European rodelling isn’t something you’re likely to see at Whistler any time soon.
“These guys, they go up to the top of the mountain there, and have a fondue, and drink Schnapps, and take these sleds from the top to the bottom,” said Dave Brownlie, laughing. “In North America, because of liability and those things, you absolutely would not want to do that.”
Liquor-fuelled high-speed mountain runs aside, the president and CEO of Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc. (TSX:WB) is the first to admit that if he sees a great idea that would work for his resort, he’s going to be the first person to steal it.
It stems from a philosophy that there is always something to be learned from travel. Visiting many major ski resorts in North America, Europe and Japan – and experiencing the varying cultures, activities and offerings at each – has allowed Brownlie to shape the expansion of an ever-evolving Whistler, the largest four-season mountain resort in North America.
“That is one of the things that gives me perspective on what a true gem we have here at Whistler Blackcomb,” Brownlie said. “People who have grown up in the Lower Mainland, they think this is normal. It truly is a world-class experience that we have here.”
Growing up in Burnaby, Brownlie got into skiing in high school, a pastime he eventually fell in love with after university.
There were trips to Whistler from time to time, but it wasn’t skiing that led him to the mountain more permanently – it was an audit.
After achieving his chartered accountant designation, Brownlie articled with a firm that would later become part of KPMG, and got himself on the Blackcomb audit.
“I was able to come up and work at Blackcomb doing the audit for a couple years, and actually that’s when a job came open and I was able to kind of convince them that they needed to hire me,” he said. He started as the company’s director of finance in 1989, later serving as its vice-president of finance and corporate development before becoming president in 2007. He became CEO in 2012.
“Quite frankly, I didn’t really feel there was going to be much change when I went from one role to the next, but it truly was different, and I felt different, and it was a little intimidating at first,” he said. “I quickly got over it – you have to. You have to very quickly get over it. You know everybody’s watching you to set the tone, lead the company.”
Across his several roles with the company, Brownlie has led the resort in many ways. He helped steer the integration of Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain operations, he was highly involved in all stages of hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics in Whistler, and he helped prepare the company for its IPO on the Toronto Stock Exchange, a challenge he said was “tremendous fun” though highly stressful.
Now, after the resort’s $1.4 billion purchase by U.S.-based global mountain resort operator Vail Resorts Inc. (NYSE:MTN), Brownlie is looking to make Whistler Blackcomb the No. 1 mountain resort in the world.
It’s an ambitious endeavour, outlined in the resort’s $345 million long-term plan. An indoor four-season adventure centre, an outdoor adventure park with non-skiing activities, an indoor action sports complex and other developments in accommodation and site improvements are all slated for Whistler, with Brownlie leading the way.
“You have to continue to be proactive, you have to continue to innovate, you have to continue to expand your market appeal because it is competitive out there,” Brownlie said. “It’s always ‘What’s new? What’s next?’ Well, Whistler is usually kind of leading the way.”
For Brownlie, a 2016 recipient of Business in Vancouver’s BC CEO Awards, the changes aren’t just about building a financially stronger or more attractive Whistler, nor is it just about engaging new market segments or hedging against the effects of climate change. It’s also about contributing to the Whistler community, and about enhancing the cultural experience offered by the resort beyond skiing and snowboarding, and expanding opportunities for dining and four-season activities.
“People ultimately choose to be here,” he said. “It’s not like a whole bunch of people grew up here and lived here and their fathers lived here and their grandfathers lived here. I mean people choose to be in this place because of all the amazing things that you can enjoy here recreationally. That’s exciting.” •
Join us to celebrate this year’s honourees at the 2016 BC CEO Awards November 1, 2016, hosted at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel. For tickets and event info, visit www.biv.com/ceo.
