Mt. Hood Meadows Chief Operating Officer Jake Bolland has announced an organizational restructuring to focus on year-round recreational and hospitality experiences that includes new vice president positions for Steve Warila, Jeremy Riss and Matt Troskey.
Mt. Hood’s largest winter resort has been delving into new year-round products and services including summer camps and a new Portland store to complement its traditional business of catering to skiers and snowboarders, and Bolland says the new structure will support that strategic shift.
The resort’s emphasis on year-round activities has accelerated after two consecutive weak snow years on Mount Hood.
On Sept. 14, Bolland announced the appointments of Steve Warila, Jeremy Riss and Matt Troskey to newly created vice president positions, saying, “This reorganization is designed to propel our company forward to develop multi-season culinary, educational, mountain lifestyle, lodging and entertainment experiences that extend beyond our winter recreation offerings. While winter snowsports activities and experiences on Mt. Hood will always be at our core, these new offerings will help develop year ‘round guest experiences, employment and revenue streams for our company.”
Steve Warila, the new VP of Mountain Operations and Planning, joined Meadows’ mountain department 40 years ago after graduating from Linfield College. He has held nearly every mountain department position, planned numerous expansions and capital improvement projects, and overseen the installation of seven chair lifts.
Warila says Meadows is broadening mountain activities for multi-season use, to provide engagement and interaction with those who live in and visit Oregon. “We are actively developing plans for facilities that will enhance both the summer and winter experience at MHM. We enjoy working and playing on the mountain and look forward to sharing these natural adventures.”
Jeremy Riss, the new VP for Resort and Commercial Operations, started at Meadows as a part-time instructor and over the past 20 years advanced through the ski and snowboard school to assistant director before becoming Director of Guest Services two seasons ago.
“This position was created to not only improve the quality of the guest experience during winter operations but to look beyond the traditional ‘winter ski resort model’ and invite non-traditional guests to experience the natural bounties Mt. Hood has to offer,” he says. “I get to take kids rafting during our summer kids camps and open a retail store in Portland that will also improve our connection to our guests and help people have a great time on Mt. Hood year-round.”
Riss continues to serve as a member of the Meadows Ski Instruction Technical Team and an examiner and Divisional Clinic Leader for PSIA-NW.
Matt Troskey, the new VP of Administration, joined Meadows in October 2014 as the Director of Human Resources, arriving from Stevens Pass Ski Resort where he worked in HR since 2001. “These new opportunities will attract and develop a work force that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to retain operating on just a seasonal basis,” Troskey says. “A strong and healthy employee culture will facilitate consistently exceptional guest service and innovations that can be sustained, creating new choices for people to experience at Mt. Hood Meadows.”
As another example of the strategic shift at Meadows, the company recently modified its logo, removing the phrase “Ski Resort” to signify a commitment to deliver services and experiences 365 days a year. The company’s new brand statement is “Your Mountain Home.”
Mt. Hood Meadows Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Drake says, “Our focus since my father Franklin founded this company in 1967 has been to offer the highest quality mountain recreational experiences for families, residents and visitors to Oregon. And while that has been primarily snow sports and winter season oriented, our desire has always been to provide exceptional recreation, educational, entertainment, culinary and lodging experiences year-round that meet the wants and needs of our loyal guests.”
Last modified: September 14, 2015
