THE appointment of Buller Ski Lifts’ incoming general manager was confirmed in April.
Noel Landry is now on the mountain where he is settling into a transitional role as assistant GM alongside Laurie Blampied as the resort readies for the looming winter season.
A keen skier, Mr Landry is originally from Ottawa Canada and spent two seasons as a lifty/ski patrol on British Columbia and a season in France.
Moving to Australia in 1993 after meeting his wife Heidi while riding a chairlift at Big White, they now have four children who all share a passion for snowsports.
He is delighted to be on mountain and seeing the season preparations coming together, meeting the team and getting to know the new alpine community he and his family have joined.
“Since starting a couple of weeks ago I’m really most impressed by Buller’s physical and social infrastructure on the mountain – the great village facilities, quality built environment and snow making equipment that is world class,” Mr Landry said.
“And the welcome and the passion to move forward as one community together, you can sense that after a tough year everyone is eager to get back to celebrating a sport and a way of life we all love and miss.”
Mr Landry brings deep experience and enthusiasm from an events and project management background which started back in 2000 at the Sydney Olympics.
He spent six years as chief executive officer for Beef Australia based out of Rockhampton, Queensland, and was responsible for delivering the world’s largest beef expo – Beef Week.
He then contributed to the Melbourne Grand Prix as the project director for several years leading the annual transformation of Albert Park into an accredited F1 race track.
In 2015 another car event took him to Canberra as CEO of the famous Summernats, a vibrant street machine festival that draws more than 100,000 enthusiasts to the capital each January.
Buller Ski Lifts will mark the changing of the guard after this snow season when general manager of 25 years, Laurie Blampied, will resume his retirement plans.
Mr Blampied was looking forward to retiring at the end of the 2020 winter season but put those plans on hold due to the COVID–19 pandemic.
Putting his retirement on hold he provided continuity and leadership for the mountain during the COVID pandemic response and an incredibly challenging time for the resort and Buller Ski Lifts.
But now retirement will happen at the end of the 2021 season.
Mr Blampied explained the succession plan was to appoint a new general manager for Buller Ski Lifts in April and for him to work with that person through this winter allowing them to get a strong hold on the reins before he handed them over towards the end of the year.
Mr Landry will step into the general manager role effective November 1.
