaders. SAM has made it a top priority to give voice to these folks. That has played out in a big way through our Summit Series, in print and in SAM’s new podcast channel, PodSAM. Check these out at www.saminfo.com/mountain-departments/the-summit-series.

Whether you are a member of the old, new, or future guard, the take-home here is that history can inform our future growth and keep us from repeating past mistakes. The past provides lessons that are still extremely valuable today, and will be in the future.

There’s a new source of these history lessons: our SAM Digital Archives on the new saminfo.com (a shout out to Sam, Stew, and the nxtConcepts team for bringing the archives to life). It’s a move long in the making, and addresses our desire to create a SAM community in print and online that informs, educates, and inspires all who work in the industry.

Whether you work the front line and have goals to move up at your resort, or you are a current leader who wants to affect change on a broader scale, our digital archives will be a valuable tool in your arsenal. Access to our archives has been complimentary all summer, but later this fall, access will be limited to SAM subscribers. We hope you will join or continue to be a part of this community—and contribute to the continuing success of our industry.