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Over decades CU-Boulder has earned a supreme reputation in skiing, starting with its first national championship, in 1959. In 1964 Billy Kidd (Econ’69) and Jimmie Heuga (±Ê´Ç±ô³§³¦¾±â€™73) became the first American men to win Olympic medals in the Alpine sport, a silver and bronze in the slalom. Time and again the university has reaffirmed its prowess on the slopes, winning 20 NCAA skiing championships, most recently last year.

But CU’s contribution to the sport extends beyond athletic feats: Countless alumni are big wheels in almost every aspect of the business and culture of skiing. Here we highlight a tiny sample.

ÌýÌý= Known for
ÌýÌý= First Job in Ski Industry

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Bill Marolt (Mktg'67)

ÌýFormer chief executive of U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association; coach of U.S. national and CU-Boulder ski teams; CU-Boulder athletic director; four-time NCAA skiing champion

ÌýÌýHead ski coach, CU-Boulder

Nicky DeFord (Jour'99)

ÌýDirector of community engagement, Vail Resorts

ÌýCommunication assistant, Vail Mountain

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Chris Davenport (Hist'93)

ÌýExtreme skier; Hiked up, skied down Colorado's 100 highest peaks

ÌýRace crew at Snowmass

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Chris Jarnot (Bus'89)

ÌýExecutive vice president and chief operating officer, Vail Mountain

ÌýGuest services at Beaver Creek

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Seth Masia (MJour'07)

ÌýPresident, International Skiing History Association

ÌýSki shop in Cleveland

Rod Slifer (Bus'56)

ÌýFormer mayor of Vail who was instrumental in its development as a major ski resort

ÌýSki instructor, Aspen Ski School, 1960

Keri Bascetta (Art'08)

ÌýDirector of photography, SKI and Skiing magazines

ÌýAssistant photo editor, SKI Magazine

Billy Kidd (Econ'69)

ÌýFirst American man to win an Olympic medal in Alpine skiing (1964, with Heuga); now director of skiing, Steamboat Ski & Resort

ÌýSki shop in Stowe, Vt.

Michael Jaquet (Jour'93)

ÌýChief marketing officer, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association

ÌýFounder of Freeze magazine and the U.S. Freeskiing Open (with Jarnot)