Awards highlight 2017 division spring conference and AGM

The naming of three new life members was a highlight of the Canadian Ski Patrol Mountain Division’s spring conference and annual general meeting, held June 9 to 11 in Edmonton.

Representatives from across Alberta and the Yukon joined at the Marriot Edmonton West to discuss division business, receive an update on industry matters, elect a new executive and present awards to deserving members and zones of the division. They was also a keynote address on the emerging and catastrophic public health danger of fentanyl and related opioids.

Fort McMurray Zone was the winner of the 2017 Outstanding Zone Award, for its amazing efforts to not only rebuild but flourish in the wake of the May 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire. Other highlights were the presentation of division appreciation awards to Panorama Mountain Resort, and Sunshine Village Ski & Snowboard Resort. Both areas are newly served by the CSP Mountain Division.

Among the award presentations was the granting of life member designations to Tim Sellars, Anne Haley-Callaghan, and Geoff Scotton.

Sellars has made substantial contributions to the division and the overall CSP, but is best known for his leadership roles in the CSP’s Yukon Zone, where he has served as zone president multiple times, and each time with distinction. The zone has won national outstanding zone recognition three times under Sellars’ leadership. He is from Whitehorse, Yukon.

Haley-Callaghan has a long list of accomplishments and has served in three different divisions across Canada, as well as at the national level. Recently, Haley-Callaghan became the first woman to be elected by the members of the CSP board of directors as their chair, becoming the first female chair of the CSP in its 76-year history. She is from Redcliff, Alberta.

Scotton has made strong contributions at each of the zone, division and national levels, most recently as the national vice-president of brand and partners. The CSP Mountain Division’s vice-president external, Scotton is also the chair of the Calgary New & Used Ski Sale and organizes the successful Mountain Division Ski Improvement Clinic. He is from Calgary, Alberta.

The division election was uncontested, with Dave Swindlehurst acclaimed to a two-year term. Along with Dave, the executive for 2017-2018 will include Gord Bell as vice-president of administration, Dave Harrison as vice-president of operations, Ken Howard as vice-president of RISK, or safety, Pam FitzGerald as vice-president of finance, and Scotton in the VP external role.

Attendees also discussed evolving changes in the CSP’s national structure and matters related to operations during the past season as well as in 2017-2018.

The 2017 CSP Mountain Division Awards presentation can be seen here. Many, many thanks to Lauree Harrison for putting this presentation together.

The 2017 CSP Mountain Division Awards program can be seen here.

The 2017 CSP Mountain Division Awards life members and MVP program can be seen here.