by Chris Diamond Death, Obituary – The 13th of January, 2023, Steamboat Springs, Colorado— Chris Diamond, who was the former president of Steamboat Ski Resort and the author of the key industry text Ski Inc., passed away on January 12, 2023 due to pancreatic cancer. He had 76 years under his belt. ChrisDiamondHN Diamond enjoyed a prosperous and fruitful career in the industry for a significant portion of his life. In 1972, not long after returning from a stint of duty in Vietnam with the United States Army, he began working as an assistant to Preston Smith, the founder of Killington Mountain Resort in Vermont and the visionary behind S-K-I Ltd.
In 1977, he was promoted to the position of general manager at the nearby Mount Snow. Mount Snow was purchased by the ownership group S-K-I Ltd. in the year 1986, and Diamond worked for the parent firm as the vice president of corporate development from the years 1994 to 1996. Diamond was reinstated to his position as general manager of Mount Snow upon Les Otten’s formation of the American Skiing Company in 1996, following the acquisition of S-K-I Ltd. by that company.
1997 marked the year when ASC became the owner of Steamboat Ski Resort, and the following year, Diamond became the resort’s managing director.
“According to Rob Perlman, president and chief operating officer of Steamboat Ski Resort, “Under Chris’ guidance, the resort became more than just one of the strongest brands in the business; it actually became a home for visitors, workers, and the community.”
“Chris’ commitment for the community went beyond his dedication to the resort, serving on boards that ranged from the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club to the Yampa Valley Community Foundation to the Strings Music Festival. “But what really set Chris apart was his down-to-earth personality.” It was no problem for him to entertain billionaire hedge funders over dinner and then switch gears and work the front lines with resort personnel. I consider it a privilege to have learned from and collaborated with Chris, as well as to continue his work after his passing “stated Perlman.
