Vail Mountain has announced a major leadership change at the COO level. Beth Howard, Vice President and Vail Mountain COO since 2019, is retiring after a 41-year career that helped define the modern ski and hospitality experience across Vail Resorts‘ flagship mountains. Shaydar Edelmann has been named her successor, appointed Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
The announcement marks a significant leadership transition at one of the most high-profile resorts in North America.
Four Decades at the Mountain
Howard began her career in 1985 as a college intern in Food & Beverage at Beaver Creek Resort, Colorado. What started as a summer placement became a four-decade run that took her to the top of Vail Resorts’ operational hierarchy. She rose to lead companywide Food & Beverage as Vice President of Food & Beverage & Clubs, overseeing more than 100 restaurants and eight private clubs across all Vail Resorts mountains.
She went on to serve as General Manager of Northstar, California, where she earned the 2015 Ski Area Management SAMMY Leadership Award, before becoming Chief Operating Officer of Beaver Creek in 2016 and COO of Vail Mountain in 2019.
Her fingerprints are on much of what guests now take for granted at Vail Resorts properties. Howard pioneered cabin dining concepts at Beaver Creek, brought The 10th restaurant to life at Vail Mountain, created the Epic Mountain Burger, and helped shape signature experiences, including Beaver Creek Cookie Time, Mountaintop Champagne Töst at Northstar, and fresh strudel at Vail.
Her infrastructure legacy runs equally deep. Howard led the 2019 Vail Mountain Snowmaking Expansion, secured USFS approvals for McCoy Park at Beaver Creek, and advanced major lift upgrades, including Beaver Creek lift 5, and Vail Mountain lifts 7 and 17.
Throughout, Howard consistently used her platform to push for greater representation. She often spoke of her personal mission to “champion women leading ski resorts,” and her career opened doors for future generations of women across mountain operations and hospitality.
Jody Churich, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Destination Resorts at Vail Resorts, said that many of the guest experiences people look forward to today exist because Howard first imagined them.
Howard, a University of Northern Iowa graduate with a degree in Food & Nutrition and Business, called her four decades with the company the honor of her life and said she is excited for the next generation of leaders to carry the spirit of innovation forward.
Howard will lead Vail Mountain through the remainder of the current ski season, support the transition period, and then serve in an advisory capacity until her retirement in mid-October 2026.
A New Vail Mountain COO Takes the Reins
Edelmann brings more than 25 years of experience in the snow sports industry to the role. He is not a resort caretaker—his record suggests a builder.
Most recently, Vice President and General Manager of Heavenly Mountain Resort, Edelmann, oversaw the resort’s landmark 70th anniversary season, expanded year-round childcare for employees and the community, and grew summer operations to drive new year-round visitation.
Before Heavenly, Edelmann served as Vice President of Mountain Operations at Park City Mountain, the largest ski resort in the United States, guiding the resort through the COVID-19 pandemic and years of historic snowfall while contributing to chairlift optimization strategies across Vail Resorts.
His earlier career reads like a tour of California snow country. He started in competitions and events at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort before advancing through ski and ride school and skier services roles, eventually becoming Vice President of Operations at Boreal Mountain Resort, Soda Springs Mountain Resort, and Woodward Tahoe, where he helped establish California’s first recycled water snowmaking system and managed the construction and completion of the Woodward Tahoe facility.
Originally from Kaikōura, New Zealand, Edelmann grew up in outdoor adventure and was a member of the New Zealand Junior Surf Team before his career eventually took him to the Lake Tahoe region.
Churich said Edelmann’s entrepreneurial mindset and commitment to developing high-performing teams make him the right person to guide Vail Mountain into the future.
Edelmann said he is honored to join the team at a place that represents the very best of the company and the industry, and that he is committed to building on Vail’s legacy while embracing new ideas and innovation.
He currently serves on the boards of the Tahoe Fund, the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, and the Tahoe Destination Stewardship Council, and on the executive committee of Ski California, and he will bring that community focus to his new role in Vail.
