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LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Bob Bonar
Former President & GM, Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort

By Geraldine Link, NSAA Director of Public Policy

For his leadership and many the creation of the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, a non-
contributions in the areas of profit dedicated to improving the environment of Big and Little
public lands stewardship, Cottonwood Canyons through stewardship and education
stakeholder relations and sustainability, the ski industry is proud to programs. The foundation unites local stakeholders, the Uinta-
honor Bob Bonar with NSAA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. After Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Salt Lake City Watershed, Alta,
a 47-year career at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort in Utah, Bonar Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude ski areas, REI, and other area
retired in 2018 and headed for the surf of Southern California. groups and businesses. He was instrumental in forming the
Bonar helped build Snowbird and make it one of America’s “AltaBird” partnership with this neighboring resort—a testament
great ski destinations. He was hired on at the age of 20 at the start to both his and Onno Weiringa’s collaborative and community-
of Snowbird in 1971, became the general manager in 1997, and focused management approach.
served as leader of the ski area through 2018. Over the course of Bonar made sustainability a priority in Snowbird’s operations
many decades, he worked tirelessly to make the vision of Snowbird and helped shine a spotlight on sustainability initiatives within the
founders Dick Bass and Ted Johnson come to life. ski industry. The resort’s clean-up of the Pacific Mine in partner-
During Bonar’s long and successful career, Snowbird ship with Trout Unlimited resulted in improved water quality and
expanded into Mineral Basin, offered a lift-served connection to recognition through an EPA Achievement Award. Snowbird’s
neighboring Alta, built North America’s first skier tunnel, and built co-generation power facility in the Cliff Lodge—which produces
The Summit, an 18,000-square-foot restaurant at the top of Hidden a significant percentage of the resort’s power—is another great
Peak. It was how Bonar was able to reach all of these milestones example of how Snowbird was an early ski industry leader on
that makes him so unique. His ability to work constructively with environmental stewardship. Golden Eagle Awards are the highest
stakeholders, government, and community partners produced honor bestowed on a resort for outstanding achievement in envi-
amazing results not only for Snowbird, but for Utah and the ski ronmental performance, and Snowbird earned not one but two
industry at large. Golden Eagle Awards—in 2007 and 2013—under Bonar’s leader-
Bonar’s appreciation of the public-private US Forest Service / ship. Snowbird has participated in the NSAA Climate Challenge
ski industry partnership is an important part of his legacy. He since 2014 and has provided a strong voice, as well as consistent
demonstrated a strong commitment to public land stewardship action, on climate change solutions.
in his day-to-day decisions at the helm of Snowbird, and greatly Bonar shared his expertise and time generously within the
valued the USFS/ski industry partnership. His positive working rela- ski industry, the State of Utah, and his community over the years.
tionship with his local Forest Service line officers served as a model He served on the board of directors of NSAA, and the boards of
for other public land ski areas. In 2005, Snowbird was the first resort the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, Wasatch Adaptive Sports,
to partner with the National Forest Foundation (NFF) and contribute Ski Utah, the Utah Sports Commission, and the Utah Office of
lodging dollars to the Ski Conservation Fund. One dollar per guest Tourism. He served as a great mentor for the next generation of
night at Snowbird goes to the NFF under this program, which leaders at Snowbird and has been a role model for public land
applies the funds to local conservation projects on the Wasatch ski operators across the country.
Cache National Forest where Snowbird is located. “It wasn’t until I sat in Bob’s chair that I fully comprehended
Bonar was a longstanding member of NSAA’s Public Lands what he had taught me over nearly two decades of working
Committee, and served as chair of the committee for five years. together, and the dignity, foresight and perseverance with which
In that role, he was always willing to lend a hand with NSAA he conducted himself as our leader at Snowbird,” said Dave
advocacy missions, testifying before Congress, or connecting with Fields, Snowbird president and GM. “Bob’s impact on Snowbird,
agency leaders at the highest levels. He did this not just to benefit Little Cottonwood Canyon, me, and my family is profound
Snowbird, but on behalf of the entire ski industry. and appreciated.”
Bonar understands the importance of community, and has Thank you, Bob, for your incredible lifetime of work and
invested much in Little Cottonwood Canyon where he raised his substantial contributions to stewardship, partnership and sustain-
three kids with his wife, Ann. He was the driving force behind ability in the ski industry.

C36 | NSAA JOURNAL | CONVENTION 2019