Bob Wheaton, Deer Valley Resort's President and General Manager, is the 2014 S. Joseph Quinney Award Honoree from the University of Utah's J. Willard Marriott Library. 

Aspen Skiing Company has announced an internal reorganization with the realignment of several departments and a new reporting structure. The changes are designed to enhance the guest experience through operational efficiencies, improve the collaborative environment for current employees,  allow the company to maintain focus and keep up with the pace of the changing business environment.

Vail Resorts, Inc. has announced a number of management changes to take place in its mountain division in the coming year, as part of a planned leadership succession to position the company for continued growth and success. 

Preston Leete Smith, 84, was honored with the Spirit of Skiing Award at aNew England Ski Museum banquet Nov. 1 at the Grand Hotel in Killington.

The Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (PEDA) has announced its support in funding The Tuthill Corporation’s project to build a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Plant, also known at a Cogeneration Plant, in Palmerton.

Powdr Enterprises, the sports marketing and entertainment division of Powdr, has announced a strategic brand partnership with Boyne Resorts. This alliance brings together the corporate partnership rights of the two largest privately-owned and operated companies in the mountain sports industry.

The record-breaking summer for both occupancy and revenue among western mountain resorts is concluding and the positive momentum is carrying into the winter booking season according to DestiMetrics,* an organization that tracks mountain lodging bookings at 19 western mountain resorts in six states.

Sunday River Resort has appointed Sarah Devlin as its new Director of Communications. 

Vail Resorts, Inc. has appointed Bill Rock, the current chief operating officer of Northstar California Resort, as the new chief operating officer of Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons Resort, effective November 1, 2014.

After 20 years of operating Thunder Ridge Ski Area,a family run ski area in Patterson, N.Y.,  20 minutes from Danbury, Ct.. and 30 minutes from White Plains, N.Y. Mary and Bob Conklin have announced their retirement as operators of the ski area.  New operators already are in place, and they are the current owners of Thunder Ridge, Dean and Wayne Ryder.

Rana Dershowitz has been named as General Counsel and Vice President of Aspen Skiing Company. 

Organizers of the Learn To Ski And Snowboard/Bring A Friend initiative have updated and re-launched the initiative’s web presence. Several new features enable newcomers to more easily find learning information from ski/snowboard areas and retail shops.

Earlier predictions by DestiMetrics that Western U.S. mountain resorts would have an all-time record-breaking summer have come true. DestiMetrics tracks occupancy and revenues in 19 western resort communities.

The Snow Industry Letter (TSIL) is reporting this week that Skyline International Development Inc. of Toronto, Ontario, says it has entered into a binding agreement to buy Bear Valley Mountain Resort in the Central Sierra of California.

SnowSports Industries America (SIA), the snow sports industry’s member-owned trade association, has released its 2014 Snow Sports Market Intelligence Report, covering the ups and downs of the 2013/2014 season.

Central New York’s Song Mountain Resort and Labrador Mountain have merged into one corporate entity. The two ski areas are about a 20 minute drive apart.

Utah’s Snowbasin Resort has named Andrew Barfield as its new Snow Sports Director.

Spencer Weimar has been named  director of sales, marketing and reservations at Mt. Bachelor Resort in Oregon.  

Weimar has spent the last seven years working in the lodging, central reservations, group sales, and marketing department at whitefish Mountain in Montana. He previously served as marketing manager for Village Properties in Sunriver, Oregon. 

Weimar has been a member of the Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau marketing committee, a board member of the Whitefish Housing Authority, and he currently sits on the board of directors of the Central Reservations Association of Destination Resorts (CRADR). 

Weimar recently completed his MBA from Washington State University and holds a BS degree in Business from Linfield College. 

“I'm really excited to be on the Mt. Bachelor team and can't wait to start working with such a talented and fun group of people to continue the success of this incredible resort,” says Weimar.  “The fact that this marks a return home to Central Oregon and the mountain I learned to ski and snowboard on makes this all the more special.”

“Spencer brings valuable sales, reservations and marketing experience and a proven track record of success which will be instrumental in meeting our goal to return Mt. Bachelor to national prominence in the mountain resort industry,” said Dave Rathbun, Mt. Bachelor president and general manager. 

Photo: Spencer Weimar (Mt. Bachelor) 

Taos Ski Valley has named Jesse Keaveny as its new Chief Marketing Officer. Keaveny will be responsible for helping design and execute the strategic vision and growth of the resort, including the opening of the new Kachina Peak lift this winter season, as well as helping draw additional attractions, events and visitors to Taos Ski Valley throughout the year.

Aggregated occupancy and revenue at Western mountain resorts for the month of June are continuing to post steady increases in year-over-year comparison to the same period as last year.