POWDER is in the news! Check out this article published on Nov. 4 in The Barre Montpelier Times Argus:

Trailblazers: POWDER initiative unveiled in Vermont

Women have made strides toward workplace equality in many industries in America, but until recently the ski industry has lagged behind.

Historically, ski areas were founded and operated by men. Even when females joined the ranks as workers, women leaders and managers were relatively rare. Despite much progress, it’s still not common to find female operational executives and GMs at ski areas.

However, Vail Resorts, the world’s largest mountain resort company, is exceptional in both the number of women who have worked their way to the top and in the launching of a new program designed to encourage more women to seek careers and leadership positions in the ski business.

In a March podcast, Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz announced the formation of POWDER, a program for Providing Opportunity for Women through Diversity, Equality and Respect.

Katz acknowledged that women and especially women leaders have been “traditionally underrepresented in the ski industry.”

Vail Resorts has been changing that, he said, mentioning many women who successfully navigated their way to the top of the “traditionally male dominated areas of our business.

“Our pioneering women leaders in ski-industry operations roles have changed the face of an industry and paved the way for those coming after them,” Katz said.