USSA Mourns Loss of Longtime Official
PARK CITY, UT (Nov. 18, 2015) – The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) is mourning the loss of one of its veteran officials and leaders. Bob Dart, 64, passed away from a reported heart attack on Nov. 17 while working on the mountain at Winter Park Resort where he served as director of mountain maintenance. UPDATE: A celebration of Bob's life will be held beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6 at Winter Park's West Portal Station. His family is suggesting donations in his name to the Winter Park Sports Education Foundation, which he helped to establish.
“As both a volunteer and a ski area professional, Bob was the quintessential USSA supporter, dedicating much of his life to serving athletes as a competition official, mountain manager, committee leader and technical delegate,” said USSA President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “His vast experience and wisdom will be missed. He embraced the USSA wholeheartedly early in his career at Winter Park, and was tireless in his work for athletes and support of alpine ski racing.”
A native of Southern California, Bob moved to Denver in the mid ‘70s. He began his 37-year tenure at Winter Park in 1978, starting on race crew and quickly moving into a management role at the Winter Park Competition Center. He rose through the company to become director of mountain maintenance.
He began his USSA career on the Rocky Mountain Division Board as well as serving as commissioner of the USSA’s Great American Ski Chase cross country ski marathon series in the ‘80s. In 1989, he began a long career as a FIS technical delegate, which saw him serve as TD for the 2005 World Championships in Bormio as well as the 2011 Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuehel, among many other assignments.
As a volunteer committee and board leader, he served 16 years as head of USSA Rocky Mountain Division Board and led the FIS NorAm Cup subcommittee for nearly two decades, alternating with Canadians. He was on the USSA Board of Directors from 1992-97 and again from 2005-14, when he also played a vital role in the McKinsey Study, which has helped change the face of USSA governance.
In his role at Winter Park Resort, he oversaw over a dozen U.S. Championship events and played an important role in bringing the U.S. Alpine Championships together with the NASTAR National Championships.
Over the years he received many of the USSA’s top service awards including the John Clair Award (service to U.S. Ski Team), Bud and Mary Little Award (service to FIS), Westhaven Award (service as technical delegate) and Paul Bacon Award (service to event organization).
BOB DART CAREER SUMMARY
Current Roles
Director Mountain Maintenance, Winter Park Resort
Chairman, FIS Committee for Alpine Skiing - Intercontinental Cups
Chairman, FIS Subcommittee for Nor-Am Cup
Member, Alpine Sport Committee (since at least 1999)
Member, USSA Awards Working Group
Member, USSA Rocky Mountain Division Board
Career
2005-2014 - Alpine Skiing Representative, USSA Board of Directors
1990-present - Member, USSA Alpine Sport Committee
1993-present - Member, FIS NorAm Committee
1992-97 - Member, USSA Board of Directors
1990-2006 - President, USSA Rocky Mountain Division
1989-present - FIS Technical Delegate
1983-present - Board member, USSA Rocky Mountain Division
1980s - Commissioner, USSA Great American Ski Chase
1978-present - Winter Park Resort (started on race crew; took over leadership of Comp Center in 1982)
1977 - Moved to Winter Park
1975 - Moved from Southern California to Denver
Key Accomplishments
Early commissioner of the USSA Great American Ski Chase (cross country ski marathon series)
Managed over a dozen USSA national championships in alpine and freestyle
Played pivotal role with USSA’s McKinsey study
Leadership role as longstanding competition official and technical delegate regionally, nationally and internationally.
Leadership role for NorAm Cup within International Ski Federation
Technical Delegate, Audi FIS Ski World Cup, Kitzbuehel, Schladming, Lake Louise, Panorama and others
2005 - Technical Delegate, Men, FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, Bormio
Honors
2011 - USSA John Clair Award (recognizing service to U.S. Ski Team)
2007 - USSA Bud and Mary Little Award (recognizing service to FIS/USOC)
2006 - USSA Westhaven Award (recognizing USSA/FIS TD)
1992 - USSA Paul Bacon Award (recognizing service to USSA events)