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Hall of Famer John Egan, fired from Sugarbush.

Dan Egan

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Submitted by Nicole Downer, committed Sugarbush customer and community leader, see link below to sign petition
#9_JohnRacing_Sugarbush.jpg

#9_JohnRacing_Sugarbush.jpg

Collectively, we submit this letter to implore you to reconsider your decision to terminate John Egan. As we have all digested the news and reflected on Egan’s impact on our personal experiences at Sugarbush, all stories center on one important fact: John is the guardian of the culture of our beloved resort. Without Egan, the heart and culture of Sugarbush is at risk as the mountain will lose its anchor. To know Egan is to know he is much more than an international ski icon — he is a good man, he is a valued mentor, and he is a master instructor who raises the bar and inspires excellence from the broader team. And he is the moral compass that guides responsible use of the mountain and sets the expectation that all ski programs prioritize both safety and the environment.

Experts are often lousy teachers. But Egan is extraordinary. He shares the kind of big picture concepts that guide your development for years to come. He expertly connects with students to inspire them to challenge themselves and accomplish goals they felt were out of reach. While most resort instructors focus on the narrow technical aspects of teaching, Egan inspires the Sugarbush team to teach leadership through a team based atmosphere where each member plays an integral and valued role. This is the kind of approach that encompasses much more than skiing and touches trajectory of lives and especially informs the growth and development of kids. For those of us who are parents, we value Egan on the highest of levels for his commitment to character development and teaching responsibility to each other and the mountain. He is a wholistic teacher, and it is this approach that makes him a true champion of a rare culture that informs the moral compass of Sugarbush.
This year has been one of many challenges. Many of us have lost loved ones and faced unimaginable challenges. It’s a time when businesses need stability and people need outlets and a chance to connect, heal, and escape — certainly returning to the mountain this winter is a huge part of that. We deeply worry about what a change like this means in 2020, especially since this is a year of great transition for Sugarbush. We sign this letter to attest to our firm belief that Egan is the cornerstone Sugarbush culture and will be an integral part of the success of the future as well as in the transition in ownership. Without him, continuity will be lost at a critical time and the very culture that captured our hearts is most valued and at risk.

So we respectfully ask you to reconsider your decision, to listen to the many voices coming forward, and understand that Egan is an invaluable member of your team and the broader community. Sugarbush is a strong and passionate community — I am sure you have been inundated with letters supporting our great friend. I beg you to listen and reverse this one terrible tragedy of 2020. It’s in all of our best interests, and Alterra will be lucky to have this gem of a super star in their corner.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fchng.it%2FtGX5Rh8F7v%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2mucQ74_2qAZaRfnP88sKotEKrRcLCDrlzji159nJ-g-8LNPxS0foteM0&h=AT1rjJanCCx8R3Kl7LFd4e9AmuQ6EfMs091ETaftk6AjRr8aQ9UJ_kQkpr6UgPeZ723B_xV4jDG5Pt5BVz7lrWYUk_jGVfxqS
 
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Steve

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done.
 

Philpug

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Done and shared.
 

Scruffy

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Done
 

Tricia

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Done and shared.
 

Tricia

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I've signed the petition. Does anyone know what really happened? The WHY behind all this? Can't find anything online
I'm not sure about the details, but I understand that they have had some management changes. Sometimes managment changes means other changes that are not always what we'd like to see.
 

snokat

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Ownership change. I have a friend who I can ask for the skinny, if it is publicly known anywhere. The Egans kept the interest in Sugarbush going during the '80s into the '90s for many folks on many levels, as well as us. Ambassador if you will through all the changes in ownership.
Signed
 
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Seahaven

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Signed.
Never skied Sugarbush, but the Egan name means something in the skiing world, and especially in New England. New ownership cutting their ski area off from its own heritage and cultural uniqueness seems pretty shortsighted.
 

NickZ

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Nicole has written a beautiful summary of an exciting ski career. I would like to hire her to write my resume.

I remember the name John Egan from the mid-sixties, when I was a patrolman at Mad River. He was part of the Sparky Potter collective that hung out at the "Blue Tooth". What interests me, as an elderly ski instructor - at the moment working at Winter Park - is ,,, what the hell did Johnny do to get himself fired? I have worked at about a dozen mountains and I've only managed to get fired at two. Whatever occurred to Johnny, I am sure that it will be hilarious - a story to tell at the bar (whenever they re-open).

There are certain ski areas where getting fired is actually a plus on a resume, I think it was a pre-requisite to work for Ernie Blake. Jack Murphy and Ken Quackenbush were highly tolerant individuals who appreciated individuality. I sought out the mercurial and iconoclastic Bob Barnes at Winter Park. I attempted to seek out Harald Harb, who had the aforementioned personality traits in spades, but he gave up on ski schools and found fame as an author and ski shop owner.

Nicole has expressed concern about the new ownership at Sugarbush. I haven't a clue about the management there, however, I will voice support for the umbrella company, Alterra, and for my bosses at Winter Park (an Alterra company). The Winter Park organization has been kind to me. I feel as if I have a ski-home there. Management not only respects the elderly, but values their presence on the mountain. That being said, I have every intention of bailing on them this winter. Johnny and I are both in the ground zero demographic for infection.

Thank you, Nicole, for your thoughtful post, and consider Winter Park as a ski home option - not just for yourself, but for Johnny Egan as well - but not this year. go surfing instead.
 

Tricia

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I just finished reading that blog post.
John Egan is a class act.

Love this....
You only get one turn per turn to make that turn, otherwise you lose your turn with that turn. Just make the next turn.
 

Scruffy

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I could be wrong, but that second picture at the end of the blog looks like the Palace theater in Albany, NY during a Warren Miller event.

It's so sad that John got ousted like that. I hope he hooks up with his brother Dan for even more "Ski with the Egans" workshops. ( Dan does some of these at Big Sky and Killington ) The two of them together would be awesome.
 

Philpug

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Thank you for the link, @Erik Timmerman .

Here is the whole letter:

An open letter to the Sugarbush community
December 10, 2020

rs=w:1280

Hello. I am writing this note to thank you for everything, and I also feel I owe it to you to hear what’s going on from my end. It’s been hard to be quiet until now. I hope you understand. On September 1, my wife wrote on our chalkboard, “Anything can happen,” because 2020 was just that kind of year.
It’s never been just a job.
Yes, like many people, I lost my job in October and joined the ranks of the unemployed where I find myself sadly in good company. My role at Sugarbush for the past 19 years (as your vp, chief recreation officer) and for 25 years prior (working in many capacities) -- this “job” helped pay for many of the day to day things in life. More importantly it has given me the opportunity to give back to the community and to the mountain that has embraced me and grown with me since I arrived in 1976. Like all who have found themselves in this situation, the loss of fair compensation and benefits has made my journey harder, but not insurmountable. I do believe that when a foundation is removed, it can be rebuilt stronger.
When my colleague’s promotion was announced from vice president of mountain operations and recreational services to president and COO, my phone rang off the hook with speculation that one of his first moves would be to eliminate my position. So, when I was asked to meet with him on September 25th, I hoped it was about how I could come off zero hours to help with what this winter might bring. I was, however, not entirely shocked when he announced that “what you did for Sugarbush is no longer needed” and that he eliminated my position. I was terminated with no pay, no benefits, no health insurance, and ultimately, no severance package. I was, he said, “welcome” to submit a proposal of what I could do for Sugarbush next, but with no promise of benefits and certainly nothing to be had at the salary I had been making.
Let me be clear. In that meeting and/or after, there was no offer made to me about my potential next role. When I asked about salary and benefits expectations, I was told “there are no promises.” He did say to me, “people love to ski with you”…which felt to me like a small part of the C-level executive role I had held for 19 years, an integral part of the decision-making process of resort management and customer relations.
Despite my disappointment with the situation, when he asked for my proposal (even though trusted advisors felt it strange that no guidance was offered), I seriously considered it. After over 40 years and 5 owners, I thought the unique value I have added around the Sugarbush brand, culture and leadership was widely understood. Therefore, I deeply considered how best to propose a future role for myself. After days of angst and a quickly looming deadline for my “proposal,” I found that given how he expressed his understanding of my role at Sugarbush over the years, there really wasn’t a path at Sugarbush any longer because, you see, it’s never been just a job. As I told Win Smith, I guess I could make snow. But that is better left in the hands of the experts. My commitment to Sugarbush and love for this “job” has always been much more than about skiing.
While I considered my termination, I rediscovered what I had always known. It’s the people who make Sugarbush great. It’s the families, like mine, that love the mountain, the camaraderie, the timeless stories, the new memories, the lessons learned, the adventure together.
I wish all of you who have lost jobs could feel the humbling power of a petition with nearly 2500 signatures and comments supporting your value at your organization. I hope someone has written a letter advocating for you at some point, let alone the countless ones that people have shared about what this means to them personally and their understanding of the cultural change for this new era. And, if you haven’t been in the paper yet as the topic of an article celebrating your contribution, it’s worth sitting down and thinking about what you hope people will say about you when you’re done.
Thank you. I have been speechless, and those words feel so simple, not big enough, for the gratitude I feel right back at all of you. Know that I am humbled by your support.
All of YOU have created the Sugarbush community. You have given me, this valley, every owner I have worked with since Damon Gadd, a lifetime of memories that continue to be shared over generations. It’s an amazing community that welcomed me with open arms. Together, we put Sugarbush on the world stage; we made a wonderful tripod - the mountain, the community, my small part on the leadership team - we were different. We had something other mountains didn’t - a launching pad for exploring the rest of the world and coming home to something just as great - and endless proof points both on and off the mountain in all four seasons of how we could “be better here.”
I wish Sugarbush only the best to come, mostly because of YOU - this amazing community - and of course the terrain, the mountain itself where I have spent my whole career. I hope to ski it again proudly someday. Until then, Sugarbush community, you’ve got this!... You only get one turn per turn to make that turn, otherwise you lose your turn with that turn. Just make the next turn.
I’ve been asked what’s next for me. I don’t know yet. Because it’s hard to find a home for a job that has never been just a job. But I know I can do hard. And I believe something beautiful will emerge. Feel free to keep in touch at feeltheturn.com and on social media. And hopefully I’ll see you out there this winter somehow, some way.

Stay safe and be well. With peace and love,
John Egan

rs=w:1280



rs=w:1280
 

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