says. “To go through the ranks success- fully, have fun doing it, and be part of a bigger mission is important.” Mendrzycki himself doesn’t ski or snowboard, though he gets a lot of pres- sure from his bosses to “get on the snow.” Despite the ribbing, he says his favorite part of the job is the people he gets to work with every day. A close second: the guests. “It’s gratifying to know we made their day better.”
resort’s roughly 65 paid and 30 volunteer patrollers, Kuzmeski has completed her work-at-height SPRAT 1 and 2 certifica- tions and has assisted in building out Mount Snow’s lift evac program. After experiencing her first fatality the second year on the job, Kuzmeski has made mental health a priority for herself and her team. Many of her con- tributions have focused on the softer side of patrolling, including spearhead- ing Mount Snow’s involvement with the Responder Alliance, which provides stress resilience education and training for responders using proven techniques for support following traumatic occur- rences on the job. “Bringing the program to Mount Snow had been a goal of mine for several years,” says Kuzmeski. Through it, mem- bers of the resort’s patrol have received resiliency team training, learning tools to support someone after a traumatic incident, when to ask for additional help, and how to identify stress injuries. “A positive driver for psychological safety and mental well-being for patrol- lers at Mount Snow,” nominators say Kuzmeski is pioneering a mentor-men- tee approach to patrol training to fur- ther promote connection within the workplace. “She is a leader that’s always exemplifying excellence, helping others grow, and driving the industry forward.” As a board member of Women of Patrol, which helps make patrolling more accessible to women, Kuzmeski has also worked to build membership and get coworkers involved. “It’s a goal of mine to bring women into the space in a way that they feel supported, and so they can stay,” she says.
R ickey N ash {29} Assistant General Manager, Showdown Montana, Mont.
D empsey M endrzycki {27} General Manager, Big Snow, N.J. Starting at Mountain Creek, N.J., as a lifeguard during high school, Dempsey Mendrzycki worked various jobs there through college and was hired as the resort’s risk coordinator in 2020 after graduating from the University of Col- orado. Still, he planned to be a lawyer until about three years ago. “I realized I liked leading teams and being part of something bigger than myself,” he said after taking on the role. A few promotions later, including to director of risk for all of Snow Partners, he was named GM for indoor ski facility Big Snow American Dream in 2023. Now, most of his time is spent man- aging day-to-day operations and making sure his team, including seven “blazers” (the company’s term for managers), are supported throughout the day. At Big Snow, where 100-150 employees work year-round, the team averages 22-24 years old, he says. For many, it’s their first introduction to snowsports. “Under his guidance,” say nomina- tors, “the team has flourished in a unique- ly challenging indoor ski environment, marked by high guest satisfaction, strong staff morale, and outstanding financial performance.” “Team-building culture events” and internal trainings inspire buy-in and boost morale, says Mendrzycki. He also credits Snow Partners’ habit of promot- ing from within. “Some of these kids don’t ski or snowboard, don’t even know what that is until they work here,” he
It was the Christmas after graduation from Montana State University that Rickey Nash, trying to figure out her career path, followed her friend George Clark-Gold, grandson of former Show- down Montana owner George Willett, to the ski area for a seasonal job. “I fell in love with the people and how much fun I was having and never left,” she says. Since then, Nash has worked in the ticket office, F&B, retail, rental, guest services, events, and even filled in as marketing director during a maternity leave. After acting as employee engage- ment director for a few years, her first time managing a team and a department, Nash was named assistant general man- ager prior to the 2023-24 season, oversee- ing 150 employees across the ski area and its hotel. Her leadership journey has been marked by initiative, emotional intel-
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