Andrew Wirth

Andrew Wirth
Born (1963-07-25) 25 July 1963 (age 61)
Neubrücke, West Germany
EducationBachelor of Science
Alma materColorado State University
Occupation(s)CEO
Philanthropist

Andrew "Andy" Wirth (born 25 July 1963) is an American businessman and philanthropist who works in the mountain resort and hotel industry.[1][2] He was most recently the president and CEO of Squaw Valley Ski Holdings, the parent company of Palisades Tahoe and Alpine Meadows ski resorts in Olympic Valley, CA until 2018.[3][4] He is also the grandson of former US National Park Service Director Conrad Wirth and the great grandson of Theodore Wirth.[5]

Wirth has worked in the mountain resort and hotel industry for 25 years.[6] He began his career with Steamboat Springs Resort in 1986 and served several different marketing and leadership positions at the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation and its parent companies.[4] In 2007, Wirth was appointed the chief marketing officer and executive vice president of Intrawest, which acquired Steamboat in 2007.[7] In 2010, Wirth left Steamboat to serve as the President and CEO of Palisades Tahoe, taking over for former CEO Nancy Cushing.[4]

Wirth is a recipient of multiple community service and professional awards including the Chairman's Outstanding Service Award from the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Board of Trustees, Steamboat Springs Business Leader of the Year Award and made the HSMAI Top 25 Minds in Hospitality and Travel Sales and Marketing list.[8][9] In 2014, he was recognized as Citizen of the Year by Disabled Sports USA[10] and received the Community Five Award.[11]

In October 2013, Wirth's right arm was torn off and surgically reattached, as a result of a skydiving accident in Lodi, California.[12][13] Steamboat Today chronicled his accident and recovery and his connection with Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder.[14][15]

Wirth was the Fall 2014 commencement speaker at the graduation ceremony for Colorado State University's Warner College of Natural Resources.[16] In January 2016, Wirth was named the Chairman and President of Reno-Tahoe Regional Air Service Corporation.[17] He is also a former board of directors member at Capital Public Radio, an NPR affiliate in the Sacramento area.[18]

In March 2020, Wirth joined NEOM, a giga project in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as the CEO Mountain Region.[19] NEOM was announced by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017. The project has been the subject of a number of controversies including bin Salman's implication in the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, and the 2020 attempt to evict the Howeitat Tribe from their historic homeland to make way for the development of Neom.[20]

  1. ^ "Rather Than Hit the Road, He Hits the Trails". The Wall Street Journal.
  2. ^ "Board of Directors". Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  3. ^ "Squaw Valley's CEO, Andy Wirth, Looks Forward to New Era". 7x7 Magazine. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  4. ^ a b c "Andy Wirth named CEO of Squaw Valley". Steamboat Today. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  5. ^ "Conversations with Hilary Andy Wirth". 7 February 2013.
  6. ^ "Tahoe Fund Board of Directors". Tahoe Fund. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  7. ^ "Intrawest names Andy Wirth Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer". Intrawest. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference TW was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "HSMAI Announces The Top 25 Minds in Hospitality And Travel Sales And Marketing". HSMAI. Archived from the original on 16 December 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  10. ^ "Disabled Sports USA Far West names Wirth Citizen of the Year". Tahoe Daily Tribune. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  11. ^ "Community Five Award 2014 Andy Wirth". The 5-1-1. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  12. ^ "Squaw Valley CEO Andy Wirth Injures Arm in Skydiving Accident". CBS Sacramento. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  13. ^ "Squaw Valley CEO recovering from near-death experience". NBC News4 Nevada. 20 May 2014. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference steamboat was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Melissa Siig. "Lucky to Be Alive, Squaw's Andy Wirth is Back at Work". Moonshine Ink. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  16. ^ "Commencement Speakers – Colorado State University". Archived from the original on 10 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  17. ^ Announcements (11 January 2016). "SQUAW'S WIRTH NAMED CHAIR OF REGIONAL AIR SERVICE COMMITTEE". Sierra Sun. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  18. ^ "Board of Directors". www.capradio.org. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  19. ^ "Linkedin".
  20. ^ "Saudi tribe challenges crown prince's plans for tech city". BBC News. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.