CONVENTION The course of the season was a central topic at this year's NSAA National Convention & Tradeshow, which was held under the leadership of the new NSAA President Kelly Pawlak. This year's National Convention & Tradeshow was held on May 3-6 on Marco Island, Florida, and attracted a total of 886 attendees. It was the first to be chaired by the NSAA's new President, Kelly Pawlak. The shoes she has to fill are big, as she succeeds Michael Berry, who took well deserved retirement at the end of 2017 after 25 years of service as President of the NSAA and almost 60 years in the winter sports industry. For her part, Kelly Pawlak knows exactly what makes things tick, as she can look back on a career in the ropeway industry spanning more than 30 years. For the past twelve years, she has served as Vice President and General Manager of Mount Snow Resort in Vermont. Right at the beginning of her new appointment, she and her team polled the ski resorts to assess how satisfied they are with the work of the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). On the basis of the evaluation, a comprehensive strategic plan was developed, which is to be implemented on a step by step basis. In her address, President Pawlak referred to the current generation change at the level of management in US ski resorts, where managers now have an average age of 56 - and an average of 30 years of experience in the world of winter sports. Pawlak also made a general plea for the players in the industry to look beyond their immediate horizons, leave their comfort zone and take a considered risk from time to time, with diversification as the key to success.
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