SAM Magazine—Carlsbad, Calif., May 8, 2026—
Nubs Nob Ski Area takes home the 2026 Conversion Cup.The 2026 National Ski Areas Association National (NSAA) Convention and Tradeshow drew 857 attendees to the Omni La Costa Resort near San Diego, May 4-7, strong attendance given the challenging winter in the West that resulted in total national skier visits dropping nearly 15 percent to 52.6 million. The theme of this year’s event was the customer journey, a topic that was addressed along with a variety of others during educational sessions, keynotes, and conversations throughout.
Tuesday’s keynote session kicked off with NSAA business, which included outgoing executive committee chairperson Chip Seamans passing the torch to Boyne Resorts CEO Stephen Kircher. Snowbird general manager Dave Fields is the new vice chair, Schmitz Brothers Resorts co-owner Rick Schmitz is the new treasurer, Wachusett Mountain, Mass., COO Carolyn Crowley is the new secretary, and Vail Resorts’ Nadia Guerriero joins as board member at-large.
New board directors include Ross Boisvert of McIntyre, N.H.; Dave Solner of Buck Hill, Minn.; Brooke VanderKelen Alba of SMI; Geoff Buchheister of Aspen Skiing Co.; John Merriman of Mt. Bachelor, Ore.; Bridget Legnavsky of Sugar Bowl, Calif.; and Tim Baker of Vail Resorts.
Olympian Jonny Mosely took the stage to introduce three alpine skiing medalists from the 2026 Winter Olympics—Breezy Johnson, Jackie Wiles, and Paula Moltzan—who spoke about how access to ski areas has, of course, been integral to their success and how getting more kids in the sport is critical. Johnson even suggested ski areas could offer free lift tickets during the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2034 as a promo.
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NSAA Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Pat Campbell, a former Vail Resorts president, delivered what many attendees described as the most memorable speech of the convention. Campbell, the first woman to receive the award in its 32-year history, spoke candidly about the challenges women face in society and the ski industry, referencing the “Barbie” movie monologue about contradictory expectations placed on women. NSAA president Michael Reitzell acknowledged the milestone was not something to brag about, while Campbell expressed hope that many more women would follow her onto that stage in the future.
Longtime NSAA director of public policy Geraldine Link was honored with the Industry Impact Award during the general session Wednesday morning. She was recognized for nearly three decades of work shaping policy, partnerships and sustainability initiatives as a leading advocate for the industry.
That session concluded with a panel featuring Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz, Boyne Resorts CEO Stephen Kircher, Perfect North owner Chip Perfect, Bear Den CEO Jon Schaefer, and Alterra Mountain Company president and COO Eric Resnick. The discussion touched on consolidation, season pass strategy, competition from other leisure activities, and the importance of delivering memorable guest experiences. The panel also addressed the lack of female representation on stage after moderator Stuart Winchester acknowledged the “elephant in the room” of an all-male discussion group.
Educational sessions were generally well attended. Sessions on AI and marketing drew standing-room-only crowds. An “Advancing Women in the Industry” session also had strong attendance, perhaps boosted by Campbell’s earlier directive to the industry to “do better.” Other topics included food and beverage, pipeline development, risk management, sustainability, and more.
Matthew Zabransky of midwestskiers.com hosted the annual awards show Wednesday evening, delivering a humorous program. Nub’s Nob, Mich., won the Conversion Cup. Granby Ranch, Colo., and Snowbasin, Utah, won awards for Best Overall Safety Program (under 500k visits), and Copper Mountain, Colo., took the same prize in the over 500k visits category. Additionally, Copper senior manager of risk and safety Bec Bale was recognized as this year’s safety champion. Wisp, Md., and Winter Park, Colo., won best overall marketing campaign awards in the under 500k and over 500k visits categories, respectively. Massanutten’s (Va.) Kayla King was named the Hero of Sustainability, and Alta Ski Area, Utah, was awarded Overall Environmental Excellence.
Trade show booth space was sold out, with exhibitors spanning the expansive convention floor. Throughout the week, conversations frequently returned to the season’s decline in skier visits, climate pressures, and what resorts can do to sustain participation and guest engagement moving forward. During the convention, Reitzell acknowledged the realities of climate change and said this winter’s challenges should not be viewed as an anomaly. At the same time, exhibitors and operators pointed to continued investments in snowmaking, technology, and guest experience enhancements as critical tools for adapting to increasingly unpredictable winters and evolving guest expectations.
