SAMMY Hall of Fame

SAMMY Award winners represent some of the most influential leaders in the mountain resort industry. You will see several familiar names and faces here in the SAMMY Hall of Fame. Take a look back at where they were in their career when they were recognized with the award.

Since being honored with a SAMMY Award, many have gone onto accomplish great things, and many others are still on the rise. Congratulations to all past winners. Your leadership has, and will continue to, drive this industry forward.

Learn more about the SAMMY Awards here.

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SAMMY Hall of Famers on Receiving the SAMMY Award....

"While I would like to say, and sometimes believe, awards aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, this one was different. For me, it was a combination of where I was in my career, what was happening in and around me, and the validation that comes with peer-nominated accolades. Awards like this are important because they keep people motivated prior to receiving them and long after they’re lucky enough to get one. Our industry needs more peer validation like this as they can help turn jobs intended to last a few seasons into careers that last decades."

- Steve Wright, SAMMY 2016 Honoree

President / GM, Jay Peak Resort

"It was a wonderful honor to receive the SAMMY award in 2015. Although I had been in the ski industry for many years, Northstar was my first GM role so the peer recognition was especially meaningful to me. Being recognized as someone who could help shape the future of the industry gave me a boost and really motivated me to make a difference. After my time at Northstar, I moved back to Colorado as the COO at Beaver Creek Resort for three years and have been the COO at Vail Mountain for the past four. It has been a wonderful journey."

- Beth Howard, SAMMY 2015 Honoree

Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Vail Resorts

“Winning my SAMMY was a defining moment in my career. It validated my direction and opened up conversations with people that have become lifelong friends. The yearly welcoming of new recipients and past winners is always a special time of year.”

- Joe Hession, SAMMY 2011 Honoree

Founder & CEO of Snow Partners

"The first time I ever picked up a SAM magazine was when I started at Park City back in 1999-2000. The one I picked up featured the SAMMY Award winners. It's been great over the years to see how people are progressing and developing and learning. When I was selected for the honor in 2019, I was blown away that my peers saw me that way. It's one of the more meaningful recognitions in my career."

- Geoff Buchheister, SAMMY 2019 Honoree

CEO, Aspen Snowmass