Ski New Mexico
BEST OF THE BEST
Awards Program

Employees at New Mexico ski areas are hard working dedicated individuals who deserve to be recognized for there outstanding efforts. To that end Ski New Mexico is going to identify such employees and publicly award them. Their picture and profile will be placed on our web site and the annual winner will receive an award. Nominees as well as the annual winner will be indemnified and awarded.

The following categories will be recognized:

CUSTOMER SERVICE View Nominees
food service, retail shop employee, ski service/ambassador, rental shop employee
customer service, attitude, team player, productive
no accidents, friendly, pitches in to improve

SKI PATROL View Nominees
does job well, goes beyond the call, team player, friendly, plays well with others

MOUNTAIN OPERATIONS View Nominees
lift operator, snow maker, groomer
no accidents, produces good results, works hard, team player, attitude

SKI INSTRUCTOR View Nominees
very satisfied guests, willing to help, takes the difficult guests

RACER View Nominees
Junior, Senior Boarder, Master
Results, attitude

CUSTOMER ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM
- Jan 15& Mar 1 nominations will be made by participating ski areas via email to SkiNM
- Pictures and Bios will be placed on the Ski New Mexico web site.
- March 30th the selection will choose the best in each category for the state.
- Press release, awards banquet, award, will be made to recipients.

NOMINATIONS FOR MOUNTAIN OPERATIONS
 
1. Zack Meadows - Lift Supervisor/Lift Mechanic (Sandia Peak)
 
Overall Zack is an excellent employee, what makes him stand out is his personal initiative in improving his education and training outside of work. He is currently taking classes at CNM to improve his knowledge in the electrical field in order to apply his training hear at the area. Our work days are long and difficult already; I feel that his extra effort after work makes him a great candidate for the “best of the best”.
 
2. Mike Green - Mountain Manager (Pajarito)
 
Mike has worked at Pajarito Mountain from 1985 to the Present.  He has worked his way up from general worker to Mountain Manager.  Mike is an Excellent Mechanic, Groomer and Employee.

Mike does outstanding work and is able to share and teach other employees.  A lot of long time very knowledgeable ski area dudes are not very good at passing on information to new or younger up and coming employees.  Mike is great at this aspect of the job and is very patient also.
 
3. Tommy Long -  “do it All” (Pajarito)
 
 Tommy is a UNM Business Student who has worked at Sandia Peak as an Instructor and Snowmaker and now at Pajarito Mountain Ski Area as a Groomer, Trash Hauler, Mechanics Helper, Lift Operator, Etc. Tom really expanded his Grooming Responsibilities.  He learned to operate the Winch Cat on some pretty steep terrain and learned a great deal about grooming and finishing ski runs.

4. Lisa Pacheco - Ticket Supervisor/Line Control (Red River Ski Area)
 
Bio: Lisa is from Questa, N.M.  She is a native New Mexican.  She has worked for Red River Ski Area for 5 years.  She loves being outside with people because she has the opportunity to meet people from all over the World.  She is married with three kids and still lives in Questa. 

Reason for Nomination: Lisa is a very good employee.  She is dependable and hardworking.  She is always on the hill with a smile, even when she is digging and raking snow off the ramps!  She is always a team player and has a very friendly attitude towards other employees and our guests.  I wish I had 35 Lisa’s!

NOMINATIONS FOR SKI PATROL
 
 
1. Jack Dant – Assistant Patrol Director  (Santa Fe Ski area)
 
Jack is one of those special members of our team that brings a great attitude and real appreciation of the mountain to work everyday. He is great at communicating with both his piers and our skiing guests.

As an example he was recently put in the difficult position of dealing with a guest that had skied in a closed area. That may seem to be a simple issue to deal with but when it’s your wife it’s a different story, Jack pulled his wife’s pass, sent her to see the safety video and went without dinner that evening. His level of integrity is a quality that we could use more of in all of our operations.

NOMINATIONS FOR SKI INSTRUCTOR

1. James Hampton - (Ski Area Enchanted Forest)

James has been skiing since he could first walk. His father is a past Ski School director of Red River ski area.  James is also a volunteer firefighter and a church youth leader.

James always lends a hand and has learned every job at Enchanted Forest. Within two weeks of starting employment he was teaching beginners and getting requests for private lessons. James has also learned to groom and will even come in on his days off to help groom in the morning if help is needed. James will always help people, even fixing a flat or digging something out of the trash. James is always there for everyone.

2. Sara Nora - Ski Instructor (Red River Ski Area)

Bio: Sara is a Red River Native.  She grew up on the mountain and on skis.  She recently married Bruno Nora from Peru whom she met through Red River Ski Area when he came to work here.  Her parents own the Sundance Restaurant in which she is also the chef. 

Reason for Nomination: The most cheerful and energetic instructor we have. She’s been working for us for 10 years.  A level 2 PSIA instructor, she absolutely loves the kids she teaches, and I think she receives more requests than any other youth instructor here.  Everyone looks forward to her coming to work because she makes everyone smile right when she gets here. 

NOMINATIONS FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

1. Anthony Sandoval - Restaurant Server (Sipapu Ski Resort)

Anthony is a senior at Penasco High School.  He has been an employee of Riverside Café at Sipapu Ski Resort since May of 2006.  Anthony has spent much of his spare time aside from school and work helping the elderly in the community, being an Alter Server at St. Anthony’s Church, tutoring students and fundraising for sports.  He enjoys working on cars, having fun with family and friends, camping, weight lifting and enjoying other outdoor activities. Anthony looks forward to graduating this spring and starting college in the fall, pursuing a degree in engineering or architecture.  He lives with his mother, father and had one brother, Daniel.  

Anthony has worked with me at Riverside Café for almost two years.  He has shown tremendous growth during this period.  He is always cordial, friendly and courteous to our customers.  Anthony goes out of his way to make sure that all people who visit our restaurant feel welcome and he tries to meet all of their needs with a pleasant smile and polite conversation.  He has learned all aspects of running the restaurant, so no matter where we need to place him for his shift, he is always helpful and a delight to work with.  Our customers and his co-workers always have nothing but the best compliments to say about him.

2. Ana Moreira Haydon - Human Resources/Payroll/Retail (Red River Ski Area)

Bio: Ana came to the United States from Curitiba, Brazil as a working student through Alliance Abroad and Cetusa.  She studied Business at Universidade Federal do Parana and Tourism at Pontificia Universidade Catiolica do Parana.  She’s been working for us for four years.  She recently married Wesley Haydon, another valued employee at Red River Ski Area. 

Reason for Nomination: Ana does just about everything for us here at Red River Ski Area.  She puts in more hours per week than most because her day is completely filled with responsibilities.  She makes sure all of us get our paychecks, she ensures our ticket ladies are on point and friendly, she orders all of our retail products, she counts all of our drawers, every day, and anything else there is to do to help get things done correctly.  As the most productive and friendly while doing it, she is one of our favorite employees here. 

NOMINATIONS FOR RACER

1. Tucker VanOrmer - (Red River Ski Area)

Bio: Tucker has been racing for Red River Ski Area for 6 years now.  He is 10 years old, and a Red River Native.  The son of Mike and Ann VanOrmer, he has been raised on the ski hill. 

Reason For Nomination: He never has complained, even though he was diagnosed with child diabetes a few years ago.  He can’t ride with any other racers or kids his age on the chair for fear of an episode, so his mother rides with him every time.  The stick of the needle is a constant, but his motivation isn’t ever lost. He is always ready to help in any way. Tucker has a great work ethic, he’s totally committed to ski racing.  I think he loves to ski more than anyone I have ever met.