Written by Joe Stevens
Hi guys –
First of all, this week's topic is about organizing things before getting into the main topic of this week's column.
A big thank you to all the SkiSoutheast.com fans who came to Massanutten Ski Resort for this summit at Nutt. It was great to meet some of the loyal readers of this column. I also gave a few big high fives to Mike Doble who put on a great show for the attendees. When Mike throws a party, all I have to say is it's done right and it's fun.
We would also like to give a high five to the management and staff of Massanutten Ski Resort for rolling out the white carpet and providing a wonderful environment for all skiers and snowboarders to enjoy.
Well, this week's column was born thanks to the aforementioned summit.
As you know, the current general manager of the ski area, Kenny Hess, has been one of my best friends in this industry since day one. Well, Kenny will be taking down the GM nameplate on July 1st, and there will be someone new in the big chair at the ski resort.
It was recently announced that Cameron Tucker will be taking over Kenny's duties.
I took the opportunity during the summit to sit down with Kenny and hear about his years of experience in the ski industry.
You could say it all started when Kenny was around 6 or 7 years old and started turning in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania.
Yes, that's what led him to run on snow for the first time. His introduction to the industry came when he was a student at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia (about 20 minutes from Massanutten) when he saw a job ad in the newspaper. . We had the opportunity to ski for free at the resort. His first job at the resort was working at J's bar. Kenny also patrolled resorts before moving to Vermont.
Then, in 1986, then-general manager Steve Showalter contacted Kenny and offered him the job of ski patrol director, a position he has remained in to this day.
I personally caught up with Kenny for the first time when he was just starting out on patrol. He remembers making some first turns with ski patrollers and learning exactly their responsibilities on the slopes.
I last turned with Kenny at Massanutten in 1989, but he visited Snowshoe Mountain during my time as the resort's communications director, and we spent 16 seasons enjoying our time at Snowshoe Mountain. Ta.
Through his years in the industry, Kenny has seen many innovations come and go. During our conversation, he revealed to me that one innovation is having a major impact on the industry: an upgrade in snowmaking technology. Here, the maximum number of guns you could run was 24 or 25. Now you can launch four times as many guns as he did with a click of the mouse.
20-25 years ago, if you had 4-5 hours of 26-27 degrees, you probably wouldn't have even used that little window. Now you can light it up and start laying snow on your slopes within 10 minutes. New technology has essentially taken much of the guesswork out of our snowmaking operations. ”
At Massanutten, you can make snow on all of the resort's 80-plus acres, which are available for skiing, horseback riding, and tubing.
Kenney is a leader in the Southeastern Ski Areas Association and served two three-year terms on the U.S. Ski Association Board of Directors.
My simple question to Kenny was why he has been with us for over 35 years. He was once asked by people why he didn't go elsewhere, why he stayed in little Massanutten. Well, since it's small, we have to do a lot of things. I didn't feel locked into any particular department, as is often the case at large resorts. I've done everything I can to learn more about the industry. This place has just become my home and always will be. ”
Back to the fun stuff, Kenny said to me, “You know what? “If it wasn't fun, I wouldn't be here.” Yeah, there's always little crises every day that you have to deal with, but that's part of the fun. There's always something new and fresh. The most enjoyable part is watching the family leave the house at the end of the day. Children smile and ask their parents when they will be back. Things like that make everything worth it to me, and I've seen a lot of smiles like that. ”
The ski industry is one of the most competitive industries today, with each resort working hard to capture a small share of the market. But there's always goodwill for Kenny among industry insiders. “It's hard to explain how cooperative the ski industry has been. When should I pick up the phone and call another resort to see if they have parts to help fix a broken elevator? I don't know. They don't just give you the part, they meet you halfway to get the job done faster. The people who helped you want you to do the same for them. We all know that “a rising tide lifts all boats,'' and what's good for one area is good for the whole area. Together we can grow the market pie and enable everyone to grow. ”
Kenny concluded our chat by talking about the common bond between all workers in this industry. It makes everything real. ”
Come July 1, Kenny Hess will no longer be directing ski operations at Massanutten, and it will be difficult to inflate his ski boots.
That's it for this week. Remember, no matter the weather, cold or warm, we can get through it. Your favorite slope is now open. Let's make a turn with gravity on our side.