TL;DR
Vail Mountain has announced a leadership change at the top, with Beth Howard retiring after 41 years and Shaydar Edelmann stepping in as the new Chief Operating Officer. Howard's career shaped much of what Vail Resorts looks like today - from signature dining to major lift upgrades. Edelmann arrives with 25 years in the snow sports industry, most recently running Heavenly Mountain Resort, and a CV that stretches across California and back to New Zealand.
Vail Mountain is getting a new boss, with Beth Howard stepping down after four decades and Shaydar Edelmann taking over as COO.
Vail Resorts has confirmed a major leadership shift at its flagship Colorado resort. Beth Howard, who has served as Vice President and COO of Vail Mountain since 2019, is retiring after a 41-year career. Shaydar Edelmann has been appointed as her replacement.
For anyone who's skied Vail or followed its operations, this is a notable changing of the guard at one of North America's most prominent resorts.
Beth Howard's 41 years at Vail Resorts
Howard's career started in 1985 as a college intern in food and beverage at Beaver Creek Resort. That internship turned into a run that spanned four decades and took her through virtually every level of Vail Resorts' operations.
She rose to Vice President of Food & Beverage & Clubs, overseeing more than 100 restaurants and eight private clubs across the company's resort portfolio. She then moved into resort management as General Manager of Northstar in California, where she picked up the 2015 Ski Area Management SAMMY Leadership Award, before becoming COO of Beaver Creek in 2016 and then Vail Mountain in 2019.
