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National Convention & Tradeshow
May 6-9, 2012
Grand Hyatt San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Ski Area Attendees
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From the Desk of Michael Berry
No one has ever tried to run a ski area during a time when the country is engaged in
two wars and in the midst of the worst economy since the Great Depression — during an
El Niño weather year to boot. In that feat, today’s ski area owners and operators stand
alone. Steadfast determination in the face of adversity not only defines our industry,
it’s the DNA of our sport.
Look no further than this year’s Winter Olympic athletes. And of course behind
the scenes were the precise and tireless efforts of those charged with setting
(and maintaining) the stage of an event that accommodated tens of thousands of spectators
and attracted as many as 500 million television viewers — with tremendous exposure for our sport.
Determined acts such as these were repeated day after day at ski areas across the
country — albeit it on a much smaller scale — but no less important. By now, we all get it;
we understand that an exceptional guest experience can only come as the result of an
extraordinary effort put forth by all departments. Once again, the true grit of our industry
played itself out on many levels this season.
Mitt Romney knows what it takes to host an Olympic Games. We are honored to have the
former Massachusetts governor, and frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination
in 2012, as our keynote speaker for this year’s National Convention. Among a host of
accomplishments, Governor Romney successfully organized and steered the 2002 Salt Lake
City Winter Olympics toward realizing a $100 million profit, despite inheriting a massive
budget deficit when he took over management of the Games. Perhaps more so today than during
any other time in history, what happens in Washington matters. We’re confident that Governor
Romney’s informed view on the challenges that lie ahead for small businesses will resonate
with a large number of our attendees, regardless of which side of the aisle you sit.
There’s little doubting that “Life is Good” right now for Bert Jacobs. He and his brother
turned a $78 savings account into an international retail giant with 4,500 stores in more
than 30 countries — with their instantly recognizable grinning stick-figure logos. While
our work is never easy, life remains good in the ski industry as well. As Bert shares with
us in his second day keynote address, there’s plenty of reason to look toward the future with optimism.
Meanwhile, renowned travel economist Adam Sacks, founder and managing director of Tourism
Economics, an Oxford Economics company dedicated to analytically-based tourism consulting,
will be joining us. In Adam’s Featured Session, he draws on his vast experience to share
with us a frontline view of the current tourism economy and key indicators of what to expect
in the coming months and years.
We’re also privileged to welcome to our show this year Harris Sherman, Under Secretary for Natural
Resources and Environment at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Serving under USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack,
Harris oversees the entire U..S. Forest Service and sets the tone for public land management
at resorts representing the majority of skier visits in the U.S.
We’ll also continue our CEO Summit series at the convention. This year we’ve invited the
top executives from the industry’s premiere hard goods manufacturers, as well as the leading
publishers of consumer ski and ride media. Both panels will be answering the tough questions
regarding their current business, and how their symbiotic relationships with ski areas are
critical to the overall health of the industry.
As always, RRC Associates will present season-ending visitation data, and we’ll break down
a host of other pressing issues with our lineup of sessions this year. As always, all of the
latest product innovations and services will be showcased in our Tradeshow. We look forward
to seeing you at the Omni Orlando, May 2-5.
Sincerely,
Michael Berry
NSAA President
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