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Changing of the Guard
A Q&A WITH NSAA’S

NEW TECHNICAL

SERVICES DIRECTOR

Getting to Know Mike Lane
NSAA Technical Services
Director Mike Lane
WHEN NSAA PRESIDENT/CEO Kelly Pawlak announced that technical team to handle the ropeway program for the
Mike Lane was going to be NSAA’s new technical services Forest Service. The agency is large, and getting many
director, the news was well received throughout the snow- diverse groups with various levels of ownership to buy-in
sports industry and the national office itself. to the concept was very challenging and rewarding.
Lane, a highly respected figure in the ropeway community, NJ: What did you enjoy the most about the job?
comes to the role after 17 years with the Forest Service, most ML: Obviously that would be the people in the ski industry.
recently as part of the National Ropeway Service Team, oversee- They work tirelessly in every aspect of the business, in
ing regions 1, 2, 3, and 9, which represents more than 50 per- a harsh environment, all because of passion. If I could
cent of the ropeways in National Forest Systems lands. Before help, teach, or make things safer and easier for them, I
that he was a project manager with Doppelmayr for 10 years. have done my job.
Sid Roslund says he couldn’t leave things in better hands NJ: A lot of ski areas are dealing with the problem of aging
as he retires as NSAA’s technical services director after 27 lifts, which may require more frequent and intensive
years (although he will stay on through May, assuring a maintenance, and in some cases a heavy investment in
smooth transition of the ASC B77 Committee and main- new infrastructure. How can NSAA help them address
tenance seminars). “I’ve worked with Mike for a long time, this issue most effectively?
and I know he has what it takes to do this job very well. ML: Wonderful question with many complexities. Ramping
Across the board, there is a lot of confidence in his expertise up education and adapting to change will be paramount
and in his leadership abilities,” Roslund said. in moving forward. Is a well-maintained 1963 Corvette
Those qualities will serve Lane well as technical ser- with remanufactured components unsafe to drive?
vices director, a position that focuses primarily on lift safety, No, but getting it to that point requires skill, experi-
education, operations, and maintenance—and that requires ence, and probably some innovation. We’ll also need to
continual involvement with numerous committees and the be open to ideas such as modifying traditional mainte-
innumerable standards, recommendations, and documents nance concepts/schedules and implementing new year-
they produce. Lane also has a bachelor of science in civil round programs, or accepting innovations that may not
engineering from Michigan Technological University and be “proven” in the long term. In this industry I am fully
serves on many committees and boards, including ANSI confident that innovation, flexibility, and adaptation will
B77 and OITAF NACS. prevail as long as we glean from the veterans and the
The Journal recently sat down with Lane to find out fresh perspectives as well. I certainly have learned from
what he hopes to accomplish in his new role. both through the years.
NJ: What inspired you to apply for the position with NSAA? NJ: Do you foresee any significant changes on the convey-
ML: I have enormous passion for the ropeway industry, and ance regulatory horizon that will affect ski areas?
it has afforded me vast experiences, and over the years ML: Our focus needs to be on OSHA compliance and work-
many friendships, colleagues, and peers. With this back- place safety for lifts and conveyors so we can do everything
ground the opportunity at NSAA seemed natural and we can to dramatically improve the workplace safety cul-
gives me the chance to continue work in teaching and ture. We need to make sure our most precious resource,
safety for a much broader audience. And my wife and those working in the business, are well trained on how to
friends told me to apply! do their jobs in the safest manner possible. We all have a
NJ: What’s the most challenging project you were involved part in this and the time to act is now. We must do better.
with at the Forest Service? Beyond this, everything is always in a state of change, so
ML: Selling the need and helping implement a small, highly we need to stay light on our feet.

12 | NSAA JOURNAL | SPRING 2018