Bennett named president & COO of Deer Valley

Alterra Mountain Co., the owner of Deer Valley Resort, has named Todd Bennett as president and chief operating officer of the mountain recreation area near Park City, effective Aug. 1.

A hospitality and ski industry veteran, Bennett’s career has included stints with the Walt Disney Co. and Vail Mountain as well as the creation of the outdoor publishing firm Open Road Ski Co.{mprestriction ids="1,3"}

Bennett spent nearly two decades at the Walt Disney Co., most recently serving as executive director of product. In that role, he led a team of executives and planners charged with growing and optimizing the merchandise, food and beverage, space planning and the digital guest experience at Disneyland in California. He had a number of other positions with Disney where he was responsible for developing the vision, strategy and execution for the business serving millions of guests each year.

Bennett began his career in the ski industry in 1999 in Colorado, spending several years at Vail Mountain overseeing resort operations, staffing and guest relations, with a focus on raising customer service scores. His passion for ski and the outdoors led him to co-found an artist-focused Open Road Ski Co., a direct-to-consumer publishing business that works closely with ski map artist James Niehues.

“Deer Valley Resort is a beloved and revered Utah resort with a legacy of service to its employees and guests. Todd is the natural leader to be at the helm of bringing Deer Valley into its next era, while honoring the legacy of this special place,” said Mark Brownlie, chief operating officer of Alterra Mountain. “Todd has an impressive background in developing and leading guest-centric teams by focusing on the overall employee experience and culture. His vision to blend legendary experiences only found at Deer Valley with new and innovative offerings ahead, plus his love of the mountains, is an ideal match for a resort that is committed to setting the bar for excellence in guest experiences.”

In his new position, Bennett will oversee Deer Valley’s daily operations and place a priority on enhancing the guest experience to reinvigorate the “Deer Valley Difference,” the company said. Bennett will immediately focus on the Snow Park base area redevelopment.

“I am thrilled at the opportunity to bring my experience in destination operations and service to Deer Valley Resort and contribute to the ‘Deer Valley Difference’ that makes this place so special,” said Bennett. “I have long loved the mountains and the history of the ski industry and am honored to join this community and be a part of its future.”

Based in Denver, Alterra Mountain owns and operates 15 resorts in six U.S. states and three Canadian provinces.{/mprestriction}