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Education

NSAA LAUNCHES MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION

New Nonprofit Supports Education & Mentorship of NSAA Members

BY KELLY PAWLAK, NSAA PRESIDENT & CEO

HOW MANY TIMES have you deliberated over who you should NSAA has set a launch date of May 1. At that time
send to the NSAA Winter Conference or the National interested applicants will be able to access a grant appli-
Convention? Has a poor snow year or your travel budget cation on the NSAA website. To qualify, applicants must
restrained you from sending one more person? Maybe you be a current NSAA member or employed by a NSAA
are that person who has never attended a NSAA event. You member. Grants are available to all NSAA members, and
|are not alone. As much as we all know that carving out an they can attend qualifying events including the NSAA
education budget and sticking to it is essential when it comes National Convention, Winter Conferences, Mountain Bike
to developing your staff and building a strong succession plan, Summit, National Avalanche Foundation, Ski Area Vehicle
many of us just don’t have the resources to participate as often Maintenance Institute, Rocky Mountain Lift Association,
as we’d like or send more of our management team. Midwest Ski Areas Association, Pacific Northwest Ski Areas
Last year 116 ski areas (NSAA has more than 300 ski Association, and Lift Maintenance Seminar. More detailed
area members) sent at least one staff member to the National information and application deadlines can be found on the
Convention. And some ski areas sent several people. That’s a NSAA website.
good amount of ski areas, but we think it can be better. At a NSAA is actively requesting your support of the
recent NSAA Board of Directors meeting we discussed how we Mountain Foundation. It is an investment in the future of
could get more ski industry staff to attend valuable education the ski industry and an opportunity to pay it forward to the
events like the National Convention. next generation of leaders. We all know how important
Blaise Carrig, at the time a board member and senior networking is to developing our careers, and empowering
advisor of Vail Resorts Mountain Division, shared his desire our staff to get out and meet their peers at conferences and
to give back to the industry by donating to a fund that could seminars is crucial. What better way for our future leaders
provide other “up-and-comers” the opportunity to attend to spend time with industry experts who can teach, mentor,
education events to help them grow into the future leaders and inspire them?
of snowsports. Carrig told us how in the early years some-
one gave him the opportunity to attend an NSAA annual This is an investment in the
conference. That opportunity opened the door of possibil-
ities and personal connections for him that were inspirational future of the ski industry and an
to his career and his leadership journey. It helped him realize
he wanted to commit to a career in ski industry and the opportunity to pay it forward to
people in it. And he did just that, going on to become
president of the Mountain Division of Vail Resorts and the next generation of leaders.
the chair of NSAA.
That vision became reality this year when NSAA founded We are all so fortunate to live and work in the moun-
the Mountain Foundation, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to making tains, surrounded by nature and outdoor enthusiasts. Let’s
industry education more accessible to NSAA members. Here’s pay it forward and make a donation that will go right back
how it works. In its first year, the 501(c)(3) will start simply to the staff at our resorts. Let’s let them know that they are
by providing snowsports education to a wider group of ski our greatest assets for the future. Whether you are able to
industry staff who have the desire but maybe not the finan- donate $5 or $5,000, every penny is greatly appreciated
cial backing to attend education events. Those interested can and important to the overall cause.
apply for a grant to attend an event like the NSAA Winter
Conference or Lift Maintenance Seminar. NSAA wishes to thank Lewis, Bess, Williams & Weese
As the Mountain Foundation grows, we envision that for their assistance with the formation of the NSAA
its role in education will expand. Mountain Foundation.

6 | NSAA JOURNAL | CONVENTION 2019