Steamboat

February 2011, Third Edition
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
BUD LIGHT ROCKS
Peak Sheet
2
Employee Survey
Have Passport -Will Travel
F & B News
3
True North Employees
Get Cookin’ Recipe
4
Benefits Info
Safety Wise Class
Mindful Parenting
5
Photo Collage
6
Winter Carnival
YampaWorks
Brain Teaser Fun
7
Employee Recognition
Self-Care Tips
Remembering Chris Cont.
8
SlopeWise
Service Recovery
9
Remembering Gregg and
Chris Continued
Diamond Cup
Ambassador Hiring Clinics
THE
‘BOAT
Get out and help rock the ‘Boat! Grab your
friends and join in the FREE fun! All
concerts start at 3pm in Gondola Square at
the base of the Steamboat Ski Area.
Admission is free.
February 26 - North Mississippi
All Stars
March 4 Sam Bush
March 19 Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
March 26 John Popper & the Duskray Troubadours
April 2 Los Lonely Boys
April 10 Katchafire followed by The Wailers
REMEMBERING GREGG ‘BOMAR’ TIPTON AND CHRIS MCNEILL
The Steamboat community recently lost two long-time, much-loved residents. Below is
a brief remembrance of them both. Please add your stories, comments and thoughts
for the next newsletter, email to [email protected]
10
Long-time Steamboat employee, Gregg ‘Bomar’ Tipton, died on
January 25, surrounded by family and friends at the Medical Center
of the Rockies in Loveland. Tipton, who wanted to be a patroller since
he was 7 years old, was a member of the Steamboat Ski Patrol for 26
years before transferring to Lift Operations where he has spent the
past six seasons as the EMT for night operations and functions. He
spent the summer sharing his joy of fishing across the region’s many
waterways with so many people, who quickly became friends.
Chris McNeil was in his 25th season with Steamboat, when he died suddenly on February 5th. He
started his SSRC career as a ski instructor, and in 1996 became a special coach for our Billy Kidd
Race Camp, he went on to manage the program from 1998-2000. In 2001 Chris returned to instructing and continued to be a primary coach in the Race Camp and videographer for special ski groups.
Chris was a two-time Olympian representing the USA in Nordic Jumping at the 1976 Winter Games in
Innsbruck and 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid. The 1972 junior national jumping champion, McNeill
graduated from Steamboat Springs High School that same year. During his tenure with the US Ski
Team, he mastered five languages. “Being Olympic athletes, Chris McNeill and I shared a common
bond and a passion for skiing and the outdoors”, said Billy Kidd. “I saw him share everyday that same dedication in the Billy
Kidd Performance Center, taking the time to help people ski better, enjoy the slopes and life. His influence in skiing was a
model for future generations and brought credibility, honor and tradition to the Ski Town USA legacy.” Chris is survived by
his wife, Lenny, who manages our Kids’ Vacation Center, and his daughter, Dori.
Both Chris and Greg will be will be greatly missed.
Continued on page 10
PAGE 1
PEAK SHEET—RESORT INFORMATION
COCAOCA-COLA GONDOLA ADVENTURE ZONE ACTIVITIES
Have a go at the Mechanical Bull and test your skills as a
true Steamboat Cowboy! Or get strapped in and jump up to
24 feet in the air on our Bungee Trampoline! This is an excellent way to practice your front and back flips. Grab a buddy
and get dizzy in our 2-person Gyro Chair – just like the one
used by NASA's Astronauts! Tickets are for sale in the Ski
and Snowboard School Ticket Office or the Main Ticket Office. Open daily from 3pm until dusk.
STEAMBOAT SKI & SPORT – SHERATON and NEW STIX YURT
Are you curious about new ski technology and how it could
improve your skiing? Come and demo this season’s newest
skis for two days, and receive a third day FREE! We offer the
latest and greatest from brands such as K2, Nordica, Volkl,
Salomon, and Scott! Best of all, you can apply the two-day
demo cost towards the purchase of a brand new pair of skis!
Please ski-in or call to make reservations; Steamboat Ski
and Sport – Sheraton is open 7:30am until 8pm daily, 970871-5352. The New Stix Yurt is open from 8:30am - 3:30pm
daily, 970-871-5355.
RAGNAR’S
Dinner at Ragnar’s is a night out you’ll not soon forget. The
adventure begins with a gondola ride, followed by a snowcatdriven sleigh ride under the stars and across the mountain.
Relish a five-course Scandinavian inspired dinner. Open Friday, Saturday nights. Reservations required 970-871-5150.
HAZIE’S
Before we set the table, we set the stage. A nighttime ride up
the Gondola tells you that this is not going to be an ordinary
night out. An exceptional wine list, stunning views out 20’
windows of the Yampa Valley below, and a dazzling menu of
New American cuisine confirm the fact that this night is indeed, anything but typical. Open for dinner Friday–Sunday
nights, daily for lunch. Call 970.871.5150 for reservations.
WESTERN BBQ
Come on up and enjoy an all-you-can-eat Family Style BBQ
Buffet with a full service bar. There is dancing to the music
of a live country, western band until 10:00pm. Open for dinner Friday–Sunday nights. Enjoy a complimentary ride on the
Steamboat Gondola and experience an evening of western
hospitality plus an outstanding view of the Yampa Valley below. Reservations are required as seating is limited. Seating
times are available at 6:00pm, 6:30pm and 7:00pm. Call
970-871-5150 to make your reservation.
THE CABIN
The Cabin, featuring casual Colorado cooking, is open daily
for dinner from 5:30pm – 10pm. The Cabin is family friendly
with Kids Eat Free Specials. Also, don’t forget about breakfast – The Cabin serves breakfast daily from 7am –
10:30am and all entrees are $9 or less! For reservations
and additional information call 970-871-5550.
STORM MOUNTAIN OUTFITTERS
Need a new pair of gloves to keep you warm on a cold day?
Stuck in a white-out while on the mountain and you forgot
your goggles? Stop into the only retail shops above 9000
feet - Storm Mountain Outfitters, located at main entrance of
both the Thunderhead and Rendezvous buildings.
GUIDED GOURMET SNOWSHOE TOURS
Join a Steamboat Ambassador for an informative and fun
snowshoe tour followed by a gourmet lunch. The Tuesday –
Sunday tour is on the Vista Nature Trail (approximately 1
mile) with a gourmet lunch at Hazie’s. The Monday tour treks
across the Duster Trail to the Rendezvous Saddle with lunch
at Ragnar’s. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance.
Call 970-879-0740.
GEANO’S PIZZA DELIVERY
Come by Geano's in Gondola Square for personal handtossed pizzas that will warm up your day. Open daily from
7:30am – 5:30pm. Additionally Geano’s is open for curb-side
pick-up, carry-out and delivery daily from 5-9pm. Call 970871-5185 to order your Geano’s hand-tossed pies today.
Delivery is only in the Mountain Village.
WOMEN’S 33-DAY SKI CAMP HOSTED BY OLYMPIANS Mar 11 -3
Olympic Gold medallist Deb Armstrong, and 3-time Olympian
Caroline Lalive host Steamboat's Women's Ski Camp. This
specialty ski camp is for women only, with an emphasis on
camaraderie and skill improvement in a positive atmosphere
that maximizes learning. Seminar times are 8am-3pm,
March 1-3. This product is Hassle Free, you meet us in the
morning and we take it from there. All programs include
breakfast on the first day, lunch daily, technical gear discussion, après ski events and First Tracks session. A motivational opening session with your host kicks off what is sure
to be a great experience. Pre-book (7 days advanced) rate is
$495 or regular rate is $525, call 970-871-5375.
MARDI GRAS AT STEAMBOAT Mar. 44 -8
Celebrate Mardi Gras, Steamboat Style, with a five-day celebration including free concerts, a parade, Cajun BBQ Festival, restaurant specials, carnival activities, contests and
more. Lunch specials at Rendezvous, Thunderhead, Stoker,
Ragnar's and Hazie's, Après Ski at the Bear River, and a special Prix Fix Themed Creole Dinner at Hazie's on March 6th.
The fun kicks off on Friday, March 4th with the Bud Light
Rocks the Boat free concert with Sam Bush. Saturday explodes with the Mardi Gras Parade from Ski Time Square to
Gondola Square followed by the Cajun BBQ and Beer Festival, Carnival Games and a special Bud Light free concert
from JoJo's Mardi Gras Band, featuring JoJo Hermann of
Widespread Panic. Fat Tuesday is an all day celebration with
a snow sculpture contest at the chair lifts, Fat Tuesday restaurant contests, special activities and of course plenty of
beads to go around. For additional information visit www.
steamboat.com/mardigras.
BE SLOPEWISE, SKI & RIDE WITH CARE
PAGE 2
2011 EMPLOYEE SURVEY
F&B EMPLOYEE DEALS
To all SSRC Staff:
Your feedback is very important to Steamboat.
The Employee Opinion Survey (EOS) is a way
for you to speak anonymously to the
leaders of our company.
The 2011 Employee Opinion Survey is open
now and runs through March 4, 2011. The survey is available online, from any computer with internet. Active employees of SSRC are invited to participate. This includes yearround and seasonal, regular, full and part-time, volunteer
and temp staff. As before, the information provided on the
survey is anonymous. There are 18 questions, including
the last question for your comments.
As a Thank You for completing the survey
and for all of your hard work, we would
like to give you a 2010/2011 Staff
T-shirt.
So when you complete the
survey, go to Human Resources to collect
your prize.
It should take you about 10 minutes to
complete your survey; the link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/
SteamboatEmployeeOpinionSurvey
You can also go to the Home Page for EmployeeLounge and
click on the EOS icon in the "Your Steamboat" section:
http://employeelounge.steamboat.com/
Enjoy the luxury of a home cooked meal and an ever
changing menu every Tuesday and Thursday evening from
4:30 - 5:45 PM in the Round Up Room. Examples of meals
include: meatloaf, pasta, lasagna and soup to name a few.
Just bring your pass and $3 to take advantage of this great
employee benefit!
Spring is almost here! Shed cabin fever at one of
Steamboat's great outdoor restaurant options. Take in the
valley views from 4 Points Hut, enjoy a barbecue on the
deck at Rendezvous, or find a prime seat to relax after a
day on the slopes at The Bear River. Employees receive a
30% discount at table service restaurants and 50% off at
cafeteria style restaurants. So take a break and enjoy!
Thank you in advance for your participation in the 2011
Employee Opinion Survey. If you have questions, please see
Marty Williams, Training Manager.
HAVE PASSPORT ... WILL TRAVEL
BEAR RIVER LATE NIGHT FUN
Join us for a travel discussion series presented by The Travel
Center at Steamboat, Steamboat Central Reservations, and
held at Off the Beaten Path Bookstore. Once a month local
travelers, authors and special guests will discuss their travel
experiences. Presentations will provide cultural and historical content along with travel specific information. So if
you’ve
got
travel
plans
in
your
future...or just like to dream, stop by!
Here’s what's happening at the Bear River Late Nights...
Happy Hour 9-10 p.m.
$2 Well drinks / $2 Draft beers /
$2 House wines
Music starts @ 10 p.m.
Thursday’s; DJ MelRae
Friday’s: Local Musical Talent
Saturday’s Live Music Line Up:
February 26 - Jalan Crossland
March 5 - The Bruce Katz Band
March 12 - Steam Powered Airplane
March 19 - Taarka
March 26 - Elephant Revival
April 2 - Levee Town
Come on down and have a good time!
Tuesday, March 8th
"Aloha Hawaii"
Presented by Lesley Thompson
Tuesday, April 12th
"Africa "
Presented by Kim Keith
Keith
6.30 pm
pm
Off The Beaten Path Bookstore
Brought to you by:
The Travel Center of Steamboat
Steamboat Central Reservations
1475 Pine Grove Road,Suite 205
Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
PAGE 3
J A N UA R Y E M P L O Y E E S
OF THE MONTH
Congratulations to our January Employees of the Month!
The True North Peer Committee would like to recognize the following employees for
their outstanding performance during January 2011:
Mountain Food & Beverage - Bryan Sippel,
Sippel Ragnar’s Server
Lift Operations - Carlos Oliveira,
Oliveira Lift Operator
Bill Thacker,
Thacker Ticket Checker
Lift Maintenance - Craig Metscher,
Metscher Lift Mechanic
Kid’s Vacation Center - Candice Nisbet
Nisbet,
bet Child Care Provider
Zach Rozmiarek - Rover
Facilities - Mikey Argeroplos,
Argeroplos Parking Attendant
Steamboat Grand - Tyler White,
White Guest Services
Billy Songe,
Songe Grand Engineering
Ski Patrol - Chad Gruben,
Gruben Patroller
Guest Services - Frank Dolman,
Dolman Over The Hill Gang
Ski School Ticket Office - Becky Stone,
Stone Privates Desk
True North Supervisor of the Month - Chris Sciacca,
Sciacca Steamboat
Grand Bell/Valet
Steamboat Central Reservations - Birgit Palmer – Corporate
Travel
Retail/Rental - Mason McBride,
McBride Rental Technician
Competition Services - John Mark Merrill,
Merrill Race Crew
Ski & Snowboard School - Matt Lavington,
Lavington Kid’s Instructor
Blair Davidson – Snowboard Instructor
Ralph Nultemeier – Ski Instructor
Congratulations and keep up the great work!
GET COOKIN’ -
BY
DIANNE STOYKO
We can all do a better job of eating healthier….try adding
fish to your diet. One of my favorite ways to serve fish is
fish stew. Don’t be afraid to be creative by adding a few different ingredients making it spicy or mellower. Plan to have
plenty of bread for dunking or toasted slices of baguettes
rubbed with a fresh clove of garlic and brushed with olive oil
placed under a quick broil. Start the dinner out with your
favorite salad and follow the meal with a favorite chocolate
bar, broken into pieces and served along side your favorite
ice cream. Great healthy dinner under an hour!
Fish Stew
Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil
2 leeks, chopped or 1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 – 2 potatoes, finely diced
2 T. oregano
1 cup white wine
1 small can diced tomatoes with juice
3 cups chicken broth or combination clam juice and water
salt and pepper to taste
½ lb. skinless red snapper or mahi mahi
½ lb. bay scallops
½ lb. shrimp, deveined and shelled
Other addition options to add to the basic recipe:
1. a few strands of saffron and orange zest
2. 2 T. lime juice and 1 jalapeno
3. green olives, chopped, lime juice and cilantro,
finely chopped
4. croutons and fine drizzle of olive oil
5. different variety of fresh fish/shellfish to your liking
Directions:
1. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil and add leeks/
onions, potatoes, garlic, and oregano stirring
frequently until lightly golden, approx. 3-4
minutes.
2. Add wine and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, water and chicken broth and
simmer for approximately 15 minutes, until flavors are melded, adjust seasoning.
4. Add seafood and cook until opaque. Do not
overcook fish / seafood.
5. Serve ladled into bowls and garnish with chopped
parsley and lemon wedges on the side.
Serve with lemon wedges and fresh parsley, finely chopped
PAGE 4
BENEFITS INFO
If you have group health insurance and are receiving funding into your HSA from Intrawest, please make sure you
complete your health
health and wellness survey by February 28th.
28th
Log on to http://www.mycigna.com/ to take your survey and check your HSA account balance.
Information and Details about your Health Care Plan
Information about your medical, dental, and prescription plans as well as claims history and deductible balance is
available on http://www.mycigna.com/. New users will have to register and create a user name and password.
Checking your HSA Account Balance
You can check your HSA JP Morgan Chase Account Balance at http://www.mycigna.com/: On the mycigna.com
homepage, click on “view account balances and transactions histories”; then click on “view HSA balances and
transactions history.”
If you have not activated your HSA debit card that was mailed to you, you will need to activate the card when prompted.
If you have previously activated your debit card, you will be taken to your HSA account balance page on the JP Morgan
Chase website.
Your Health and Wellness Survey
If you agreed on your enrollment form to take a health and wellness survey, it is now available
to take online at http://www.mycigna.com/.
Please take your survey no later than
February 28, 2011.
To take your wellness survey, follow these steps:
Login to mycigna.com (new users will have to register and create a user name
and password)
Click on “My Plans” tab at the top of the page
Click on the 5th bullet in the shaded box on the right side of the screen
(“I Want to…” Take my health assessment)
Click to sign-in to your health and wellness account
Complete the prompts that follow
For more information on a smoking cessation program, the employee assistant program or other health and wellness
information, please see Benefits.
Tax Exempt Status
Status Update
If you are currently claiming exempt status for income tax withholding and would like to continue claiming exempt,
please come to the Benefits office and complete a new W-4 as soon as possible.
Per IRS regulations if you do not complete a new form your withholding status will be changed to single, zero exemptions.
Please see George or Katherine in the Benefits office with any questions. Benefits hours are Monday-Friday 8-5pm.
MINDFUL PARENTINGA SIX WEEK SERIES
Many parents struggle to find moments of peace as they
face the growing demands placed on families today. This
six-week research-based course covers a variety of critical
issues for today’s families. Presented by Kristen Race,
PhD., topics include:
• Strengthening your child’s self-esteem
• Stress - How it is affecting your children
• Understanding risk, resiliency and protective factors
• Developing effective communication skills
• Effective discipline strategies
• Age appropriate behaviors
Monday evenings 5:30 -7:00pm; Held on 2/28, 3/7, 3/14,
3/21, 3/28, 4/4 at the Routt County Courthouse - BBC
Hearing Room
FREE Dinner & Childcare Provided!
To register contact Stephanie Martin at
970-870-5270
Diamond Cup Standings
Standings after race 4:
1st Place - Roger and the Magic School Bus
2nd Place - The Artist formally known as Nelson
3rd Place - Big Dumps
Next race: March 4, Upper Bashor... 11-3pm
PAGE 5
PHOTO COLLAGE - EMPOYEE PARTY AND OTHER HAPPENINGS
Dustin
Zero Hero’s Cathryn & Jeanne
Aaron & Ashley
Deb and Brett
Jon and the Big Salad
Brett Mason
Vintage Ski Race
PAGE 6
Firefighter Hose Race
98TH ANNUAL WINTER CARNIVAL
Where else can you see kids being pulled by a horse in the snow and crowds cheering? Winter Carnival
may be the one and only place...and it’s a riot! Beginning as the organizing committee for the first
Winter Carnival, the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC) has maintained the Winter Carnival
as a service to the community since 1914. The Winter Carnival started as
a way to help residents cope with cabin fever during the height of the
winter season. The event continues to this day as a way to celebrate winter; as a reason for neighbors to gather; and as an opportunity for everyone to experience a piece of Ski Town USA® history and tradition.
This annual celebration includes a variety of events that
embrace our western heritage and highlight Steamboat's
tradition of winter sports. The festivities include such
events as: Ski Jumping competitions, a Snowboarding Jam
Session, the Soda Pop Slalom, a Tubing Party, the
Diamond Hitch Parade which includes the High School band on skis, the Street Events on
Lincoln Avenue, and the Night Extravaganza at Howelsen Hill with a brilliant fireworks
display and the famous Lighted Man. It was a great time for all...if you missed it this year,
make sure you join the fun next February!
YampaWorks at Fetcher Base Open through April 1st.
Located in Ski Patrol at Fetcher Base. Hours of Operation: 8-10am and 3-6pm, 7 days a week
A nurse practitioner is available on site to see SSRC employees for:
• Work related injuries
• Affordable, walk-in clinic for minor non-worked related health issues such as
sinus/ear infections, strep throat, flu, common cold, minor lacerations,
minor muscle/joint injuries, etc.
Cash, checks, or credit/debit cards accepted for non-worked related
services.
If you have a work comp injury at a time when the clinic is closed, you may go to the YampaWorks office at Yampa Valley
Medical Center (open M-F, 8am-5pm). If it is an emergency, please go to the Emergency Room at Yampa Valley Medical
Center.
*YampaWorks at Fetcher Base is only open to employees*
JUST FOR FUN...BRAIN TEASERS AND LAST ISSUE’S ANSWERS
1. In this teaser, you have to find the odd ones out in the
groups of words. BUT WAIT! There's a catch. Each group of
words has TWO words which do not belong. Can you find
them both?
EXAMPLE: Lily - Jane - Tulip - Rose
Jane does not belong as it's the only one which is not a
flower. Tulip also does not belong because it's the only
one which is not a girl's name.
You're on your own for the rest!
Dodge - Ford - Lincoln - Hoover
King - Earl - Knight - Bishop
Yellow - Green - Dead – Black
2. These groups of letter/numbers make a phrase
or saying...can you figure out all three?
EZ
iii
Answers to last edition Brain Teasers
1. BERTH, BEGAN, KNEEL, SUITE, SQUAD, CHEWY, CELLO,
PILOT, WIELD. The added letters spell TELESCOPE.
HERB + T becomes BERTH
BANG + E becomes BEGAN
KEEN + L becomes KNEEL
SUIT + E becomes SUITE
QUAD + S becomes SQUAD
WHEY + C becomes CHEWY
CELL + O becomes CELLO
TOIL + P becomes PILOT
WILD + E becomes WIELD
2. A headless horseman: the word HORSEMAN is missing the
initial H.
3. 9567 + 1085 = 10652
no ways it ways
cotaxme
Answers to the Brain Teasers next edition….
PAGE 7
REMEMBERING CHRIS MCNEILL
-
CONT. FROM PAGE 1
Chris didn’t really need much….. he already had everything that he wanted…. A loving wife and daughter, a string of good
pack animals, great friends, a job, and a pair of new ski boots…. In that order.
His favorite TV stations were RFDTV because they had horse training shows and VERSUS because they showed World Cup
Skiing. What did he get out of these stations? They offered opportunity to learn. Chris was a student of everything that he
touched. His passion for working with the four-legged beasts of burden and sliding on snow were easy targets of discussion
with Chris. He had spent a lifetime learning how each worked, but by necessity he became an expert at video and video production. He knew about football but figured it was a better sport to be played than watched on TV. The list of Chris’ expertise continues. Unlike many with a lot of knowledge who may choose to impress a crowd, Chris used his skills to better another. To better a horses life by teaching them how to make ease of their job, or to help a young skier work through their
inabilities to better enjoy their time on the hill.
Chris knew from early on that the key to almost everything was hard work and diligence. You would never hear that from
Chris, unless you were his daughter, Dori, while in the middle of a cross-country training session. He was a two time Olympic ski jumper. As an American, it takes an unbelievable amount of hard work, diligence and savvy to compete on that level
in a European dominated sport, but Chris was there. Operating a guest ranch with more than eighty animals doesn’t happen without a lot of honest work every day.
Chris was a pleasure to be around, a pleasure to learn from, and a pleasure to remember.
I’ll miss him.
Roger Perricone, Competition Services Manager
Manager
SELF CARE TIPS—BEAT THE MID-WINTER BLUES—BY MICHELE MEYER
It’s the middle of February and lots of people are feeling the
mid-winter blues. Sick of shoveling/snow blowing? Tired of
the cold and gray days? Feeling rundown and just plain
tired? If a trip to a warm, sunny location isn’t in your
immediate future, here are some good, basic self-care tips
for the rest of winter.
1. Take care of your skin.
• Use sunscreen. It’s not just for summer. Your skin can
become damaged by UV rays year round, so use at
least an SPF of 30 to minimize the effects and apply
thirty minutes before going outdoors.
• Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!
2. Drink water. You’ve heard it before, but is
worth repeating. In the winter you can become
just as dehydrated as in the summer, but may
not “feel it” because you’re not hot and sweaty.
So drink up...your water this is!
3. Avoid too
too many hot baths or hot tubs. Sure, it
feels great on a cold day or evening, but don’t
over do it, as super hot water degenerates lipid
barriers within the skin.
4. Use lip balm. Take preventive measures to
keep your lips soft and kissable by wearing lip balms
(reapplying often).
5. Strengthen your immune system with a healthyhealthy-balanced
diet.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables are important throughout
the year. If you can’t find fresh, opt for frozen or
canned (no heavy syrup or sugar).
• Your body needs carbohydrates for strength and energy, so include whole grains.
• Alcohol can give warmth, however don’t go overboard.
Avoid using alcohol to deal with stress.
• Remember what you mom said, everything in moderation and eat your veggies!
6. Exercise!!
• We all know it’s important, but the mood enhancing
benefits can have a significant positive impact during
the short days of winter.
• Try something new…a group fitness class, snow shoeing, or swimming at the hot springs. It’s not only great
exercise, but mentally stimulating to try something new
and have fun!
7. Stretch
• The explosive movements associates with skiing and
snow boarding cause muscles to contract rapidly…they
need to lengthen and stretch to counter the shortening
effects of contracting.
• Try taking just 5 minutes before or after exercise
to stretch your major muscles. Don’t worry about doing anything fancy, just simple stretches held for 20
seconds (or more). I promise you’ll feel better!
• If you’ve never done it, give yoga a try. As a yoga
instructor, people often complain they can’t do yoga
because they aren’t flexible…you practice yoga to
become more balanced/ focused/relaxed and flexible! Employees can take advantage of the FREE Sunday afternoon classes. So no excuses, if you’ve never
tried give it a shot…you’ve got nothing to lose and much
to gain!
8. Connect
Connect with other people and take time for yourself. Be
social, go out, have fun, but also take care to recognize
when you need time alone. Go for a walk, read a book,
watch a movie, meditate. Experiment and find what works
for you to refresh, relax and rejuvenate.
9. Breathe. For the most part we inhale and exhale without
much notice. Take the opportunity to notice the quality of
your breath throughout your day. Breathe with purpose and
intent, and notice the difference.
10. Take care…spring will be here
here before we know it!
PAGE 8
A SAFETYWISE REMINDER—BY SCOTT CIUFO
COLLISIONS
Obviously the key to reducing skier/skier-rider collisions is for skiers/riders to conduct themselves responsibly and in compliance with various provisions of the Colorado Ski Safety Act. Collisions occur on the mountain whether the slopes are crowded
or not. Four precepts in the skier responsibility code are of particular importance in
reducing the number of collisions.
1. Ski in control, and in such a manner that you can stop or avoid other skiers or
objects.
2.When skiing downhill or overtaking another skier, you must avoid the skier
below you.
3. You must not stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible from above.
4.When entering a trail or starting downhill, yield to other skiers.
Furthermore, the Colorado Ski Safety Act provides that a skier has the legal
responsibility for knowing the range of his/her ability and has the duty to maintain
control of his/her speed and course at all times and to maintain proper look out so as
to be able to avoid other skiers and objects.
Be SafetyWise and SlopeWise!
SERVICE RECOVERY—BY MICHAEL GUMBINER
I first introduced the term “Service Recovery” to my Ski School colleagues a few years back, and I am happy to say, the
term is still alive and well among the supervisory team. We had fun with this new concept because it gave us the opportunity to take a negative encounter (dissatisfied guest) and turn it into a positive experience. After all, the term “recovery” is
synonymous with revival, mending, healing, and improving, just to name a few. Well, you get the picture.
Here’s the deal; service recovery handles the same functional aspects of service failures, as did the traditional complainthandling system of the old days; however, in the complaint-handling system, the goals were to resist compensation by
increasing the level of difficulty in the claim process. This “old school” strategy was meant to minimizing short-term costs
whenever possible, with little regard to the profitability of a long-term relationship. Essentially, it contributed nothing to the
relationship, apart from ending it.
The objective of Service Recovery is to satisfy customers, period; no matter who is at fault. It comes in familiar names we
here every day such as, “satisfaction guarantee” and “no questions asked.” The purpose is to secure long-term profitability
with the customer by improving the long-term relationship; by doing this, both parties stand to gain. Also with service recovery, the short-term cost of compensating a customer is worth the potential of a long-term profitable relationship with a loyal
customer. Although, in many cases, a disappointed guest is not necessarily looking for monetary compensation, they may
just need to know that someone cares. Remember, the key to a successful service recovery is to first view the interactions
as positive opportunities, not negative encounters. Next, empower yourself and your staff to listen first, then, fix the problem yourself or direct the guest to the person who can fix it. Be sure to check with your supervisor regarding your departments specific policies. Here are some additional guidelines to understand:
The benefits to the customer:
• High level of response time to the service problems
• An apology directly from the firm
• Reasonable compensation, “no fooling around”
• True concern for the service failure
• Value added atonement, something symbolic
• Service provider guarantees follow through on promises
The benefits
benefits to the firm:
• A well-managed recovery will strengthen the relationship for long-term profitability.
• Deepens the customers commitment towards the firm, strengthens loyalty.
• With a quick response, it turns a negative scenario that could affect other customers and would ultimately cost the
company a lot of money, into a stronger more profitable relationship.
• It is always more cost effective to retain existing customers, than having to replace them with new customers.
PAGE 9
REMEMBERING GREGG ‘BOMAR’ AND CHRIS...CONT. FROM PAGE 1
I first met Gregg almost 30 years ago. He always struck me
as a bigger than life guy who knew EVERYTHING about the
outdoors, know how to put together a gourmet meal with
whatever you had in your kitchen including just ramen noodles and peanut butter. He also liked to laugh...AT EVERYTHING! We started ski patrolling together and became
friends through another larger than life guy, Roger
Perricone. Whenever someone new would start working
with us, Gregg would first scare the dickens out of you and
then when he thought nobody was watching, you would see
him gently and kindly share all the knowledge that he had
acquired in his life on whatever outdoor subject you could
think of. He loved his family the most, but not far behind
was Dutch oven cooking, fishing, hunting, river guiding,
tying flies, hanging around a campfire telling stories and
almost more that anything in the world…being a ski patroller. He was one of the few people I have known that knew
from the time he was 7 years old that he wanted to be a Ski
Patroller. He put on his drawing, “the ski patrol are the
snow protectors!” We will all miss him more than words
could ever describe! What he would want us to do is to live
a good live, enjoy each other’s company, don’t be afraid to
share your story with others and most of all, and don’t be
afraid to laugh out loud. We love you Bomar!
John Kohnke, Director, Ski Patrol
AMBASSADOR AND OVER THE
HILL GANG HIRING CLINICS
2011/12 Ambassador Guide Hiring Clinic
Are you a cheerful, friendly, outgoing person with an enthusiastic personality? Then come try out for the Ambassador
team at Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation for the
2011/2012 winter season. Candidate must have working
knowledge of the Steamboat Springs community and resort,
and be an advanced skier/rider able to handle most terrain
in any condition. Must be available for a March 11 or 12
clinic.
2011/12 Over The Hill Gang Guide Hiring Clinic
Volunteer Guide positions for the 2011/12 winter season.
We are looking for candidates over 50 years of age who
have a good working knowledge of the community, Resort
and be a strong skier/rider. Must be available for a March
18th half day clinic.
For details about the Ambassador and Over The Hill Gang
program, please visit the Information
Center in Gondola Square or call
970.871.5444. Apply in person at the
Information center and complete an application in Human Resources or online
at www.steamboat.com/jobs.
On February 10th, I had the honor of skiing for Chris
McNeill with a group of his coaches and guests from the
Billy Kidd Performance Center. As the day developed,
what started in grief, ended in smiles and fond memories
of a man we all admire and respect. We skied the runs
Chris used for coaching and spoke about the things he
believed in sport. For me, it brought up memories of the
discussions Chris and I would have on the intricacies of
our sport. He had a rare gift to be able to understand the
most minute ski performance detail and, more
importantly, still keep the sport simple for his guests. As
Lenny stated during the memorial service in Olympian
Hall, "He was a true coach." Chris McNeill was a one-man
show with our Billy Kidd program.
Life inspiration comes from a variety of places. When
Dori McNeil said she wanted to live her life the way her
dad lived his, I had a new life goal. I can think of no
greater honor for a father than to have a daughter who
wants to live by his example. Thank you, Dori, for
showing a new father the true meaning
of fatherhood.
Chris McNeill will be missed greatly in
our ski school and community, and his
life inspired many to be more;
to be better.
Nelson Wingard, Director
Steamboat Ski and Snowboard School
School
Chris had a passion for skiing and especially for coaching and teaching. He ran the Billy Kidd Racing Camps,
and many times he stayed long after the video review or
prize giving, explaining to kids and adults how to ski
better and enjoy the sport more. So many people have
told me how much he helped them. For example, a family from Hawaii who has come to BKRC many times over
the years, after skiing with Chris in December the two
parents said for days and weeks how much he helped
them. And their daughter told me she has been saving
her money at college to take another lesson with Chris.
She was influenced enough by Chris to get a job helping
kids at KVC, run by Chris' wife Lenny - she wants to
coach kids!
I think all of us want to make a difference, a contribution
while we're on this earth. Chris certainly did. His
influence in skiing was a model for future generations
and brought credibility and tradition and honor to the Ski
Town USA legacy. We will all certainly have positive
memories of Chris and how he helped us to enjoy the
sport of skiing even more. We were lucky to have known
him.
Billy Kidd,
Kidd, Director of Skiing
PAGE 10