FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 22, 2021
FAR WEST SKI ASSOCIATION CONDUCTS ITS 88TH ANNUAL CONVENTION IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
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The Far West Ski Association conducted its 88th Annual Convention and Meeting October 7-10, 2021, at the San Diego Marriott, Mission Valley, hosted by the San Diego Council of Ski Clubs. The Far West Ski Association, founded in 1930, is a volunteer, non-profit organization representing 150 affiliated ski clubs located throughout ten regional councils in the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, South Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The Association conducts active programs in public affairs, skier safety, ski heritage, racing, communications, travel, council development, ski industry and community outreach. In addition to the 120 ski club delegates attending the annual meeting, approximately 35 ski and sports industry representatives participated in the weekend’s events.
Special guests included: Chris Anthony, Keynote Speaker, World War II 10th Mountain Division Veterans; Bruce Campbell and Howard Koch, World War II Veterans, Tom Rice and Gil Nadeau. The San Diego Council and FWSA Athletic Scholarship Recipient; Alexa Wehsener, Junior Racer & FWSA Athletic Scholarship Recipient.
The 35th Annual Silent Auction on Friday evening raised $20,000 to support FWSA programs. The highest bidders purchased ski trips, bicycle trips, diving trips, and tour packages. Saturday morning’s Travel Expo enabled industry representatives to meet with travel decision makers from the Association’s clubs and councils.
Saturday afternoon, following the luncheon, was a presentation by Keynote Speaker Chris Anthony. Chris is a 2018 Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame Inductee, Award-winning Documentary Producer, Director, Writer and Editor, Best History Film Cannes World Film Festival 2021, Featured athlete in 28 Warren Miller films, Executive Director & Founder of Chris Anthony Youth Initiative Project, Professional skier and ski personality, A veteran of nine World Extreme Skiing Championships, Former Alaskan Extreme Skiing Champion and Alaska Helicopter Ski Guide.
Two FWSA Snowsports Leadership Academy classes were held on Saturday, the morning session “Strategic Travel Planning, New, Insights & Updates” by Debbie Stewart, and the afternoon session “Race to the finish, JEDI On and Off the Slopes”, by Todd Hood. One Public Affairs session was conducted in the afternoon with a Q & A session with our VIP World War II Veterans.
FWSA Snowsports Builder Awards were presented to Candance Cable and Schone Malliet. Candace is a nine- time Paralympian, four times in the Summer Paralympics and five times in Winter Paralympics earning twelve Paralympic Medals of which eight were gold medals. Schone Malliet has devoted many years of service to the sport of skiing and he has introduced hundreds of urban children to the sports of skiing/snowboarding. Shone is the CEO and founder of Winter-4Kids at the National Winter Activity Center in Vernon, NJ which was developed out of an initiative of the National Winter Sports Education Foundation, a national non-profit whose mission is to improve the lives, health and fitness of youth through winter activities
Two FWSA Industry Awards were presented: the FWSA Bill Mackey Award for Outstanding Ski Industry Employee, to Kevin Bracken from Winter Park Resort. The Tommi Tyndall Award for Outstanding Ski Industry Company, to Holidaze Ski Tours. Three FWSA Media Awards, the Bill Berry Award for Featured Article was presented to Jimmy Petterson for his ”Skiing Around the World, Vol II”, the Bill Berry Hard News Award to Shawn Styles, Television Broadcaster and Meteorologist, and the Warren Miller Modern Media Award, was presented to the Keynote Speaker, and film producer, Chris Anthony, for his film “Mission Mt. Mangart”.
Nancy Ellis, FWSA VP of North American Travel received the FWSA Hans Georg Award for long-term service to organized skiing. Other individuals receiving FWSA service awards included: the FWSA Elizabeth “Schatzi” Wood Award for a decisive contribution to skiing to Chris Gill, FWSA VP of Council Services, San Diego, CA. the FWSA J. Stanley Mullin Award for a decisive contribution to skiing to Jim Nachbar, Arizona Council; The FWSA Councils’ Man & Woman of the Year program, sponsored by Big White Ski Resort, recognized Sandi Schaub of Northwest Ski Club Council Council and Bill Benke of Arizona Ski Council. The FWSA President’s Award was given to; Debbie Stewart, FWSA VP of International Travel, from Visalia, CA. The Terry Smith Award was presented to Debi Phelps, Sierra Council.
Outstanding Publications was presented to: Masters Club Newsletter: 1st Place, Emilio Trampuz, Mountain High Snowsport Club (Northwest Council); Masters Club Website: 1st Place, Emilio Trampuz; Advanced Club Newsletter: 1st Place, Gordon Cardona, The Unrecables (LA Council); Advanced Website-Club: 1st Place: Dee Armstrong, The Unrecables (LA Council); and 2nd Place, Bob Burke, Inskiers Ski & Snowboard Club, (Bay Area Council); Novice Club Newsletter: 1st Place: Dennie Warren, Castro Valley Ski Club, (Bay Area Council); Novice Club Website: 1st Place, Judy Fontanellla, Torrey Pines Ski Club (San Diego Council); 2nd Place Tie: Steven Rhodes, Snowchasers Ski Club, (Bay Area Council) and Eleanor Bolen, Get off Your Rockers,(San Diego Council). Council Newsletter: 1st Place, Dennie Warren, Bay Area Snow Sports Council; 2nd Place, Gordon Cardona, Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs; 3rd Place, Linda McGavin, Northwest Ski Club Council. Council Website: 1st Place, Cathy Wilson & Jenn Wilson, Bay Area Council, 2nd Place, Linda McGavin, Northwest Ski Club Council, 3rd Place, Laura Meldrum, San Diego Council of Ski Clubs.
Outstanding Social Media Awards were presented to: 1st Place, Get off Your Rockers Facebook Group of (San Diego Ski Club Council). 2nd Place was Ski the Northwest Facebook Group of (Northwest Ski Club Council) and 3rd place went to NBS Western Region Facebook Group of the (National Brotherhood of Skiers, Western Region).
This year six clubs were honored for their charity work within their communities. The clubs showcased in the FWSA “Charities & Our Community” were Skiyente Ski Club of (Northwest Ski Club Council), Four Seasons West Ski & Snowboard Club of (Los Angeles Council and National Brotherhood of Skiers Western Region), Bogus Basin Ski Club of (Intermountain Ski Council), Get Off Your Rockers Ski Club of San Diego Council, Monterey Ski & Social Club of (Bay Area Council) and SnowBusters Ski Club of (Los Angeles Council & National Brotherhood of Skiers Western Region).
Recognition and certificates were awarded to Orange Council of Ski Clubs in Southern California and Sahalie Ski Club in the Northwest Ski Club Council for celebrating 50 years.
The FWSA Western Ski Heritage Award, sponsored by Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation, was presented to John W. Lundin, author of “Skiing Sun Valley”. The Environment Award, sponsored by Aspen/Snowmass, to the individual who has made a significant contribution with new ideas and creative ways of protecting our environment and conserving resources, was presented posthumously, to Richard Lubin.
The FWSA Athletic Scholarship Program raised over $5,000 during the Convention through a raffle, silent auction and oral auction of two trips sponsored by Whitefish Mountain Resort and Grouse Mountain Lodge, as well as two Ikon Passes, courtesy of Alterra Mountain Company. The FWSA Athletic Scholarship Program, which began in 2004, has awarded 123 scholarships for a total of over $165,000 to deserving USSA racers throughout the western United States.
Elections were held at Sunday’s General Session. FWSA Officers for 2021–2022 are: President, Gloria Raminha (Bakersfield, CA); Secretary, Tan Nguyen (Long Beach, CA); Treasurer, Randy Lew (Battle Ground, WA); Chairperson Board of Trustees, Linda Westlund (Scottsdale, AZ); VP Council Services, Chris Gill (San Diego, CA); VP Marketing, Debbi Kor (Vancouver, WA); VP Membership, Jean McCasey (San Diego, CA); VP Public Affairs, Lina Arnold (San Diego, CA); VP North American Travel, Nancy Ellis (Truckee, CA); VP International Travel, Debbie Stewart (Visalia, CA); VP Racing, Bob Ellis (Truckee CA); VP of Communications, Joe Harvis (Mine Hill, NJ); Trustees Tom Bundgard (San Diego, CA), Sheri Parshall (Portland, OR) and Tucker Hoffman (Livermore, CA).
Far West Ski Association is appreciative of the many sponsors who are a big part of the success of the FWSA Annual Convention. Sponsors included: Alterra Mountain Company/IKON Pass, Aspen/Snowmass, Big White Ski Resort, Brian Head Resort, Club Med, Deer Valley Resort, Grouse Mountain Lodge, Heber Valley Tourism, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Karbon, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Mount Bachelor, Powder Mountain, Riverhouse on the Deschutes, Ski.Com, Ski Dazzle, Snowmass Tourism, Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation, Whitefish Mountain Resort, Zermatt Utah Adventure Resort & Spa.
The 89th Annual Far West Ski Association Convention is scheduled for June 9-12, 2022, at the Red Lion Hotel on the River, Jantzen Beach, Portland, OR, hosted by the Northwest Council of Ski Clubs. For additional information regarding the Far West Ski Association, please visit our website at www.fwsa.org.
The 2022 FWSA Ski & Snowboard Week will be held in Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado, Jan 29-Feb 5. A Mini Ski & Snowboard Week will be held at Utah’s Zermatt Resort with skiing options at Park City, Deer Valley and Sundance, Mar 20-25. The 2022 International Ski & Snowboard Adventure will be to Solden, Austria, Feb 26-Mar 5, with an extension to the Black Forest Region, Germany Mar 5-11.
Photographs are available upon request.