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Lifetime Achievement Award Lifetime Achievement Award

Jerry Blann

President, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

By Dave Byrd, NSAA Director of Risk & Regulatory Affairs

After 23 years serving as president of Wyoming’s Jackson Hole the Forest Service). In total, Blann oversaw more than $200 million
Mountain Resort (JHMR), Jerry Blann has been one of the most in resort investment during his tenure. While JHMR has long been
influential and accomplished leaders in our industry’s history, building known for its “high testosterone terrain,” as Blann puts it, his team has
and defining the iconic western destination ski resort experience. His worked to significantly broaden the variety of terrain to appeal to a
fascinating background, stunning successes at both Jackson Hole rapidly growing guest demographic.
and Colorado’s Aspen Mountain, and his dedication to the industry The culmination of Blann’s transformation of the mountain
and the National Ski Areas Association, makes Blann long overdue for has been the unending awards and recognition for JHMR. Forbes
our industry’s most prestigious recognition from his immediate peers, magazine has named Jackson Hole the number one ski resort
NSAA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. in North America for seven years in a row —an unbroken record
The ski business is in his blood. His father, Cliff, spent 25 years dating back to 2011. And in 2013, knocking off some perennial
as general manager of the then newly created Mt. Bachelor ski area resort winners, Jackson Hole seized SKI Magazine’s prestigious
in Oregon, where both Cliffhanger and Cliff’s Run are named in his number one ranking of North American ski areas, as voted by the
honor. As a 10-year old, Jerry’s first job was painting new lift towers magazine’s readers. Importantly, Blann’s leadership helped protect
for his dad, and by 14, he was blasting tree stumps and cutting new Jackson Hole’s rugged independence and iconic stature, amidst a
trails. Even his younger brother, Casey, has likewise succeeded in tumultuous period of heavy resort consolidation around the country.
the family business, serving in senior management roles at Heavenly Just this season, JHMR had its highest skier visits ever.
Mountain Resort, Sierra-at-Tahoe, and Kirkwood, Calif. Today, Casey Blann has also been especially crucial to NSAA, where he
is the senior vice president of mountain operations at Alpine Valley. served on its board of directors, and spent 10 years as the chairman
After cutting his teeth at Mt. Bachelor, Blann received a skiing of NSAA’s Environmental Committee. In 2000, Jackson Hole became
scholarship to Denver University’s famed ski team—in his four years on a founding member of NSAA’s Sustainable Slopes environmental
the team, DU won the NCAA national championship three times. By charter. In 2011, JHMR received NSAA’s prestigious Golden Eagle
his senior year, he was captain of the ski team, named an NCAA All- Award for best overall sustainability.
American, and honored as DU’s overall Outstanding Athlete of the Year. Blann’s ability to work closely with other business and political
After earning his business degree, Blann was offered a leaders has been vital for JHMR, including his involvement with the
prestigious management training position at Aspen Mountain. By 36, influential Wyoming Business Council and numerous other community
he had worked his way up to become the president of Aspen, one and state business groups. As president of Jackson Hole’s Airport
of the most heralded ski resorts in the world. After 18 years leading Board for 18 years, Blann significantly expanded the airport’s rapid
Aspen, he became president at Bear Mountain in Southern California growth (tripling its capacity under his leadership), with 14 non-stop
for four years, before leaving to develop the Lake Catamount ski flights into Jackson from all over the country, in turn driving the resort’s
community south of Steamboat, Colo., in the early 1990s. expansion. Notably, in 2017, Blann led the drive to enact Wyoming’s
When Jackson Hole was purchased by Jay and Connie Ski Safety Act, rallying the 10 ski areas in the state to re-write the
Kemmerer in 1993, the family quickly hired Blann to be president. state’s impotent and ineffective recreation law. Testifying before the
At that time the resort was barely averaging 200,000 skier visits. legislature and working with politicians behind the scenes, he used
Working closely with the Kemmerer family, Blann and his team both his charisma and business insights to make Wyoming the 29
th
drove exponential growth at the resort, while also preserving its state to enact specific ski safety legislation governing the inherent
independent, iconic western flavor and commitment to guest services. risks of skiing, providing critical legal immunity to all of the ski areas in
In Blann’s 23 years as president, skier visits tripled to more than the state.
600,000. Under his leadership, JHMR dramatically expanded its “I would be surprised if any ski resort president has done more
investment in new infrastructure, replacing its legendary aerial tram for a mountain resort than Jerry has over these last 23 years,” said
in 2008 (to the tune of $31 million), adding the new Sweetwater Matt Mead, Wyoming’s governor. Our industry loudly echoes those
Gondola and Teton High-speed quad, as well as the beautiful well-deserved sentiments. Congratulations to Jerry Blann, recipient
Rendezvous Lodge. The resort also developed the first via ferratta of NSAA’s 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award for his astonishing
rock challenge course at a US ski area (and the first approved by success, leadership, and commitment to our industry.

CONVENTION 2018 | NSAA JOURNAL | C35