Alterra Mountain Company has hired Diane Neville as chief people officer (CPO) and Will Forbes as president and chief operating officer, Experiences Division.
“We are very excited to add these talented leaders to crucial roles within our growing company. They will each have a direct impact on our employees and guests,” said Jared Smith, president & CEO. “Diane and Will both bring years of experience in their fields and will greatly impact the continued success of Alterra Mountain Company.”
As Chief People Officer, Neville will be “instrumental in shaping and executing the company’s people strategy, driving key initiatives to attract, develop, and retain top talent.” With over 20 years of experience in Human Resources, she reporedly brings “deep expertise in the hospitality and F&B industries.”
Most recently, Neville was the CPO at Shake Shack Enterprises, where she built a “robust employee infrastructure and developed policies and practices to support the company’s growth across its 550-plus global locations.” Before that, she led national HR strategies and workforce development at P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, McKesson Corporation, Fender Musical Instruments, and AON Corporation, focused on recruitment, employee relations, HR technologies, leadership development, engagement, and compliance.
“I’m thrilled to join the team at Alterra Mountain Company and contribute to their ongoing efforts to provide the best employee experience in the industry,” said Neville. “I look forward to bringing fresh, innovative ideas to further nurture the incredible culture that has been built at each of our destinations, as well as within the Denver team.”
Will Forbes will oversee a division Alterra’s adventure hospitality operations division, which includes the company’s heli-skiing operations, CMH Heli-Skiing and Summer Adventures and Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing (MWHS), both located in British Columbia, Canada. Forbes is responsible for creating “an innovative vision and strategy for growing Alterra’s adventure travel portfolio, while building new capabilities to be leveraged across both CMH and MWHS,” Alterra said in a media release.
A lifelong snowboarder, Forbes, originally from Toronto, has over 20 years of experience with global operations and strategy, with a “deep focus on luxury travel with world-class brands including Four Seasons and Kensington Tours.” Before that, he held various strategy and marketing roles at consumer brands, including Heineken and Molson Coors.
“Heli-skiing is a highly-specialized operation, and Alterra is home to two of the premier outfits in the world with CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures and Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing. I very much look forward to working with this team of passionate professionals to continue to offer the best guest experiences possible, while building on the legacy of the operations to expand and evolve Alterra’s position in the adventure travel space,” said Forbes.
Images courtesy Alterra Mountain Company, Diane Neville, Will Forbes
