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Extraordinary Times

These are extraordinary times. We’re being buffeted by two overwhelming and historic events. The U.S. is truly at a turning point—with a movement to eradicate systemic racism, and a pandemic that continues to hit us hard.

How we respond, individually and collectively, to these events will be the difference between just surviving with flaws intact or seriously trying to comprehend the full breadth of these challenges and then fixing them in whole, not just in part.

Never Waste a Good Crisis
The pandemic has forced businesses to identify touch points that could threaten guest and staff safety. This exploration has led operators to address long overdue changes that will lead to better, more sustainable, and resilient companies.

This issue’s special section, “A New Normal,” can help guide you through many of the changes that need to occur as we look toward opening this winter. This series of articles looks across your entire business, from rental operations and technology to food and beverage and staffing, to highlight different ways to prepare your winter operations in the midst of the pandemic.

Beyond these pages, our weekly Huddles on Zoom have been a forum for sharing pandemic-related ideas and solutions (see p. 12). Email me with ideas for future topics.

The Black Lives Matter protests also put businesses and whole industries on call to address diversity, equity, and inclusion. That involves acknowledging to managers and employees that we recognize the inequities of our society, and committing to changes needed to create inclusive resorts and workplaces.

There is no quick fix to the current inequities, but there are a large number of organizations and programs that ski areas can support and align with to help bring about the needed changes (see p. 10). This is no longer simply “the right thing to do,” but a practical imperative for business and community.

We hope you have found our content and coverage useful to you and your team. If so, please support our continued efforts to keep you and your team informed with a subscription to SAM. Now through Aug. 15, new and renewing subscribers will receive a Blackstrap face mask. Plus, new subscribers get 50 percent off by subscribing online with the code, WeGotThis.

Be well,


Olivia Rowan,
Publisher
olivia@saminfo.com