SAM Magazine—Norden, Calif., Sept. 23, 2022—Bridget Legnavsky has been named as the new president and CEO of Sugar Bowl | Royal Gorge, Calif., effective Oct. 17. She will work alongside current president and CEO Greg Dallas as he transitions to a vice chairman role focused on execution of the resort’s master plan.

Legnavsky has 30 years of ski industry experience, starting as a ski instructor working at resorts across the globe, including several seasons in the U.S. at Breckenridge and Aspen, Colo. In 2014, she assumed the role of general manager at Cardrona Alpine Resort in her native New Zealand. In 2020, Legnavsky also took on oversight of Treble Cone Ski Area. Most recently, she worked for RealNZ, the parent company of Cardrona and Treble Cone, as the chief experience officer while managing both ski areas. She has also been heavily involved with the community, focused on workforce strategy for New Zealand tourism, serving as deputy chair for a local college, board member for the Wanaka Chamber of Commerce, and was involved with multiple environmental initiatives around the country.

“I feel incredibly privileged and simultaneously absolutely stoked for the opportunity to work with the team at Sugar Bowl | Royal Gorge to define its future,” said Legnavsky. “In the short-term, we will be focused wholeheartedly on our people, supporting them to be the best they can be and love the place they work so that they can deliver even more magical experiences for everyone.”

"Bridget is a born leader and will bring a great new perspective to the Sugar Bowl | Royal Gorge operation,” said David Tunnell, chairman of the board of the Sugar Bowl Corporation. “I am incredibly proud of where Greg has taken the resort over the past seven years. He led our company and community through some of the most challenging circumstances in decades. Yet, our independent brand is in a strong financial position, and the community continues to grow. I’m especially appreciative of his work taking the master plan from a dream to a reality approved by our community.”

"The Sugar Bowl Homeowners Association recently passed a vote in support of the master plan, which includes an expansion of the Judah Base Area, a children's ski school center, a new boutique hotel, and more. 

“As a team, we’ve worked to honor the history and charm of this iconic resort by focusing on the best possible on-snow experience,” said Dallas. “We have stayed true to the founders’ vision to deliver a warm and authentic alpine experience for our community. I look forward to working with Bridget to bolster the organization and see the master plan come to life, which is exciting for the entire region.”

Legnavsky will move from New Zealand to the U.S. this fall with her husband Peter and two children, ages 16 and 12. Peter is an Olympic ski coach for their son Gustav, an Olympic freeskier in the halfpipe. Their daughter, Zora, is focused on ski racing and will attend the Sugar Bowl Academy this winter.