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

LAUREN BURKE, MT. BACHELOR, OR

Mt. Bachelor has hired Lauren Burke as director of marketing and communications, and is now a member of Mt. Bachelor’s leadership team. Burke previously spent 12 years at Mammoth Mountain, Calif., in various roles including public relations and social media manager, communications manager and director of communications. She also served as a public information officer for the Mammoth Lakes community working closely with various local agencies to establish Mammoth as a year-round destination.  

DARREN WINSLOW, SADDLEBACK, ME 

Darren Winslow has joined Saddleback as chief financial officer. Winslow brings more than 30 years of experience in finance to the role, including being controller and CFO at the largest CPA firm in the Northeast. Most recently, he was CFO for the Beacon Group.

EMMA LAPRISE, PLEASANT MOUNTAIN, ME

Emma Laprise has been appointed as sustainability coordinator of Pleasant Mountain. Laprise has been with Pleasant Mountain for more than 13 years as a snowsports instructor and most recently snowsports administrative coordinator. 

JORDAN ADAMS, BRUNDAGE MOUNTAIN RESORT, ID

Brundage Mountain Resort hired Jordan Adams as its new food and beverage director. Adams has held a variety of leadership positions over more than two decades in the food and beverage industry, including general manager of Boise’s popular FORK restaurant, operating partner and regional director for five Fins restaurants, regional sales manager for Deschutes Brewery, and previously served as food and beverage director at McCall’s esteemed Shore Lodge.

ERIC DESLAURIERS, BOLTON VALLEY, VT

Bolton Valley, Vt., appointed Eric DesLauriers as its new mountain operations director. The family-owned resort was built by his father Ralph DesLauriers in the ‘60s and is now run by his sister Lindsay DesLauriers. In his new role, Eric will oversee all aspects of mountain operations, including ski patrol, lift operations, lift mechanics, grounds, vehicle and property maintenance, snowmaking, grooming, mountain bike trail crew, and mountain safety programs. A former freeskier, DesLauriers spent the past 15 years as manager and head coach of the big mountain freeride teams at Palisades Tahoe, Calif. 

TROY COHEE, CHINA PEAK, CA

Troy Cohee has been promoted to director of operations at China Peak. In his newly expanded role, Cohee will oversee all outside operations both on and off the snow. He was most recently responsible for snow surfaces, vehicles, terrain parks, special events, and mountain biking. Cohee joined China Peak full time in 2018 after graduating with honors from Sierra Nevada University with degree in business and a concentration in ski business & resort management.

MATT DAVIES, CYPRESS MOUNTAIN, BC

Boyne Resorts named Matt Davies as president and general manager of Cypress Mountain. Davies started in the role June 1. He is responsible for growth and overall performance as well as long-term planning and development. Read the full report on SAM’s Headline News. 

BOBBY MURPHY, BEAVER CREEK, CO

Bobby Murphy is now vice president and COO of Beaver Creek. Murphy has served as VP and general manager of Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont since 2017, with oversight of Attitash and Wildcat Mountain in New Hampshire, as well. Read the full report on SAM’s Headline News.

JOHN MERRIMAN, MT. BACHELOR, OR

POWDR promoted John Merriman to the role of president and general manager of Mt. Bachelor. Merriman was previously vice president of finance and sales at POWDR-owned Copper Mountain Resort in Colorado, a role he held since 2016. Read the full report on SAM’s Headline News.

MATTHEW DARBOUS, CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, WA

Alterra Mountain Company named Matthew Darbous as president and COO of Crystal Mountain. In his new role, Darbous will be responsible for operations, profitability, and oversight of the resort’s strategic development plan. Read the full report on SAM’s Headline News.

BELINDA TREMBATH, WHISTLER BLACKCOMB, BC

Vail Resorts has appointed Belinda Trembath as vice president and chief operating officer of Whistler Blackcomb. Trembath previously served as vice president and general manager at Perisher, Australia. Read the full report on SAM’s Headline News.

JOHN KELLY, TAOS SKI VALLEY, NM

Taos Ski Valley promoted vice president of operations John Kelly to chief operating officer. As COO, Kelly will expand his purview to oversee all aspects of the day-to-day operation of the resort, with a focus on enhancing the year-round Taos experience. Kelly has been with Taos Ski Valley since 2015, during which time he has overseen on-mountain and base area operations as well as skier services. Read the full report on SAM’s Headline News.

NADIA GUERRIERO, VAIL RESORTS

Vail Resorts promoted Nadia Guerriero to the role of senior vice president and COO of the Rockies Region, and appointed her to the company’s executive committee. In her new role, Guerriero will lead Vail Resorts’ six resorts in Colorado and Utah. Read the full report on SAM’s Headline News.

SUPPLIERS

PETER SANTINI, ASPENWARE

Peter Santini has joined Aspenware as the vice president of finance and operations. Santini previously spent 13 years at Aspen Skiing Company in various roles, including finance manager, director of business development, managing director of strategic planning and most recently, vice president of strategic planning. 

JEFF BOLIBA, SNOW PARTNERS

SNOW Partners has promoted Jeff Boliba to chief growth officer. Boliba most recently served as COO of SnowCloud, SNOW Partners’ technology arm. In his new role, he will oversee strategic partnerships and future growth across SNOW Partners’ businesses. Read the full report on SAM’s Headline News.

FRANK DEBERRY, SNOW Partners

SNOW Partners named Frank DeBerry, former president of Crystal Mountain, Wash., and COO of Alterra Mountain Company’s four West Coast resorts, as its new president. A 32-year ski industry veteran, DeBerry started his career as a lift operator at Mountain Creek, then Vernon Valley/Great Gorge, N.J. Read the full report on SAM’s Headline News.

AWARDS

SKI NEW HAMPSHIRE

Tom Bates, field service engineer at N.H. Electric Motors, received the Whitney Award. This award is given to individuals who made an outstanding contribution to the ski and snowboard industry in New Hampshire. 

Peter Hendel of the Holderness School received the Merrill Award. This award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to cross-country skiing.

James Nelson was awarded NextGen by Ski New Hampshire. The NextGen award salutes young professionals who are making an impact in the state’s ski industry and exemplifying innovative leadership.

VERMONT SKI AREAS ASSOCIATION 

Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation commissioner Michael Synder and recently retired MountainGuard senior VP Bo Adams each received the Friends of the Industry Award.

Former Sugarbush owner Win Smith, Stratton Mountain president and COO Bill Nupp, and recently retired Mount Snow director of operations Dave Moulton each received Industry Achievement Awards.

Bolton Valley founder Ralph DesLauriers received the Founder’s Award.

NORTH AMERICAN SNOWSPORTS JOURNALISTS

Katie Brinton, SAM’s senior editor, received the Harold S. Hirsch Award of Excellence in the words stand-alone category; Daniel Gibson received the Harold S. Hirsch Award of Excellence in the words- recurring category; Dan Egan and Eric Wilbur received the Harold S. Hirsch Award of Excellence in the book category; Dino Vournas received the Harold S. Hirsch Award of Excellence in the images category; Nicole Feliciano received the Harold S. Hirsch Award of Excellence in the podcasts category.

Glen Plake was recognized with the Carson White Snowsports Achievement Award. April Whitney was the Bob Gillen Memorial Award winner. Mary Jo Tarallo was honored with the Mitch Kaplan Award. And Mikaela Shiffrin received the 2023 Paul Robbins Outstanding Competitor of the Year.

NATIONAL SKI AREAS ASSOCIATION

Former Alterra Mountain Company leader Rusty Gregory was honored with NSAA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Gregory is considered among many to be one of the key architects of the contemporary North American ski industry. In March, he was also inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame as a “snowsports builder.” Read the full report on SAM’s Headline News.

Bo Adams received the Industry Impact Award. Adams started with the MountainGuard team in 1978 and was promoted to senior vice president in 1989. Over the years, he has participated in numerous seminars throughout North America for various ski industry organizations, including the NSAA, Canada West Ski Areas Association, and the Ontario Snow Resorts Association.

Mountain Creek, N.J., risk and safety leader Dempsey Mendrzycki and Snowbasin, Utah, health and safety coordinator Shelley Ekman were named as Safety Champions.

Jeff Grasser, sustainability manager for Copper Mountain, Colo., was recognized as the Hero of Sustainability. 

Read the full list of the NSAA awards.

CANADA WEST SKI AREAS ASSOCIATION

Pat Boyle, 2023 Jim Marshall Leadership Award

Wayne Wiltse, 2023 Rod Chisholm Operations & Maintenance Award

Jana Gainor, 2023 Lars Fossberg Excellence Award

CWSAA 2023 Peak Performance Recipients:

Kaitie Koch: Volunteer president at the Manning & District Ski Club, Alberta.

Heather Dufty: GIS analyst, utility advanced line locating, mountain planning at Whistler Blackcomb, B.C.

Mike Varrin: Senior manager, mountain dining at Whistler Blackcomb, B.C.

Heather Moore: Occupational health & safety manager at Big White Ski Resort, B.C.

Caleigh Christie: General manager at Falcon Ridge Ski Area, Manitoba.

SKI CALIFORNIA, LIFT MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS EDUCATION

Casey Blann, Palisades Tahoe: Dave McCoy Lifetime Achievement Award

Renich Hostetter, Sierra-at-Tahoe: Paul Beran Lift Maintenance Person of the Year Award

Haley McHugh, Sierra-at-Tahoe: Don Lowder Lift Operations Person of the Year Award

Top 3 Under 30: Tiana Friend, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe; Chris Hoffmann, Homewood Mountain Resort; Lucy Warren, Kirkwood Mountain Resort.