Brooke, Miles, Karen and Jon Rucker
VAIL, Colo., June 30, 2025 — Ski & Snowboard Membership Vail has named longtime business chief Jon Rucker as its new government director, following a nationwide search that drew candidates from throughout the winter sports activities world.
Rucker brings greater than 20 years of expertise within the ski business and a powerful document of management, most just lately serving as president of HEAD/Tyrolia Winter Sports activities, USA. Beneath his path, the corporate tripled its income and have become one of many prime alpine ski manufacturers within the nation.
Along with his company success, Rucker has served in key volunteer roles, together with board positions with the Nationwide Ski Areas Affiliation and Snowsports Industries America. As co-chair of NSAA’s Progress Committee, he helped create applications that join extra youth with snowboarding and snowboarding—reflecting his long-standing dedication to rising the game.
A Return to the SSCV Neighborhood
For Rucker, this new chapter is each skilled and deeply private.
“My spouse, Karen, and I are extremely excited to return dwelling to the Ski & Snowboard Membership Vail neighborhood,” Rucker stated. “Our household had such a constructive and significant expertise when our son Miles was a part of the Membership, that I’m honored to now have the chance to guide this distinctive group and its proficient athletes.”
He stated what drew him to the position was easy: “In a phrase: excellence. When alternatives for private {and professional} progress current themselves at a world-renowned group similar to SSCV, one should aggressively pursue them. Doubtless—SSCV embodies the excellence that I crave.”
Nonetheless, the choice to use got here with a way of humility. “I really grew to become intimidated,” he stated. “How might this child who grew up in North Carolina dare to aim to comply with within the footsteps of Mike Porter, Chip Woods, or Aldo Radamus?”
However the membership’s impression on his household gave him the boldness to step ahead. “Throughout our son’s 4 years at Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy, we fell for the Valley and cherished being a part of the SSCV neighborhood,” he stated. “If I can in some way help in protecting this system on its constructive monitor, then I’m going to work arduous to make that occur.”
Rucker formally begins the position in late August, after taking some private time for the primary time in years. “After a few years at full throttle, I’ve determined to take a few months off,” he stated. “That stated, my intent is to be taught as a lot as I’m allowed previous to beginning—with a view to hit the bottom operating.”
A Thorough Search and a Clear Match
To seek out its subsequent chief, SSCV’s board partnered with DovetailED Expertise Sourcing. In line with board president Jeffrey Martz, the method lasted roughly three months and prioritized enter from throughout the SSCV neighborhood.
“The search committee understood the load of accountability to get this proper,” Martz stated. “Zack Lehman and his group at DovetailED have been distinctive companions—an indispensable information who skillfully navigated us by means of the method. All through this journey, we have been deeply dedicated to participating the SSCV neighborhood and our stakeholders, and we hope that dedication got here by means of clearly.”
Rucker emerged as a transparent match.
“We have been lucky to have a really robust applicant pool and finalist group,” Martz stated. “It was clear that Jon actually hung out fascinated with the chance and making ready for his conferences with the search committee and our neighborhood. Jon’s skilled expertise was a powerful asset, demonstrating key management abilities, monetary acumen and deep relationships on this planet of winter sports activities. As a mother or father of a former SSCV athlete, Jon has strong connections in our neighborhood.”
What Makes SSCV Particular
Whereas Rucker is raring to guide, he stated he first desires to pay attention. “The very first thing I wish to do is pay attention—to the membership, its stakeholders, and the Vail neighborhood. Whereas my household has been a part of the membership, I’m sure that I’ve way more to be taught than I do know.”
Nonetheless, he’s clear about what makes SSCV distinctive.
“That is the toughest query to reply as a result of there are such a lot of issues that make SSCV particular,” he stated. “However the start line is the scale and energy of the membership throughout a number of disciplines. Whereas not everybody will stand atop the rostrum, 100% of SSCV athletes can turn into one of the best model of themselves.”
He emphasised that the membership’s lasting impression typically reveals up lengthy after the racing ends. “The pre-dawn, frigid mornings. The additional reps within the health club. The non-public bests. The DNFs [did not finish]. The podiums. The victories. All of those experiences are what make SSCV athletes particular. The self-discipline and private administration abilities they develop can’t be overestimated.”
Trying Forward
Based in 1962, SSCV affords applications in alpine, freestyle, Nordic, and snowboarding for athletes of all ages and talent ranges. The membership emphasizes not solely athletic achievement but additionally private progress, encouraging values similar to integrity, effort, and a lifelong love for mountain life.
Now that the hiring course of is full, the main focus shifts towards the long run.
“We glance ahead with pleasure to what lies forward for SSCV beneath Jon’s new management,” Martz stated.
As well as, the membership expressed gratitude to DovetailED for its steerage and to the broader Vail neighborhood for its enter and help all through the search course of.
Rucker stated he’s entering into the position with a transparent guiding philosophy. “Every part I envision for SSCV relies on the next ideas: security first, enjoyable, friendship, excellence, future-focused. Maybe most significantly: all for the children.”
He added that his long-term imaginative and prescient consists of collaboration throughout the winter sports activities panorama. “We’ve got the sources, we’ve got the snow, we’ve got the amenities—we simply have to additional regional and nationwide collaboration and work as a group with a shared imaginative and prescient.”
A New Chapter Begins
With Rucker entering into the chief director position, SSCV begins a brand new period. The group stays dedicated to serving to younger athletes obtain their private finest, whereas persevering with to function a cornerstone of the Vail neighborhood and a frontrunner within the broader world of snow sports activities.
“Whereas I’ve been lucky to ski in lots of nations and over 100 resorts,” Rucker stated, “it’s secure to say that I’ve skied extra in Vail than every other mountain on this planet.”
A lot of the knowledge on this article was offered by Ski & Snowboard Membership Vail’s official press launch.
