Skip to main content
Add Me To Your Mailing List
HomeAward: Bill Mackey
Background Image URL //s3.amazonaws.com/ClubExpressClubFiles/623165/graphics/banner2_901973943.jpg

Far West Bill Mackey Industry Award...

Bill Mackey’s interest and love of the mountains manifested itself early in his youth, exploring the High Sierra trails. In the summer, he expanded his knowledge of geology and nature.
With the first snow cover, however, Bill was ready to head for the ski slopes. As an experienced skier, his interest was divided between competitive racing, ski instruction and professional patrolling.

In the spring of 1970, he experienced the thrill of racing during a Lange Ski Race Camp at Mammoth conducted by Jimmie Heuga.

Bill turned 21 soon afterward, making him old enough to start work as a full-time professional ski patrolman at Mammoth under the capable direction of John Garner.

In the autumn of 1970, his enthusiasm mounted as his skill in skiing and rescue work developed rapidly. A few weeks later, however, he met with a tragic non-skiing accident that brought his career to an abrupt end.

The Bill Mackey Award is given for outstanding service to the skiing public by a ski industry or ski area employee. This award may be received more than once but not in consecutive years. Recipients must be full-time employee in the ski industry or related industry and can not be a FWSA board member; trustee or appointed chairperson.

Year Awardee Ski Resort / Industry
2024  Sara Clemons Sports America Tours
2023
Omar Fricke
Sean McErlean
Bogus Basin Ski Patrol
Holidaze Ski Tours
2022 Michael J Ballingall Big White 
2021 Kevin Bracken
Sun Valley
2020
No award  
2019 Larry Young Steamboat
2018 Sandy Gaudette SKiGroup.net
2017 John Douglas Nancy Greene's Cahility Hotel & Suites
2016 Katie Balkwill Big White Ski Resort
2015 Ann Cook Mt. Bachelor
2014 Jason Forrest Whitefish
2013 Brandon Bang Big Sky
2012 Bob Bourquard Mt. Bachelor
2011 Bob Salerno Virtual Snow
2010 Brian Flickinger Vail Resorts
2009 Mary Manning Aspen Skiing Company
2008 Cyd Heatherly Snowbasin
2007 Patrick Rothe ski.com
2006 Kris McKinnon Aspen Skiing Company
2005 Mark Thoreson Sun Valley
2004 Karen Schneider Steamboat
2003 Tammie Anstedt Vail Resorts / Heavenly Valley
2002 Jim Loyd Big White Ski Resort
2001 John Frasca Central Holidays— A Far & Wide Company
2000 Don Beaulieu Sunshine Village
1999 Jean Louis Villiot Mammoth Mountain
1999 Sandy Best Lake Louise
1998 Mary Evans Aspen Skiing Company
1997 Joe Pettit Northstar-at-Tahoe
1996 Steve Orchin Canadian Pacific Hotels
1995 Brent Boblitt Northstar-at-Tahoe
1994 Brad Wilson Bear Mtn. Ski Resort
1993 Julie Maurer & Mike Blide Northstar-at-Tahoe
1992 Elise Waddell Mammoth Mounain Race Department
1991 Jerry Simon SkiGroup
1990 Jim Mott Squaw Valley USA
1989 Marilyn Branch Coonskin Inn
1988 Mark Phillips Mt. Reba/Bear Valley
1987 John Armstrong Mammoth Mountain
1986 Bob Settineri & Ron Roesch Sierra Productions South, "Mogul Mike"
1985 Randy Fahrbach Purgatory Ski Resort
1984 Nick Hudson Heavenly Valley
1983 Chuck Morse Salomon On-Campus Learn-to-Ski Program
1982 Jim Catlin Mammoth Ski Tour Center
1982 Ueli Luthi Mammoth Race Department (USST Coach)
1981 Mitch Vlad Canadian Gov’t Office of Tourism
1980 Harry Leonard Ski Show Company
1979 Bob Bergstrom Sports, Ltd.
1978 Chuck Morse Mountain High
1977 Chuck Morse Mountain High
1977 Jack Hardy Tahoe Hyatt Hotel
1976 Bill Boardman Squaw Valley USA
1975 Dick Parent High Sierra Reservations
1974 Knut Waarli Cal-Nordic Institute
1973 Peter Brinkman Mt. Reba/Bear Valley
1972 John Garner Mammoth Ski Patrol



Information
Eileen Sanford
Far West Service Awards Chair
858-761-6192 [c]



Bob Bourquard
Mt. Bachelor (2012)




Jim Loyd
Big White (2002)




Mary Manning
Aspen / Snowmass (2009)




Tammie Anstedt
Vail / Heavenly (2003)




John Frasca
Crentral Holidays (2001)