I am both surprised and humbled that it’s been 10 years since I took over Skican. Now that we are on solid footing, it feels safe to admit that first year was touch and go. Skican had been floundering for years. As our accountant at the time used to say, Skican was coasting on inertia. We were a 50-year-old sinking ship. We had passion and knowledge, and wildly outdated systems and practices. We were the Canadian productivity conundrum with a dire need for change.
But turn it around we did. I was fortunate to have incredible support from my family, old friends, and from the staff at Skican, a rockstar team of passionate and smart ski and snowboard enthusiasts.
Ten years after closing the Toronto and Montreal offices, relocating to Guelph and launching team members virtually across the country, I’ve found myself reflecting on how far we’ve come, laugh-wincing – now that there’s some distance – at some of the crazy, and expensive, errors we made, and feeling pretty darn good about what we have achieved.
But this year I am also saying goodbye to some of the most important champions we’ve had over the last ten years. We have two members retiring: Catherine Pichot, Director of Sales: brilliant, passionate, and relentlessly hardworking, is heading off for adventures of a more carefree kind. Sylvie Ste Marie, equally hardworking with a keen eye for detail and often referred to as the heart of the Skican team, has acted as Manager of the Montreal Office, Senior Experience Manager and Manager of Operations. After 28 years at Skican, Sylvie will be retiring at the end of the summer. And...my amazing mom, Sheila Nasmith, founding bookkeeper for Skican, Friends of Skican host, organiser, investor and advisor, passed away December 17, 2024. All three of these incredible women had my back for the last ten years (and more), and I am eternally grateful for all they have done for Skican, and for me personally.
If I was a romantic, I’d say they chose now because we’re stronger than ever, so it’s ok for them to bid us adieu. They’re all moms, so maybe that’s not too far from the truth. Skican “2.0” made it through the rebirth phase, and while we let go with some sadness, we are also ready to make way for change.
And so, I’m excited to announce our line up for 2026. Jack Mackay, with his expertise in Canada, the US and Japan, will be leading the FIT team, moving into the role of Senior FIT Sales Manager. Marie Christine Labbé and Dave House will be supporting Jack, moving into the role of European Regional Sales Manager and Canadian Regional Sales Manager, respectively. This team includes veterans Dillon Mallory and Elsa Hall, and new members Sydney Dooley-Vrstala, Krysten Spencer, Brooke Graham and Andrew Meszaros.
As Director of Operations, Shannon Beattie continues as our innovation lead, overseeing veteran Air Specialist Kelly Patten and Operations Specialist Lindsay Davidson’s transition from Sales to the Ops team. The Group Sales team consists of the powerful triad of Tara Vella, Groups Operations Manager, Adam Burn, Director of Group Sales, and Andrea Lovasz, Senior Manager of Group Sales. Jen Kyles, Director of Marketing, continues to spin magical and engaging ski stories with support from Nathan Wood, Marketing Coordinator. This remarkable team is supported and kept in the black by Maria Haycock, Director of Finance.
It’s an honor to be part of this team.
To Catherine and Sylvie, and my dear mom, a heartfelt farewell, with much love and gratitude from us all.
See you on the slopes.
