Vail Resorts, Inc. is reporting that company CEO Kirsten Lynch has stepped down from her leadership role and as Board director. Current Executive Chair and former CEO Rob Katz is returning to the role of CEO of the company.
Vail Resorts promoted Lynch to CEO in April 2021. She will remain in an advisory role for an interim period to facilitate a smooth transition.
Katz will continue to serve as the chairperson of the Board, which comprises 11 directors.
Katz previously served as CEO of Vail Resorts beginning in February 2006, was appointed chairperson of the Board of Directors in March 2009 and served in both roles until November 2021, at which point he was appointed executive chairperson. He previously served as lead director of Vail Resorts from June 2003 until he was appointed CEO. Katz has served on the company’s Board since 1996 and has been involved with the company since 1991.
“I want to thank Kirsten for her leadership over the past three and a half years; she has set us up for the next phase of growth, and I look forward to building upon that work,” offered Katz.
Lynch joined Vail Resorts in 2011 as chief marketing officer and previously held senior leadership roles at PepsiCo and Kraft Foods. Lynch is a member of the board of directors of Stitch Fix, Inc., and, in 2019, was named to Forbes CMO Next list.
“It has been an experience of a lifetime to serve 14 years on the executive team at Vail Resorts, including more than three years as CEO,” Lynch commented. “I want to share my sincerest appreciation to all our talented team members for their passion for our mountains, our guests and our communities. I also have deep gratitude to Bruce, Rob, the entire Board, and our executive team for their partnership.”
Katz commented, “It is an honor to step back into the role of CEO of Vail Resorts, and it is a privilege to lead the incredible people who make our resorts and our company so special. I remain as passionate about Vail Resorts, the sport of skiing and snowboarding, and this industry as when I first became CEO nearly two decades ago. While the environment and the company itself have changed, what remains the same is our deep-rooted commitment to all our stakeholders, including to our team members, our truly unique mountain resorts, and the communities we serve, as well as to our culture of innovation and constant improvement.”
Bruce Sewell, the lead independent director of the Board, stated that the Board believes “now is the right time for this leadership transition” as Vail Resorts continues to execute its strategic priorities and transformational initiatives.
“Rob has a strong track record of driving innovation and executing consistent performance at Vail Resorts and has played a critical role in the development of Vail Resorts’ operations and long-term strategy for over the past three decades,” Sewell noted. “Rob’s 16 years as CEO included reinvigorating the company during times of industry stagnation and challenging macro environments. We look forward to continuing to work closely with him to ensure that Vail Resorts consistently delivers for our employees, guests, communities, and shareholders as the worldwide ski industry leader.”
Sewell continued, “We are incredibly grateful for Kirsten’s leadership and contributions over her 14-year career with Vail Resorts, including driving transformational growth of the Epic Pass, stewarding the business through unprecedented challenges, and driving meaningful investments in innovation to position Vail Resorts for future success.”
Before becoming CEO of Vail Resorts, Katz was associated with Apollo Management L.P., a private equity investment firm, since its founding in 1990. Katz is a founder and board member of the Katz Amsterdam Foundation, which has a long-standing track record of collaborating with mountain communities to enhance access to mental and behavioral healthcare. Katz serves on the Board of Directors of Yeti Holdings, Inc. and the Wharton Leadership Advisory Board. He has previously served on numerous private, public and non-profit boards.
Fiscal 2025 Outlook and Spring Pass Sales
For fiscal 2025, Vail Resorts reaffirmed the guidance outlook it provided in its April 24, 2025 metrics release and expects Resort Reported EBITDA for fiscal 2025 to be in the lower half of the guidance range issued on March 10, 2025, excluding the one-time costs related to the CEO transition.
Vail Resorts also noted that early-season pass sales results through the May 26, 2025 pass deadline remain consistent with the trends the company provided in its April 24, 2025, metrics release.
Vail Resorts is a network of global ski resorts, including Vail Mountain, Breckenridge, Park City Mountain, Whistler Blackcomb, Stowe, and 32 additional resorts across North America, as well as Andermat-Sedrun and Crans-Montana Mountain Resort in Switzerland, and Perisher, Hotham, and Falls Creek in Australia. The company also operates over 250 retail and rental locations across North America.
Images courtesy Vail Resorts, Inc.
