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cess deficiencies and championed the streamlining of operations between departments so they could work more seamlessly together. “I knew this would have an impact across the resort and make people’s jobs easier,” she says. Bowins’ style of leadership is “defi- nitely very personal,” she adds. “My com- mitment to every employee is getting to know them and their learning habits so I can communicate with them effectively and enable them to succeed in their job.” J amie G rimston {27}
Brundage’s core values. Last season, the resort had a record 312 shout outs. Such programs help empower employees and help them feel seen, says Grimston. The recently implemented TRAIL program (training, resources, and inte- gration for leaders), a comprehensive manager acclimatization program, is the initiative of which Grimston is most proud. The program covers the first 90 days of employment, “the crucial three months when they’re trying to figure out, ‘Is this a good fit?’” “The ski industry, particularly, is prone to silos, with vastly different depart- ments that rarely interact,” explains Grimston. “TRAIL focuses on eliminating those gaps by offering a comprehensive, structured onboarding experience and by fostering connections across the resort.” The workplace, says Grimston, can be a place of empowerment and connec- tion. “My goal every day is to help carry that mission forward to our people. If I could be a source of good in the world, that’s what fills my cup.” K atie K uzmeski {27} Assistant Ski Patrol Manager, Mount Snow, Vt. Katie Kuzmeski first became interested in patrolling after an outdoor leadership program at a local community college, where she found herself gravitating toward cold-weather rescue courses. Already a ski instructor at Mount Snow, Kuzmeski started as an entry-level patroller in 2021 and was named assis- tant patrol manager a few years later. Now, in addition to helping manage the operational side of patrolling for the
S helby B owins {24} Assistant Manager of Guest Services, Blue Mountain, Ontario Blue Mountain is in Shelby Bowins’ blood. Both her dad and grandfather worked at the ski area, and her brother works there as well. She herself started in 2014, her first year of high school, as a cashier in the rental department. Now, at 24, she’s spent a decade at the resort, rising to assistant manager of guest ser- vices in 2023. Bowins helps take care of the 65-per- son frontline team, making sure they have the tools they need to do their jobs. Though her position is focused on the recreational products and experiences sold by the resort, “Shelby’s leadership shines beyond her role,” says a nomina- tor. “She is a champion of recognition who fosters a high-performing culture.” For Bowins, well-being is a priority. She chairs the resort’s Wellness Commit- tee and has driven engagement through its Service Excellence Committee. Through the Wellness Committee, Bowins created the “month of self-aware- ness,” which included an all-staff Well- ness Wednesday email packed with a variety of mental health resources. She also helped improve the resort’s existing “Recognize” program, moving it from paper to a new app to encourage par- ticipation. Through it, employees write “meaningful blurbs” about one another, which Bowins helps to promote. “Recog- nition became my mission all winter,” she says. “I encouraged my team to do the same.” Through the Service Excellence Committee, Bowins identified pro-
Employee Services Manager, Brundage Mountain, Idaho
Jamie Grimston moved to rural Idaho from Chicago “on a whim” in 2021. The 2020 DePaul graduate in organization- al communications had been working in hospitality when she traded in the trendy Lincoln Park neighborhood for the Payette National Forest. She even- tually joined Brundage in 2022 as an employee services generalist. After a brief hiatus as people services director at nearby Tamarack, she returned to Brund- age last November. Since then, nominators say Grim- ston has “transformed employee engage- ment through innovative programs and leadership development,” and “imple- mented initiatives that have made mean- ingful impacts.” These include employee recogni- tion programs like the “Palentine’s” Candy Gram, through which employ- ees acknowledge coworkers with “Val- entine’s” tokens (hand-delivered last year by Grimston dressed as cupid), and Shout Out, in which employees public- ly recognize one another for living out
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