Andrew Wirth

Andrew Wirth
Born (1963-07-25) July 25, 1963
Nuebrucke, West Germany
Education Bachelor of Science
Alma mater Colorado State University
Occupation CEO
Philanthropist

Andrew "Andy" Wirth (born 25 July 1963) works in the mountain resort and hotel industry.[1][2] He is currently the President and CEO of Squaw Valley Ski Holdings, the parent company of Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows ski resorts in Olympic Valley, CA.[3][4] He is also the grandson of former US National Park Service Director Conrad Wirth and the great grandson of Theodore Wirth.[5]

Wirth has worked in the mountain resort and hotel industry for 25 years.[6] He began his career with Steamboat Springs Resort in 1986 and served several different marketing and leadership positions at the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation and its parent companies.[4] In 2007, Wirth was appointed the chief marketing officer and executive vice president of Intrawest, which acquired Steamboat in 2007.[7] In 2010, Wirth left Steamboat to serve as the President and CEO of Squaw Valley, taking over for former CEO Nancy Cushing.[4]

Wirth is a recipient of multiple community service and professional awards including the Chairman's Outstanding Service Award from the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Board of Trustees, Steamboat Springs Business Leader of the Year Award and made the HSMAI Top 25 Minds in Hospitality and Travel Sales and Marketing list.[8][9] In 2014, he was recognized as Citizen of the Year by Disabled Sports USA[10] and received the Community Five Award.[11]

In October 2013, Wirth's right arm was torn off and surgically reattached, as a result of a skydiving accident in Lodi, California.[12][13] Steamboat Today chronicled his accident and recovery and his connection with Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder.[14][15]

Wirth was the Fall 2014 commencement speaker at the graduation ceremony for Colorado State University's Warner College of Natural Resources.[16] In January 2016, Wirth was named the Chairman and President of Reno-Tahoe Regional Air Service Corporation.[17]

Early life and education

Andy Wirth was born in Neubrucke, West Germany on July 25, 1963.

Wirth has a Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado State University and attended Edinburgh University in Scotland.[8]

Wirth worked as a backcountry ranger for the Rocky Mountain National Parks and a wilderness ranger in the San Pedro Parks Wilderness Area. He was also a member of the Hot Shot Wild Land Fire Crew based out of Northern New Mexico.[6]

Career at Steamboat and Intrawest

Wirth began as an intern with the Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation in 1986. He worked at Steamboat for more than 20 years, serving in many different marketing positions within Steamboat and for ownership groups involved in the ski resort industry, while based out of Steamboat. In 2007, he was promoted into the parent company Intrawest, which completed acquisition of Steamboat in 2006 for $265 million, and he was named the chief marketing officer and executive vice president of sales and marketing. At Intrawest, Wirth managed domestic and global marketing strategy, overseeing Intrawest's full portfolio of mountain and ski resorts

Wirth also led and founded the Mountain Village Partnership (MVP) in 2009, serving as president of the board of directors of the organization. MVP is a business and marketing promotion group supporting local businesses, and it is sponsored by Steamboat.[18]

Wirth was active in Steamboat Springs, serving as chairman of the board of directors for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, a 100-year-old organization responsible for the development of winter sports athletes and staging of winter competitive sporting events. Wirth also served as a volunteer fireman and then board member of the North Routt Fire Protection District.

In 2010, he helped direct Steamboat's Olympic send-off for the American Winter Olympic teams going to Vancouver. Wirth was also involved in two previous Olympic send-off celebrations in 2002 and 2006.[19]

Career at Squaw Valley

In the summer of August 2010, Wirth was appointed the President and CEO of Squaw Valley ski resort.[6] He replaced former CEO Nancy Cushing, who was exited from the position after 16 years as President and CEO. Until Wirth took over, Squaw Valley had always been under the direction of the Cushing family after the ski resort was originally founded by Wayne Poulsen in the 1940s and later owned by Nancy's late husband, Alex Cushing.[20]

Under Wirth's direction as CEO, the company underwent a $70 million upgrade.[21] Changes included vastly improved mountain design and infrastructure, renovations to culinary, base area facilities, lodging and common areas and were funded by KSL Capital Partners, which bought Squaw in November 2010. Improvements have also included much-needed alterations to the customer experience. According to Wirth, “Squaw Valley moved from the bottom 20 percent of ski resorts into the top 20 percent over the year” for customer service satisfaction.[3]

In September 2011, it was announced that Alpine Meadows Ski Resort and nearby Squaw Valley would merge to offer a combined ticket pass to customers.[22] Wirth led the acquisition of Alpine Meadows and is now the President and CEO of both resorts.[23]

Squaw Valley USA, north of Lake Tahoe in California, was home to the 1960 Winter Olympics and combined with Alpine Meadows offers over 6000 acres of skiable terrain for visitors.[24]

Wirth is featured on the March 8, 2013 episode of Undercover Boss, where he goes undercover at his Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows ski resorts.[25]

Philanthropy & Community Service

Wirth is a member of the Tahoe Fund “Founders Circle” and is a major supporter and contributor to environmental and community service organizations, including the Humane Society of Tahoe Truckee, The Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation Community House, High Fives, The McConkey Foundation, Girls on the Run Sierra Chapter and the Truckee River Watershed Council.[24]

Over the course of his career, Wirth has served as a member or in a leadership role of several community organizations in Steamboat including:

Since arriving in the Lake Tahoe area in 2010 Wirth has served or is serving on the following Boards and community service organizations:

Current philanthropy work outside of the Lake Tahoe Area:

Awards

Wirth is a recipient of multiple community service and professional awards. In 2012, Wirth was awarded the Chairman’s Outstanding Service Award from the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Board of Trustees. Wirth was the recipient of the 2002 Steamboat Springs Business Leader of the Year Award. In 2009, he was also awarded a spot on the HSMAI Top 25 Minds in Hospitality and Travel Sales and Marketing list.[8][9][30]

In 2014, he was recognized as Citizen of the Year by Disabled Sports USA[31] and received the Community Five Award.[32]

Personal life

Wirth married Karen deRidder in British Columbia.[4] He currently resides in Truckee, California, with his wife Karen, a real estate lawyer who is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts, California and British Columbia, Canada. Wirth has three children from a previous marriage, Jace, Cody and Natalie Wirth.

In 2013, Wirth was featured in a Wall Street Journal article about his workout routine and trail running. He has competed in half-marathons and triathlons.[1]

In October 2013, Wirth's right arm was torn off and surgically reattached, as a result of a skydiving accident in Lodi, California. Due to changing wind conditions and other factors, Wirth, an experienced and licensed skydiver, along with other skydivers, were not able to make it to the designated landing area. Wirth landed on steel posts and wires in a vineyard outside the landing area.[12][13] Wirth was able to slow bleeding of his brachial artery until he was airlifted to the University of California, Davis trauma center, where his arm was reattached. Additional surgeries were performed at the Buncke Clinic at the California Pacific Medical Center.[15] Wirth returned to work after 50 days in the hospital and over 23 surgeries on his right arm.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 "Rather Than Hit the Road, He Hits the Trails". The Wall Street Journal.
  2. ↑ "Board of Directors". Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  3. 1 2 "Squaw Valley’s CEO, Andy Wirth, Looks Forward to New Era". 7x7 Magazine. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Andy Wirth named CEO of Squaw Valley". Steamboat Today. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  5. ↑ http://blog.plumpjack.com/conversations-with-hilary-andy-wirth-ceo-squaw-valley/
  6. 1 2 3 "Tahoe Fund Board of Directors". Tahoe Fund. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  7. ↑ "Intrawest names Andy Wirth Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer". Intrawest. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  8. 1 2 3 "Andrew Wirth Announced as New Squaw Valley CEO". Transworld Business. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  9. 1 2 "HSMAI Announces The Top 25 Minds In Hospitality And Travel Sales And Marketing". HSMAI. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  10. ↑ "Disabled Sports USA Far West names Wirth Citizen of the Year". Tahoe Daily Tribune. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  11. ↑ "Community Five Award 2014 Andy Wirth". The 5-1-1. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  12. 1 2 "Squaw Valley CEO Andy Wirth Injures Arm In Skydiving Accident". CBS Sacramento. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  13. 1 2 "Squaw Valley CEO recovering from near-death experience". NBC News4 Nevada. 20 May 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  14. 1 2 Tom Ross (January 14, 2014). "Andy Wirth describes how music of Pearl Jam pulled him through near-fatal skydiving accident". Steamboat Today. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  15. 1 2 Melissa Siig. "Lucky to Be Alive, Squaw’s Andy Wirth is Back at Work". Moonshine Ink. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  16. ↑ "Commencement Speakers – Colorado State University". Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  17. ↑ Announcements (January 11, 2016). "SQUAW’S WIRTH NAMED CHAIR OF REGIONAL AIR SERVICE COMMITTEE". Sierra Sun. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  18. ↑ Lawrence, Mike (2010-06-20). "Mountain Village Partnership growing during construction". Steamboat Today. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  19. ↑ Russel, John (14 January 2010). "Olympic send-off planned for Feb. 5 in Steamboat". Steamboat Today. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  20. ↑ Frohlich, Robert. "Squaw’s Fresh Leadership". Adventure Sports Journal. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  21. ↑ Buxbury, Sarah (2010-10-30). "Squaw Valley CEO Andy Wirth on Alpine, upgrades and attitude". San Francisco Business Times. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  22. ↑ Renda, Matthew (2011-06-21). "Squaw Valley USA prepares for a $50 million 'Renaissance'". Sierra Sun. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  23. ↑ "Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley Join Forces". Ski Alpine. 2010-10-30. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  24. 1 2 "Andy Wirth named CEO of Squaw Valley". Craig Daily Press. 2010-07-13. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  25. ↑ http://www.cbs.com/shows/undercover_boss/photos/1000242/season-4-episode-11-sqauw-valley/
  26. ↑ "NLTRA Board". NLTRA. 2010-07-13. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  27. ↑ Vogel, Ed (5 July 2012). "Committee snuffs Nevada's 2022 Olympic flame". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  28. ↑ "Squaw Valley's Andy Wirth appointed chair of Reno airport board". sierrasun.com. Swift Communications, Inc. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  29. ↑ http://warnercnr.colostate.edu/mtm-advisory-board
  30. ↑ http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/Airport-Chair-recognizes-Andy-Wirth-with/rU3btlouQkeAv7D4SNXffg.cspx
  31. ↑ "Disabled Sports USA Far West names Wirth Citizen of the Year". Tahoe Daily Tribune. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  32. ↑ "Community Five Award 2014 Andy Wirth". The 5-1-1. Retrieved 18 May 2014.

External links


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