Schweitzer announces 2019 management changes

By Ben Olson
Reader Staff

Schweitzer Mountain Resort announced upcoming management changes this week that will go into effect for the 2018-19 season.

After 25 years with Schweitzer, Activities and Events Director Mary Weber-Quinn is retiring on Oct. 1. Weber-Quinn oversaw the development and growth of Schweitzer’s flagship events and was responsible for curating the family programming available at the resort during her tenure.

Schweitzer’s events department, currently managed by André Bircher, will report to Sales and Marketing Director Sean Mirius. With this structural change, the resort will deepen its emphasis on family-based experiences with the new position of director of family activities and programs, which  has been appointed to Dani Demmons, an employee with Schweitzer since 2006. Promoted to the role of activities supervisor will be Annalise Courtright, who has worked seasonally for Schweitzer for two years.

Several individuals in the Food and Beverage operations will also receive promotions, including Kellie Pierce Marshall as hospitality manager, Jordan Hansen as executive chef, and Curtis Hathaway as Sky House chef. Jessica Roberts will be the new manager for Taps, and Gary Lirette has been hired as gourmandie manager.

Jess McAvoy has been promoted to front desk manager for the lodging department, and Marina Hill was hired as Owner Services Liaison. Mary Chorzempa, Schweitzer’s accounting manager for 25 years, retired in June 2018. Jennifer Phillips assumed the role as accounting manager beginning this summer.

Davey MacFarlane was promoted to lift maintenance manager this summer after a nationwide search. MacFarlane will be working closely with Rob Batchelder, Schweitzer’s mountain operations director, with lift maintenance and development projects.

“Schweitzer is extremely proud of the overall management team in place at the resort and is looking forward to nurturing continued professional excellence and performance at the mountain,” the resort wrote in a statement.