03.02
Here’s a bit of sad news for Intrawest.
Hugh Smythe, one of the founders of the company that employs a large portion of this community, is retiring on March 12.
The announcment came today. The bottom line is that he is moving away from the day-to-day activities in Intrawest, but will still have an active roll in the company as an advisor.
Whistler has directly benefited greatly from Smythe’s vision. The development of Blackcomb Mountain owes thanks to his contributions. His contributions to Whistler Blackcomb have most recently been noticed with the Peak 2 Peak.
“I have a tremendous amount of pride in the company we have built and the legacy we continue to create for our resort guests, homeowners and employees, … It has been a fantastic journey since I started as a ski patroller on Whistler Mountain in 1966, and it is now time for me to move on to a new chapter in my life. Although I will miss the challenge of leading the day-to-day resort operations, I am looking forward to a retired lifestyle. I am proud of my contributions to the industry overall and it is truly an honour to remain actively involved with the Intrawest team going forward as an advisor for the Company.”
- Hugh Smythe
He’s done a lot for the ski industry in general. In 1995 Smythe recieved a Henry Singer Award for exceptional leadership in retailing and services in Canada. He also received the Jim Marshall Award in ‘95 for his inspiring contribution to the ski industry. Again in 2000 he recieved a British Columbia Tourism Industry Leader Award.
Not bad!
Thanks Hugh Smythe, enjoy retirement. Whoever is next has some big shoes to fill.