Vail Resorts Inc. announced that it will have new management leadership roles for the 2019-20 ski season, including its Tahoe ski resorts.
There will be changes in management at Vail Resorts’ three Lake Tahoe ski resorts – Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood.
Pete Sonntag, currently chief operating officer (CEO) of Whistler Blackcomb, will relocate to Broomfield, CO, and will now oversee Whistler Blackcomb and Stevens Pass, as well as the three resorts in Lake Tahoe and three resorts in Australia.
Mike Goar, CEO of Heavenly Mountain Resort, will become CEO of Park City Mountain. Tom Fortune, general manager of Kirkwood Mountain Resort, will become GM of Heavenly Mountain Resort
Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) also announced this week that Executive Vice President Chris Jarnot will step down from his role, following an impressive 34-year career with Vail Resorts.
Jarnot was appointed executive vice president of the company’s mountain division in December 2016 with oversight of its five Colorado resorts and Perisher in Australia. He first joined the company in 1985 and has held numerous leadership positions at Vail, Beaver Creek and within corporate, including serving as the Company’s chief marketing officer and Vail Mountain’s CEO.
Jarnot will remain in his current role through the end of 2019 to help ensure a seamless transition.
“Chris has played a pivotal role in the success of our Company across so many different areas, leaving behind a legacy of operational excellence, business sophistication and a culture of outstanding guest service,” said Rob Katz, chairman and chief executive officer of Vail Resorts. “Chris has been a key partner to me and all our senior leaders in driving an incredible transformation at our company.
Other changes at Vail Resorts include:
Bill Rock, CEO of Park City Mountain, will relocate to Broomfield and will now oversee the company’s mountain resorts in Colorado and Utah.
Doug Pierini, CEO of Okemo Mountain Resort, will continue to oversee the three Northeast resorts and will now have oversight of the Vail’s three Midwest resorts, as well as the 17 Peak Resorts’ ski areas in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, pending closing of the Peak Resorts transaction. The acquisition is expected to close this fall, subject to certain conditions, including regulatory review and Peak Resorts’ shareholder approval.
In addition, Vail Resorts announced that Geoff Buchheister, currently general manager of Keystone Resort, will become the CEO of Whistler Blackcomb; Tom Fortune, GM of Kirkwood Mountain Resort, will become GM of Heavenly Mountain Resort. Pending closing of the Peak Resort transaction, Bruce Schmidt, GM of Mt. Sunapee Resort, will become the GM of Okemo Mountain Resort.
Today’s announced leadership changes will go into effect ahead of the 2019/20 ski season. The process to fill the open leadership roles at Keystone and Kirkwood will begin immediately, while the process to fill the Mt. Sunapee leadership role will begin after the close of the Peak Resorts acquisition.