PodSAM

Summit Series: Change Management

When change seems to be all we do, how do we manage it to our advantage? Listen in to a conversation from the fall with the Class of 2024-25 mentors and mentees.

Looking for more? Read "Change Management" from the January 2025 issue of SAM. 

Mentors:

• Kim Jones, Vice President and General Counsel, WinSport Olympic Park, Calgary, Alberta
• Karl Kapucinski, Chief Executive Officer, California Mountain Resort Company
• JR Murray, Chief Planning Officer, Mountain Capital Partners
• Karyn Thorr, Chief Operating Officer, Crystal Mountain, Mich.
• Brent Tregaskis, President & General Manager, Eldora Mountain Resort, Colo.
• Mike Unruh, Senior Vice President of Mountain Operations, Boyne Resorts

Mentees:

• Josiah Akin, Maintenance and Rental Manager, Mt. Hood Ski Bowl, Ore.
• Christie Barbour, Lift Operations Manager, Whistler Blackcomb, BC
• Rob Hallowell, Innovative Environments Manager, Boreal Mountain Resort, Woodward Tahoe, Soda Springs, Calif.
• Ella Klott, Sales Manager, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyo.
• Sarah Nutt, Assistant Patrol Director, Sunday River Resort, Maine
• Loryn Roberson, Director of Marketing and Communications, Loveland Ski Area, Colo.
• Tim Shannon, Director of Skier Services, The Hermitage Club at Haystack Mountain, Vt.
• Jenny Weaver, Health and Safety Manager, Mammoth Mountain and June Mountain, Calif.
• Jeremy Wildgoose, Director of Lodging, Schweitzer, Idaho
• Kyle Wilson, Snow Sports Director, Nordic Mountain, Wis.
• Rachel Wyckoff, Marketing Director, Shawnee Mountain, Pa.

Expert Voice:

• Paul Thallner, Founder, High Peaks Group

Thank you to our premiere sponsor, MountainGuard, for their support of this program. 

Meet Mike: Interview with the New NSAA President

SAM sat down with the new National Ski Areas Association president and CEO, Mike Reitzell. This extended cut interview expands upon the "Meet Mike" article in SAM's January 2025 issue. 

Summit Series: It's a Balancing Act

During the 6th annual Summit Series leadership development program, six of our mentors and an expert voice discuss what it takes to balance the weight of the workforce and workplace on your shoulders, while striking a balance within yourself and your team.

As we welcome mentee nominations for this year's Summit Series, we will be sharing those conversations on PodSAM. 

Learn more about the Summit Series at saminfo.com. 

Summit Series: Leading Effective Teams

During the 6th annual Summit Series leadership development program, six of our mentors and an expert voice discuss how to build trust, communicate, and problem solve with your teams, with our group of mentees. 

As we welcome mentee nominations for this year's Summit Series, we will be sharing those conversations on PodSAM. You can also find a recap in the pages of SAM Magazine's March 2024 issue.

Learn more about the Summit Series at saminfo.com. 

 

Summit Series: What Makes a Good Leader

During our 6th annual Summit Series leadership development program, four of our mentors and an expert voice discuss a wide range of topics around leadership, like leadership styles, delegating, prioritizing tasks and more, with our group of mentees.

As we welcome mentee nominations for this year's Summit Series, we will be sharing those conversations on PodSAM. You can also find recaps in the pages of SAM Magazine's January 2024 issue. 

Learn more about the Summit Series at saminfo.com. 

Cutter's Camp: Fireside Chat with OGs

Mary Walsh, writer, announcer, and longtime Snowboarder Magazine staff editor joined Parker Bohon, host of The Blade Dive Podcast, in a discussion with industry icons looking at how far we’ve come in the last 20 years and what’s next for the freestyle terrain park world. Topics covered include:
- Where We’ve Come From: Origins and History of the Terrain Park; Evolution of the Park Department
- Technology, Trends, and Getting a Seat at the Table
- Where We’re Going and What the Future Holds

Explicit

Sponsored by Prinoth

What Defines Summer Success?

Just as the menu of summer activities, programs and events varies between operations, so do the goals and metrics that measure success. Being profitable is an important metric but it creates complexities. Listen on as we learn how 10 resorts across North America define what success looks like. This podcast is from a session presented at SAM's Summer Ops Camp, September 11, 2023.

Interview with Stix from Liquid Death

Steve Nilsen, more commonly known as Stix, is a legendary brand marketer, having worked with brands such as PBR, Red Bull, and now he serves as the VP of Cult Indoctrination at Liquid Death Mountain Water. If you're not familiar with Liquid Death, they've taken water to a whole new level with an insanely creative approach to their brand. In May of 2023, Stix joined the SAM team at Timberline, Mt. Hood, Ore., at Cutter's Camp, to share his insight into building powerful brand culture in the park and on the mountain. WARNING: this podcast contains a few swears.

Summit Series: Reinventing Resilience, Part 2

This two-part discussion will cover how organizations move beyond setbacks to grow through challenges and how to be a place where people thrive. Let's face it, we are all a bit stressed and burnt out after a couple of years of facing serious challenges, both professionally and personally. 

Part 2: Finding courage, confidence, and scaling resilience to be sustainable for individuals, teams, and organizations.

Summit Series: Reinventing Resilience, Part 1

This two-part discussion covers how organizations move beyond setbacks to grow through challenges and how to be a place where people thrive. Part one defines resilience, what we're doing wrong, and stress triggers.  

Learn more about SAM's Summit Series at www.saminfo.com/the-summit-series