Four finalists have been selected for the manager position at Eaglecrest from a pool of more than 70 applicants.
The finalists are Brian Bressel, of Lakeshore, Calif.; Jodie McCutcheon, of Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada; Matthew Lillard, of Londonderry, Vt.; and Ray Gardner, of Atlanta, Ga.
Bressel works as a ski industry consultant, but just finished a 29-year career with the Sierra Summit Mountain Resort in Lakeshore and was its general manager for nine years.
“I have had the great pleasure of working hands-on in most every position at a ski resort and have enjoyed every moment,” Bressel wrote in his application. “Being part of a team as well as leading a thriving and growing mountain resort operation has been very rewarding.”
Bressel holds a Bachelor of Science in general administration with a business management emphasis from Fresno State University and has taken many specialty courses and seminars relating to business, skiing and guest services.
McCutcheon most recently served 1 1/2 years as the outdoor operations manager for Mount Sima in Whitehorse, and served as acting area manager for four months last year. McCutcheon spent 18 years working at Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada, in various roles. He spent his last nine years as manager.
“I’ve had the opportunity to ski Eaglecrest on occasion over the last several years and have found it to be a great area,” he wrote in his application. “I believe there is an opportunity to develop the area in ways that improve its appeal to other users. The ski area has a lot of potential and I believe my vision for its future, when combined with my experience in ski area management, uniquely qualifies me to contribute positively to the continued evolution of Eaglecrest Ski Area.”
He also recently relocated to Juneau with his family.
McCutcheon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario, and has taken additional courses in management, ski resort topics and potable water training. He also has experience with other snow recreation facilities and resorts in Australia.
Lillard currently serves as assistant general manager and marketing director of Magic Mountain Ski Area in Londonderry, and has since 2009. Prior to serving as manager he served as its marketing director since 2006. Lillard worked in various positions with Okemo Mountain Resort, also in Vermont, for several years.
“My nine years of experience in the ski resort and hospitality industry, background in finance, education, life experiences, and drive to excel can be tremendous assets to Eaglecrest Ski Area,” he wrote in his application. “I have been contemplating relocating westward for some time and am very excited about the prospect of working at an area outside of New England.”
Lillard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in applied economics and business management from Cornell University.
Gardner currently works as the attractions manager for Herschend Family Entertainment at Stone Mountain Park in Georgia and has for the past three years. Prior to working in that position, he was the mountain manager for Williamette Pass Ski Resort in Oregon for nearly 16 years. He also has experience as a firefighter and has had Level 1 avalanche training, among other rescue certifications.
The finalists will come to Juneau July 14-16 for a look at the city and the final assessment will be held in the Assembly Chambers, with portions open to the public.
A release from the General Manager Selection Committee states there will be an Assessment Center program for the candidates to go through, which will simulate situations that occur in day-to-day duties of the manager. A public reception also will be held for a meet-and-greet, tentatively scheduled for July 15, though the time and place have yet to be announced.
Of the 70 applicants, 30 went through a preliminary interview with City and Borough of Juneau staff, the release states, and the committee chose eight to interview again.
“Overall, I have been very impressed with the quality of the candidates we’ve seen,” said Dave Lefebvre, committee chair, in a statement. “It was a difficult decision to narrow the field to four finalists. I am confident that any one of the individuals participating in the final selection process will be able to do the job. Now it is a matter of finding the right fit for Eaglecrest.”
• Contact reporter Sarah Day at 523-2279 or at sarah.day@juneauempire.com.
Comments (18)
Add commentJuneau's Talent Pool????
0000000000000000
Give me a break!
Just can't hire local
So, all day long we hear buy local from the commercial that is made out of town yet our city refuses to hire local.
I think it is awful that Juneau hires out of town people before locals and I think it is one of the main reasons that Juneau is more like down south than Alaska.
If you want Juneau to be Alaskan hire people that at least have lived here for awhile.
John Stone was a great Port Director, he did what was asked of him. He turned a beautiful local harbors into down south cash machines that are anything but local and certainly not for locals.
It's to bad that locals that have worked for many years never have a chance at promotion because Juneau would rather hire someone that has no idea what Juneau about, they just saw it on t.v. and next thing ya know they have a better job that a local that was after the same job for ten years.
Sure, Hank
Juneau is just brimming with individuals that have a great deal of experience running ski areas.
@hanklive: are you sure we're
@hanklive: are you sure we're not just more like down south because we're farther south?
That type of thinking is not
That type of thinking is not going to help Juneau or it's citizens advance. With your type of thinking locals will not be qualified for most new jobs other than the tourism industry. What is wrong with training the most qualified local?
@Hanklive
Who do you propose do the training?
And is it not also in the city's interest to draw in new residents with desirable skills?
Look local first?
Just a slogan to get your money. The CBJ practice of hiring out of state is both to make Juneau a little san fran, and trying to replace the locals that are leaving because of CBJ direction and actions. Juneau has degraded over the last 50 years into a place few want to stay and raise a family.
The very town that inspired so many over the years has changed into just another southern city. The entire CBJ comprehensive plan, combined with the CBJ goals is anti resident/taxpayer. The leadership mindset change over the past 10 to 30 years has become increasingly chechaquo first.
Let the rain sort'em out!
firstly the applicants must like rain, especially durring skiing season. Hirring from out of town is a good thing if you have a bunch of entrenched longtime locals working that feed off each others lack of skills and bad habits. But i'm not keen of hiring anyone from California either, let alone Vermont.
But they seem to have good refs, but after so many years these people could be burnt out and just want to double dip on retirement while pulling down some serious CBJ coinage.
I say hire them and let the Rain sort'em out!!
we are the CBJ
Don't forget that we are the CBJ. If you don't like the way things are going then get involved. Don't just sit back on an anonymous blog and complain.
I'm sure that if there were any qualified local candidates that their names would have jumped to the top of the list. Let's put an emphasis though on qualified.
double dip
" just want to double dip on retirement while pulling down some serious CBJ coinage"
See Rod Swope.
Oh this is brilliant
I'm lucky as a local applicant I did not make the final four. My current job would be in jeopardy. I wonder if all these resorts that these people work out know that the Empire has published an article mentioning their employees as candidates. This is ridiculous!! Why not wait to write the article after a final candidate has been chosen. If your local just email a link of this article to the resort that the people work at who made the cut and then they will be cut from their current job if they don't get this one.
Fresh blood
What's wrong with importing some skilled people who have a fresh take on Juneau? After all, the population has been steadily decreasing through the decades. We need new families, new talent, fresh faces, and an open door to the outside world.
Juneau mentality
As a fairly new person here I would like to comment. Juneauites often have attitude--unwelcome and hostile attitude. This is the primary difference between Juneau and the mainland: unfriendliness.
The snottiness, the bitterness, the arrogance: a pervasive characteristic of this town.
In spite of the good job, the beauty and the culture, this is a cold ass place for new people. I once confessed some resentment over how closed this place seems to new people and the person told me "you have to be here 4-5 years and then people start to accept you, everybody is lonely the first few years". So, I replied, I have to prove I am willing to go through four lonely winters and then I might be accepted? What about my acceptance of them? Are all of you worth 4-5 winters? I have traveled to every corner of the earth and all across the globe have been eagerly brought home to families and new friends. I have lived in Alaska 40 years and never experienced anything except warmth--until I discovered Juenau and made the mistake of investing in this place. What a mistake.
The comments here reflect a backward arrogance. Should Eaglecrest carry on limping along into the future because a local had to be hired over qualified outsiders simply because the Juneau rain has been falling on their heads? Isn't that the way hillbillies operate, not wanting any outsiders in the Kentucky holler?
Listen, go to the real Alaska up north and experience what Alaska has always been proud of--the welcome, the friendliness, the unabashed warmth... When I lived up north, we had literally dozens of newcomers in our home and many of those people stayed and some of their names are very well known--yet they arrived once as new comers..
I used to oppose the capital move. Nothing has convinced me to change my mind more than living here. Juneau needs a comeuppance, needs a reality check because you see, the capital isn't here because all you people are so exceptional. The landscape isn't fantastic because YOU can love it more than an outsider. Jesus H, Get over yourselves!
So I'll take my talents and years of experiences and I will indeed move to another place where a community is worth MY investment. You extra special Juneau people can sit here and have one another. What an ugly lot you are--the most UNWELCOMING place on earth, and you're actually proud of it.... I hope the candidates read this an rethink moving here, quite frankly.
Now you may start your lame brained "good riddance" posts. I'll be up north, in the real Alaska. None of you could make it there because you wouldn't know what to do when we welcome you warmly and without the backwards litmus test.
Canoerib your attitude proceeds you.........
I moved to this town over ten years ago and like any other place I have lived over the years I made new friends quickly and found mostly a good attitude with the locals. You seem to have a chip on your shoulder and people certainly pick up on that. You are indeed a Chicaco (sp?) and you will be for a while even up north, suck it up and get over it. So move from SE, go back north, take your sour attitude with you and don't let the door hit you on the way out.
If Canoerib's face to face
If Canoerib's face to face interaction with people is anything like the way he/she comes off in this letter, it's no wonder he/she has had a hard time. I moved here 25 years ago from a large metropolitan area down south and I've never had any problems feeling welcome from moment I moved here. You never mention where "up north" is. I"m assuming it isn't Anchorage, Mat/Su or Fairbanks. If you want a city full of people with a "cooler than thou" attitude, you only need to go as far as Los Anchorage. I've always said, the best thing about Anchorage is that you can get to Alaska from there. Well, that and Taco Bell. It's like Oakland, if it ever snowed in Oakland. Just another dreary, dirty, crime-ridden metropolis. Heck, you have to drive 40 minutes to get to anything remotely "Alaskan". The Mat/Su is full of rednecks and meth labs. Yeah, nice place. And Fairbanks has been overrun by a number of bad military apples up there. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of the military. I come from a military family and I served my time. But you take a large number of people from all over the lower 48 and send them to a place like that, you are bound to have some just go loony.
Juneau unwelcoming? Hardly. I suspect the treatment you've received here has been a reflection of what you are putting out there. This town is full of welcoming, considerate, helpful, neighborly folks. Go on a bike ride and have a mechanical problem, somebody will either put you in their truck or help fix the problem. Need a ride home from the airport? Chances are there is a local heading in that same direction that would be more than happy to help you out. Get a flat tire and somebody will pull over to offer help in short order. You only need to look as far as the paper to read stories about how the community comes together around people facing life threatening medical issues to see how friendly and compassionate people are in this town. This town has more community fund raisers than you can shake a stick at.
Unwelcoming? Try again. But if you're going to move on to what you determine to be greener pastures, give me a shout. I'll take you to the airport or ferry.
Well said, guru.
I was born here, and have always found what you said to be true. But then, perception is in the eye of the beholder, and you get back what you put out there.
f/u
I do get what I put out there, you're right. Just to let you know I get involved and have given many hours to events. I have a few friends here and absolutely oodles of friends all across the globe; and people have always told me how my constant smile brightens their days. I hear that often. I also known for being pretty darned witty and more than one person has told me that I am the funniest person they know. I was written up once for making the staff laugh too much.... If my letter was "sour" it is because the s-u-b-j-e-c-t of the letter was about harm and pain. And attitudes. The letter was not about me--it was about YOU.
All along the way here, I have heard it confirmed from locals themselves that what I said is true ("I heard this about this place for thirty years and I've seen it but nobody tries to change" " it takes years to get in""everybody is lonely at first", If you're twenty something it's easy if you party. not so easy after that").
Thank you for demonstrating exactly what I said--mean spirited. Not one of you said anything welcoming, or a re-direction, an encouragement, etc. Everyone of you said something really nasty. Yup.
Wow...unwelcoming?
I never thought of Juneau as unwelcoming but then again I'm one of "those" that have been here a long time. There are definitely people I don't enjoy hanging around with of course, but there are anywhere. Maybe it's the wrong events. I know one thing I volunteered to help with was a miserable experience but the rest have been worthwhile, fun, and strengthened friendships.
I'm sorry you feel that way, canoerib. If we meet I hope your perception can be changed for the better.