Former Aspen Skiing Co. leader Maynard dies at 93

ASPEN » Bob Maynard, who ran Aspen Skiing Co. during an era of great changes between 1988 and 1996, died at his home on Orcas Island, Wash., this month at age 93.

Maynard died of natural causes in his sleep on Nov. 11, said Randall Gaylord, the San Juan County coroner and a family friend of the Maynards.

Aspen Skiing Co. officials past and present are mourning their former leader’s passing. John Norton, who was a former marketing executive and second in command recruited by Maynard in the early 1990s, said this week he enjoyed working for Maynard and the flexibility he provided to his staff.

“He gave me complete freedom to be as radical as was warranted,” Norton said.

He recalled that he was assigned to the ski school while there was a unionization effort underway in the mid- 1990s.

“Bob directed me to please ‘ beat the New Jersey longshoremen, but, more important, help the school develop into the best the world has ever seen.’ That’s a real quote,” Norton said. “That’s how he thought.”

Norton, now a resident of Crested Butte, said Maynard left his imprint on the company.

“Bob’s leadership is very much felt at the company today,” he said.

As an example, current Skico president and CEO

Mike Kaplan rose through the ranks of the Ski Schools of Aspen during Maynard’s tenure. Rich Burkley, the current senior vice president of strategic planning, was brought over from accounting to operations during Maynard’s time.

Katie Ertl, now senior vice president of mountain operations, was given an opportunity at leadership of the ski schools. Numerous people helped with the transformation of the ski school and, with it, a transformation of the company, according to Norton.

“Look where Mike, Rich and Katie are today. That’s all Bob,” Norton said. “His leadership lives on.”

Maynard took over at a tumultuous time. Jerry Blann abruptly left the company in 1987 after a community uproar over Skico’s lift ticket and pass pricing. Blann felt he didn’t have the backing of the ownership when the backlash hit.

Maynard was recruited by the Crown family and took the reins of the company on Jan. 1, 1988. He unabashedly pursued branding Aspen as an elite ski resort. When asked by a reporter at the time if Skico’s upscaling posed a risk of alienating the middleclass tourists who had been the bread- and- butter customer for so long, Maynard replied, “Mass follows class.”

Maynard was not afraid of ruffling feathers while in pursuit of his vision for Aspen Skiing Co. He butted heads with environmentalists and some local elected officials over the expansion of Snowmass ski area onto Burnt Mountain.

Early in his career he worked at Yosemite National Park managing Wawona Hotel, one of the first hotels in a national park. He ascended to the position of vice president of operations at Yosemite Park and Curry Co. He also spent three years at Jackson Lake Lodge. He later was appointed as an assistant director of the National Park Service in Washington, D. C.

He left the Park Service in 1973 to serve as president and CEO of Keystone Resort, a new resort then a division of the Ralston Purina Co. He oversaw its operations and expansion for 13 years. Under his guidance, Keystone went from 50,000 skier visits to more than 1 million per season. He left to be president and CEO of Sundance Enterprises at Sundance, Utah.

He was lured to Aspen while the Crowns coowned Aspen Skiing Co. with Marvin Davis- 20th Century Fox. The Crowns bought out Davis while Maynard was at the helm.

Maynard was inducted into the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1993.

Maynard and his wife, Nancy, relocated to Orcas Island after his retirement. Nancy preceded him in death by several years, said Gaylord, a family friend for about 25 years.

The Maynards have two daughters, Katy and Suzy Maynard, and several grandchildren.