RICKY NEWBERRY - SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MOUNTAIN OPERATIONS
My name is Frederick “Ricky” Newberry and I am the Senior Director of Mountain Operations here at Kirkwood Mountain Resort. I think I have the best job in the world. I love being in the mountains. Biking, climbing and skiing have been a big part of my life from an early age. I grew up in Michigan in a skiing family that had me on skis when I was 18 months old and I’ve loved every day on skis since. I have made Kirkwood my home hill since 1999 and have been fortunate enough to get married here in Devil’s Corral and raise my two daughters skiing these slopes.
My first job with the company was with bike park patrol at Kirkwood in 1999, and from there I worked my way on to the ski patrol which I did for many years, eventually working my up to the patrol director role after some work here and at Heavenly with Health & Safety. My experience on the mountain has been filled with adventure working with great teams. From the on-hill avalanche mitigation program, to firing the Recoiless and now the Howitzer, Night Duty on 6 & 10, working with two amazing avalanche dogs, Chewy and Althea, training my third avalanche pup, Captain (wish me luck!), work with the rope access team to now working directly with snow surfaces, snow removal, grooming, terrain parks, snowmaking, ski patrol, lift maintenance, lift operations, fleet maintenance, dispatch and an awesome Mountain Ops Specialist, Kelly, has truly created an experience of a lifetime for me.
Over the years I’ve had some of the best days and most challenging days of my life here. Through these experiences I’ve created incredible connections within our community of employees and guests. I truly believe in an open-door policy and time on the hill, with the team, is time well spent. So if you see me say hello, if I don’t beat you to it with a solid high-five! Ask questions, connect, make the most of your experience at Kirkwood and with Vail Resorts. Be safe, have fun and Make the Mountain Proud!
BRIAN BIGLEY - DIRECTOR OF BASE OPERATIONS
My name is Brian Bigley but most people know me simply as Biggs. I am Kirkwood’s Director of Base Operations. I have been in South Lake Tahoe for 15 years which is longer than I have lived anywhere. I have moved around a bit and put in time living in Monterey, Cincinnati, Dallas, Flagstaff, Bear Valley, Twain Harte and Kuala Lumpur. I have two incredible boys, Nash (11) and Hudson (9) and met my amazing wife when she was the HR manager at Kirkwood. I love coaching my boys in baseball and soccer. I love riding storm days with them (although they ski). We love fishing of all kinds…..fly, ocean, lake, stream, river…. and any kind of fish. You might catch me playing some recreational softball too. I am currently the Vice President of the South Tahoe National Little league and probably contribute about 250 hours a year volunteering in south Tahoe youth Sports.
I did not really grow up skiing with any kind of regularity however, in 1985 I took my first trip down “The Wall”. It was not a pretty trip down The Wall, but I survived. I did not return to Kirkwood for my second visit until 2001 as a snowboarder. I found real passion for snow sports in Flagstaff, AZ. I fell in love with snowboarding while studying Environmental Economics at Northern Arizona University on the nearby volcano known as the San Francisco Peaks.
My first job here was running the Retail, Rental and Ice Rink operations. My favorite part of working here is that it never gets boring. Every year is different. The staff is different, the teams grow, and people get promoted. There are new challenges every winter and I really love the chaos and comradery that big storms bring. It is amazing to see how everyone comes together in our community to “Make the Mountain Proud”.
ERIC TIFFANY - DIRECTOR OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE
My name is Eric Tiffany and I am the Director of Food and Beverage here at Kirkwood Mountain Resort. I have always been passionate about the outdoors, and skiing was a part of my life from an early age. I grew up in Upstate NY, and after college I moved to Breckenridge, CO in January of 2004. My first job with the company was bussing at one of the base area lodges, and from there I worked my way up to the position I have today. During my time in Breckenridge F&B, I was lucky enough to hold a number of positions, from warehouse receiving to banquet sous chef. For me, the development opportunities and internal employee training are definitely one of the best parts about this company.
In the spring of 2017, I moved to California to take on my current role. The Food and Beverage department here at Kirkwood has 3 sit down restaurants, 2 fast-casual food courts, 1 on mountain BBQ a general store and a banquet department. When I am not at work, I love getting out in the mountains either on skis or bikes. I love to travel and am really excited about exploring this state and the west coast with my partner Cat and our two dogs, Jack and Charlie.
Lastly, I would say that the best part about working here is all the incredible connections I have made throughout my career. I try really hard to be available and present for the team, so feel free to say hi or stop by and ask a question. I encourage everyone to take full advantage of your time with Vail Resorts and here at Kirkwood. There are so many learning and advancement opportunities outside of your position, so I challenge you to make the most of your time here at this beautiful resort and Make the Mountain Proud!
Ryan Olm- Senior Manager of Retail