Ski Inc.: My Journey Through Four Decades in the Ski-resort Business, from the Founding Entrepreneurs to Mega-companies

Ski Inc.: My Journey Through Four Decades in the Ski-resort Business, from the Founding Entrepreneurs to Mega-companies

Book is in very good condition! There is only light wear. The pages are clean with no marks.

Chris Diamond, the former president and COO of the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp., spent 44 years in the ski-resort industry. Throughout his career, he often heard the phrase, "You can't make this stuff up." Upon his retirement in 2015, Diamond decided to document his experiences in a book titled Ski Inc., which offers a candid and colorful behind-the-scenes look at managing a successful resort in an ever-changing industry. Equipped with English degrees from Middlebury and UMass, and having recently served as a lieutenant in the Vietnam War, Diamond did not initially plan to pursue a career in the ski business. However, in 1972, he found himself at Killington Ski Area, under the mentorship of resort founder Preston Leete Smith and renowned marketer Foster T. Chandler. Killington was at the forefront of innovations in snowmaking and attracting new skiers, and Diamond quickly adapted to the fast-paced environment. This marked the start of Diamond's full immersion in the resort industry, which had evolved from a simple means of transporting skiers up the mountain to becoming a multi-faceted, vertically integrated service industry. He witnessed pivotal moments in resort ownership, as entrepreneurs gave way to conglomerates, including the notable downfall of Les Otten's American Skiing Company and the downsizing of Intrawest during the 2008 Great Recession. Throughout the highs and lows, Diamond developed a unique leadership style that drew inspiration from his time in Vietnam. He thrived as a "musher-manager," assembling the right team, providing guidance, ensuring everyone had the necessary resources, and then allowing them to excel independently. While not afraid to acknowledge mistakes made along the way, including his own, Diamond's Ski Inc. and its sequel, Ski Inc. 2020, are indispensable and enjoyable reads for those working in the skiing industry, aspiring to work in the field, or simply passionate about the sport.

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