Heavenly Introduces New Director of Mountain Operations
South Lake Tahoe, Calif./Nev. – June 4, 2012 – Heavenly Mountain Resort today announced the selection of James Grant as Heavenly’s director of Mountain Operations. Grant brings 20 years of experience within Heavenly’s Lift Operations department to the role, the last eight as the director of Lift Operations. Grant will oversee many critical areas of Heavenly’s operation, including Ski Patrol, Snowmaking, Grooming, Terrain Parks, Mountain Safety, Adventure Peak, Race/Events, Lift Operations, Lift Maintenance and Vehicle Maintenance. Grant begins his new role on June 7, 2012.
“I am thrilled to be able to reward James for his years of extraordinary service to our guests and to the Company,” said Pete Sonntag, Heavenly’s general manager. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for his knowledge, experience and focus on guest service. James will play a vital role as we build on Heavenly’s success and take this resort to the next level.”
Grant was born and grew up in Australia’s capital city, Canberra. He studied at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, before taking his first ski industry job as a lift operator at Mount Blue Cow, Australia, in the early 1990s. He came to Heavenly as a liftie for the 1992-93 season, and spent the next 12 years climbing the lift operations ranks until achieving the role of director of Lift Operations in 2004. James’ time in the top spot has been highlighted by his ability to bring out the best in his employees, evidenced by year after year of Company-leading guest service scores. He received a SAMMY Leadership Award from Ski Area Management Magazine in 2008.
Grant lives in the Tahoe area with his wife, Allison, their 15-year-old daughter, Teagan, and nine-year-old son, Cameron.
“This is an exciting day for my family and me,” Grant said. “I’m looking forward to elevating our already high standards for guest service and safety, and helping develop the Vail Resorts brand at Heavenly.”
Grant’s promotion comes on the same day that Heavenly’s director of Snow Surfaces, Jim Larmore, is introduced as the new director of Mountain Operations at Northstar California Resort.
“There were many qualified applicants for these two positions from all over the country, but the best of the bunch coming from Heavenly says a lot about how we develop leaders here,” Sonntag said.
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About Heavenly
Heavenly Mountain Resort is a world-class destination offering guests a one-of-a-kind combination of scenic beauty, exhilarating on-snow experience and nightlife unmatched in the ski industry. Heavenly is a subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc., the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. One of the largest resorts in North America, Heavenly spans 4800 acres, climbs to Lake Tahoe’s highest elevation at 10,067 feet and features 97 trails for every level of skier or snowboarder. The famous moguls of Gunbarrel were the site of the U.S. Freestyle Championships in 2004. For more information on Heavenly Mountain Resort, please visit www.skiheavenly.com or call 800-HEAVENLY.