HIGHLIGHTS OF THE Winter Conferences Educational Programs

Back to Basics: A Focus on Conversion
RRC Associates

As the urgency for improving conversion rates and building our domestic base grows, it has never been more important to explore the fundamentals of beginner conversion and the challenge to transform the never-ever guest into a lifelong participant. This presentation will focus on the elements of the experience most important to new guests and the operational tactics that can maximize yields from this visitor segment.

Jump Start Revenues with Fall Events
Al Fletcher, General Manager, Nashoba Valley Ski Area
David Crowley, COO, Wachusett Mountain Ski Area

In this session, we take a look at two case studies from resorts that have capitalized on off-season events. Nashoba’s month-long Witch’s Woods has become a local’s favorite, attracting 37,000 visitors each fall. Since its debut in 2000, Witch’s Woods invites guests to tour the mountain, complete with an amazing Nightmare Mansion, Haunted Hayride and Jack-O-Lantern Jamboree. Meanwhile, Wachusett celebrated its 25th Annual AppleFest this season, with more than 70 craft exhibitors, a farmer’s market, family events and more. Join in this discussion as we analyze elements of the not-so obvious cost/benefit ratio of these and other fall events aimed at jump-starting seasonal revenues. (Mount Snow)

Taking Sustainable Slopes to the Next Level
Judy Dorsey, Founder & Principal, The Brendle Group

Purchases of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) by ski resorts over the past two seasons have been significant and impactful. What is the next frontier in sustainability? How do the ailing economy and fluctuating energy prices impact resorts’ choices in shaping sustainability programs? This session will present options for improving sustainability in resort operations based on NSAA’s newly released guide “Taking Sustainable Slopes to the Next Level.” Attendees will receive a copy of the new guide with insights of sustainability engineer Judy Dorsey, founder and principal of The Brendle Group.

Legal Update*
David Byrd, NSAA Education Director
John Fagan, Managing Partner, Duane Morris
Peter Rietz, The Rietz Law Firm, NSAA Special Counsel

This back-by-popular-demand session will address the latest risk management and liability trends. NSAA’s Education Director David Byrd, John Fagan of Duane Morris and Peter Rietz of the Rietz Law Firm will highlight recent cases and address emerging trends in employee background checks, e-discovery and alcohol impairment.
*CLOSED SESSION: Ski area personnel and Insurers only.

Employment Law I & II
This panel of experts will cover hot topics in the legal realm of human resources. Subjects covered will include changes expected from the new Obama administration and the challenges of a Democratically-controlled Congress, including immigration, visa shortages, minimum wage, FLSA, FMLA and the ADA. The session will also take an in-depth look at background checks for employees in a position of trust and review recent litigation on the topic. This session is a must-attend for HR personnel and risk managers.

There’s No business Like Snowsports School Business
Ski and snowboard schools are an important profit center for your resort. Collecting income and expense data, tracking training, offering a smooth and effective booking process, and identifying trends and outcomes of snowsports school programs will help resort management and administrators make effective and timely decisions on staffing and programming. Regardless of the size of your school, your director needs the tools and knowledge to track what instructors are doing. This session will present an overview of viable statistics to track and provide a basic computer template for gathering information. Whether your school has 20 or 2000 instructors, they impact thousands of customers in a variety of ways on a daily basis. It’s imperative that you know what they are doing and how well they’re doing it – find out how during this informative session.

Marketing Cents – How to do More with Less
Dyke Shaw, President, Transcoast Media Hawthorn Publications

Typically, and especially in today’s tough economic times, marketing is often the first to receive budget cuts. This session will illustrate how resorts can do more with less while stretching, and even growing, your dollar. In addition, we will discuss e-brochures, e-magazines, custom publications, magazines, virtual and interactive programs, as well as partnerships, third-party promotions and sponsor-supported programs.

B77.1 Supplement Update
Sid Roslund, NSAA Technical Director
Jon Mauch, Lift Director, Breckenridge Ski Resort

It’s been three years since the B77.1-2006 Standard was adapted. In moving forward, the ASC B77 committee is working to produce a brief supplement to the existing standard in order to include some editorial corrections and reword the operations section. Join this session and offer your public input and comments as we further analyze the contents of the supplement.

ANSI B77 – 101: A Brief History
Lessons Learned

The B77 Standard has been the bulwark of the industry’s uphill transportation but if you entered upper management laterally you may not have a complete understanding of its complexities and development under NSAA’s oversight dating back nearly 50 years. Sid Roslund, administrator of the ASC B77 Committee, will look at a brief history of uphill transportation as it has evolved into today’s high-tech installations. The ASC B77 committee process and the B77.1 Standards structures will also be discussed.

You Can’t Plan for a Crisis While You’re Having One
Steve Gray, Principal, Rockford Gray
Marv Rockford, Principal, Rockford Gray

There are two kinds of organizations: those that have had a crisis and those that will. This seminar will provide participants with the information necessary to prepare a crisis communication plan that anticipates all of the communication nightmares they may face when something bad happens. One nightmare: the failure to recognize the importance of the Internet in a crisis communications plan. This presentation will provide guidance on how to incorporate the Internet into your overall crisis communications plan.

Model Designs for Expansion: A-Basin’s Montezuma Bowl & Winter Park’s Parsenn Bowl
Alan Henceroth, VP/ COO, Arapahoe Basin
Doug Laraby, Mountain Planning Director, Winter Park

This session will discuss the challenges of A-Basin’s 400-acre Montezuma Bowl expansion and Winter Park’s addition of Parsenn Bowl. From planning to implementation, highlights will include the design and development considerations through the continually changing roadless regulatory process. A special focus will be on utilizing low-impact construction methodologies.