Killington Peak in it's fall finery (Click to enlarge for a full panorama.)

Killington Peak in it's fall finery (Click to enlarge for a full panorama.)

Last week, the Killington Pico Ski Resort and it's owner, Powdr Corporation of Park City Utah, announced senior management changes at the Killington Resort. Chris Nyberg, who was hired by Powdr to run the Killington Resort when it was acquired by Powdr, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer for all of Powdr's Resort operations. Mike Solimano, a 12 year Killington Resort employee, has been promoted to be the new President and General Manager of the Killington Resort.

A little background before going into the changes. When Powdr purchased the Killington Resort in a deal with SP Land Corporation and the American Skiing Company (ASC), it had a fair share of problems. Yes, Killington was (and still is) the largest ski resort in the eastern United States. Yes, Killington attracted the most skier and riders in any demographic versus any other ski resort in the eastern United States. However, many years of financial difficulties with the then parent company, ASC, had left the resort starved for resources, including a proverbial boatload of differed maintenance and capital improvement projects.

Like many businesses in the same financial situation, the Killington Resort was ripe for a turnaround. Powdr Corporation, recognizing the potential for Killington, purchased a controlling interest in the resort and installed Chris Nyberg as the president. Like many presidents brought into troubled companies, Chris set about the task of rationalizing the resort, identifying what needed to be done, and evaluating where capital purchases would improve the product offered by the resort. Like many first presidents in a turnaround situation, Chris's unstated job was to right the resort and get it on a sound footing for the future. With that job accomplished, it is appropriate for Chris to move on, setting the stage for a new manager to begin the next phase of the resort. That new manager is Mike Solimano.

In the short week that Mike has been president of the Killington Resort, he has been making the rounds through the Killington community to outline a series of initiatives he intends to follow to move Killington from it's recovery phase into a growth phase. I, along with several other members of the business community, had the opportunity to meet with Mike early this week. Mike also participated in an interview with the local newspaper, the Mountain Times. They published information from that interview in the Mountain Times available at newsstands this afternoon. (My presumption is that it will also be online at mountaintimes.info when their website is updated with this weeks news.)

In the conversations with members of the Killington community, Mike has emphasized that he wants to return Killington back to the basics which made it the largest, most popular, ski resort in the East. To accomplish that, he said that the resort under his direction would return to Killington's roots of being the first ski resort to open and the last to close. He did caveat that, of course, in his discussion. We all know that there has been some substantial changes in the local climate at Killington in the last 20 years. But Mike did say that their plan is to aggressively make snow when weather conditions were favorable to both foster early skiing and riding, and keep the ski season going into the spring.

Mike also spoke of several other initiatives which will being smiles to the Killington faithful. The planned change to turn lifts on the weekends starting at 8:30 AM instead of the historical 8:00 AM which was announced with the sale of season passes earlier this year will be changed. While all lifts will not turn at 8:00 AM, the resort will run the K1 Gondola to give the Killington regulars access to the resort at their normal hour. (I can say from running an inn that most of our guests hit the slopes around 10:00 AM. But I am personally happy with the change to run the K1 at 8 as it will give me a chance to get some runs in during the early morning hours before going to work for the day.)

In his discussions, Mike also said that he was very much aware that skiing is all about fun. To that end, he plans on bringing back the "Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge" in the spring. Mike want's the end of season party to return. He was at the resort when the party was a fitting celebration of skiing in the spring in Killington. He wants to do what he can to make that spirit return.

From the conversations, and from published reports, Mike is ready to take on the reigns of the Killington Resort and move it to the next level. Mike has lived in the community and been a member of the Killington team for years. He understands the impact that the Killington Resort has on the region, and the impact the resort has on the ski industry on the East Coast. Mike also understands, and has demonstrated by his first series of meetings since being appointed president, that the Killington Resort and the Killington community need to all work together to satisfy the guests who visit the region. In the meeting I attended, I found Mike's openness about the resort and the community working together to be very positive.

Chris Nyberg had to make some very hard decisions when he arrived at Killington on how best to first save, then repair and rejuvenate the resort. With those hard decisions now in the history books, Mike Solimano can take charge of the resort as it enters an up cycle, returning the Killington Resort to it's roots of being one of the worlds premier ski resorts.

Thank You Chris for turning around Killington. Good Luck as you move into your new position in Park City.

Congratulations Mike Solomano as you take charge of the Killington Resort. We all know that skiing is a business, but it is also about having fun. Killington has always been an interesting place to live and play at. We wish you well as you embark on putting your imprimatur on the resort, congratulate you on your initial series of changes, and look forward to see what other initiatives you have in store to improve the Killington Resort.

Where ever you may be as you read this, keep it in the fairway, pack some hot hands, and start thinking about snow!(I want to go skiing now!... alright.. some time in October!)