Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- Vail Resorts CEO Kirsten Lynch steps down amid Park City Mountain issues.
- Rob Katz returns as CEO, focusing on aligning stakeholders for company success.
- Park City Mountain faced a ski patrol strike, impacting operations and sparking a lawsuit.
PARK CITY — The CEO who led Vail Resorts through the pandemic, expansion of the Epic Pass and a turbulent ski patrol strike at Park City Mountain Resort this past winter has stepped down.
The company announced Monday that Rob Katz, who previously led Vail as chief executive officer, will replace Kirsten Lynch, who also served as director of the board. Lynch will remain in an advisory role for an interim period to facilitate the transition.
"As Vail Resorts continues to execute its strategic priorities and transformational initiatives, the board believes now is the right time for this leadership transition," Bruce Sewell, lead independent director of the board, said in a press release.
Sewell said Katz, who led Vail from 2006 to 2021, has a strong track record of driving innovation and consistent performance and has played a critical role in the development of the company's operations and long-term strategy for over the past three decades.
In a letter to employees, Katz said his most important goal in returning as CEO is ensuring Vail aligns with its stakeholders to deliver an "experience of a lifetime" for employees and guests while driving financial success for the company.
"It is important to remember that aligning our stakeholders does not mean everyone will always agree with everything we do, or that our stakeholders will agree with each other," he said. "And while that is not always comfortable, it is part of the responsibility of being a leader in an industry with such passionate people."
Park City Mountain ski patrol strike
For many skiers and snowboarders, the experience at Park City Mountain was less than stellar over the busy holiday season when members of the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association walked off the job.
The 13-day strike from Dec. 27 to Jan. 8 disrupted operations at North America's largest ski resort, leading to limited open terrain, crowded slopes, long lift lines and unsafe conditions. Unhappy skiers filed a class-action lawsuit against Vail.
During the strike, Park City Mayor Nann Worel placed the responsibility for ending the labor dispute on Vail.
"Park City Mountain is a cornerstone of Park City's community well-being, and it is Vail Resorts' responsibility as an essential employer to resolve this conflict without further delay," she said in early January.
In late January, Late Apex Partners, an investment firm that holds a stake in Vail Resorts, criticized the publicly traded ski giant's executive team. It called for sweeping changes to its leadership and strategy, citing what it called years of underperformance, per Townlift.com.
The firm, which did not disclose the size of its financial interest, said Vail's performance over the last five years has been unacceptable, with shares losing 47% of their value during that time.
A different perspective
Katz said in his letter that people might be wondering how things will be different with his return.
"The reality is, every day should be different at Vail Resorts, because we are always trying to improve. Improve the service for our guests, the experience for our employees, the vibrancy of our communities, and, yes, the returns for our shareholders," he said.
Katz said his professional and personal experiences the past three-and-a-half years give him different insight and perspective.
"I never stopped my own leadership development. And I am cognizant that there is a lot I don't know," he said. "The opportunities and challenges our company faces today are different, and my goal is to be a CEO who is constantly learning."
In addition to Park City Mountain, Vail owns 36 ski areas in North America, including Vail Mountain, Breckenridge, Whistler Blackcomb and Stowe, along with two in Switzerland and three in Australia.
Katz praised Lynch's tenure as CEO, calling her one of the most transformative leaders the company has had and someone responsible for much its innovation, growth and success.
"I am grateful for her leadership over these past three-and-a-half years, during some of the most challenging times that our company has faced as we navigated dynamic events post-pandemic," he said.
Lynch called her 14 years on the executive team, including more than three years as CEO, an experience of a lifetime.
"I want to share my sincerest appreciation to all our talented team members for their passion for our mountains, our guests and our communities. I also have deep gratitude to Bruce, Rob, the entire board and our executive team for their partnership. I am a lifelong champion of Vail Resorts and look forward to seeing the next phase of the company's journey."
