Massanutten Resort Announces Hall of Fame Winners

Massanutten Resort, the premier all-season resort located in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, announced the six winners who will be inducted into its Hall of Fame on December 2, 2023 during its second Hall of Fame Dinner. Massanutten Resort invites guests to join a night filled with fun and celebration of the individuals that have made a lasting impact on the resort, community and winter sports.

“Our first Hall of Fame Dinner in 2021 was founded to honor our 50^th anniversary at Massanutten Resort, this year we will celebrate the next 50 years to come and the individuals who have and will continue to impact our community,” said Matthias Smith, executive vice president at Massanutten Resort. “We invite everyone to join us in a night of celebration of the individuals who have had a profound influence on our resort and the ski industry.”

Taking place at the Massanutten Conference Center, the Hall of Fame Dinner will celebrate the following individuals in the corresponding categories:

Industry Achievement Award

Recognizes an individual who has made specific contributions to the sport of winter skiing, snowboarding or winter sports through athletic performance, coaching or other significant contributions to the industry. This year’s Industry Achievement Award winners are:

• Mark Andrews: Mark is a pioneer leader in the adaptive sports industry. He is the founder and CEO of Therapeutic Adventures, Inc., a non-profit that has been providing unique adaptive programming and specialty therapeutic services in the outdoor sports industry for 40 years and has served on the Massanutten Ski Patrol since 1983. Through his work, Mark has provided the opportunity for adaptive sports to everyone interested and has helped over 3,750 adaptive athletes.
• Day Franzen: Day began his career at Massanutten in the 90s, where he managed the terrain park, which at that time, was one of only a few in the country. After graduating college, he moved out west to continue his career in terrain park management. Since then, he has impacted the industry through his collaborative approach to terrain park management and innovative terrain park designs, such as introducing jibs, like the c-box, that the industry had never seen before. Day currently owns and manages Kingvale Resort in California.

Community Impact Award

Honors someone who has made significant contributions to the growth and development of the resort and the surrounding community while balancing the quality of life for the region. This year’s Community Impact Award winners are:

• John McNair: John was the civil engineer involved with creating the construction plans at Massanutten Resort from the very beginning. He worked closely with J.L. Hopkins, helping his visions become reality. John was a renowned civil engineer in the city of Waynesboro and has worked on projects that have had great impacts on the local area. Prior to his engineering career, John served as an Infantry Officer for the U.S. Army and was Captain with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• Mak Koebig: Mak was an Infantry Officer in the Marine Corps for 21 years and then a business owner and President of Appalachian Structures, Inc., a custom homebuilding construction company before beginning his career at Massanutten Resort in 1996. He since has served the company in many management roles, including President of Peak Construction, Resort General Manager and Vice President, President of Great Eastern Provisions. A strong presence in the industry, Mak served as President and is now a Lifetime Director of both the Virginia & Shenandoah Builders Association, has served as Past National Area Chairman and Life Director at the National Association of Home Builders and is the past State President of the Home Builders Association of Virginia. Mak has had a profound impact on the growth of Massanutten’s timeshares, the employee organization structure and for pulling together a team of leaders that still guides the Resort today. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Massanutten’s parent company, The Resorts Companies.

Massanutten Champion Award

Recognizes an employee who has shown tireless leadership and made considerable contributions to the resort, the community and to the mountain sport industry as a whole. This year’s Massanutten Champion Award winners are:

• Sam Ukrop: Following his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, Sam Ukrop was a Massanutten ambassador through his work bringing thousands of people to the Resort and to the sport of skiing, and by promoting the Resort at the family supermarket. Through teaching and coaching his family as well as offering discounts to his customers and employees at Ukrop’s Supermarket in Richmond, VA- he shared his passion far and wide. Not only that, but he was one of the first owners in Grenoble Woods. 0
• Kenny Hess: Kenny Hess started his career at Massanutten Resort in 1980 to ski as much as possible while studying at James Madison University. This launched his career in ski area management, where he has had huge impacts on ski patrol employee and volunteer relationships and introduced safety and risk management as a priority. He has made significant changes to the Resort that paved the way for major growth, including the major ski area expansion currently underway and introduced safety and risk management as a priority. Outside of Massanutten, Kenny has made significant contributions to the National Ski Industry. Kenny served President of the Southeast Ski Area Association from 2007-2011 before becoming a NSAA Board Member from 2012-2018 where he was a part of the search committee for the current NSAA President and participated on a number of committees. Kenny currently serves as the Director of Sports and Risk Management at Massanutten where he has run the Resort’s ski operations for over 13 years.

In addition to honoring the inductees, the Hall of Fame Dinner, which includes a delectable meal from Shenandoah Provisions, will highlight the next 50 years at Massanutten Resort and the exciting improvements, major upgrades and expansion plans in place. In 2023 the resort will debut a high-speed chair lift, double black diamond trails, an expanded trail network and a mountain coaster set to open this summer. Proceeds from the silent auction held during the Hall of Fame induction will benefit the Massanutten Ski and Snowboard Team (MSST). The MSST is a 501c3 organization that promotes development and competition for youth skiers and snowboarders. MSST youth athletes participate in both alpine and freestyle events throughout the Southeast and Mid Atlantic with 12 members of the Freestyle team qualifying for the 2022 Nationals held at Copper Mountain, CO.

Guests are able to support Massanutten’s Ski and Snowboard team further with a table sponsorship. A table sponsorship includes a table for eight guests, eight drink tickets, verbal mention during the event and on any social posts and press releases and a logo displayed in the event slideshow and on the Hall of Fame website. Additionally, those who purchase a table sponsorship will enjoy a two-night stay at Massanutten Resort in a two-bedroom condo and eight combo passes for an activity like skiing, golfing, biking or to the WaterPark. Guests can purchase a table sponsorship for $1,200 per table.

In celebration of the Hall of Fame Dinner, Massanutten Resort will offer an exclusive lodging package for the weekend of November 30 through December 3, 2023. Guests can save 15% off one or more nights in any available lodging option, and as a special bonus, every package includes a complimentary ticket to the second Hall of Fame induction ceremony and dinner. Condos require a two-night minimum stay per resort policy.

About Massanutten Resort

Set on 6,000 acres of sprawling land in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Massanutten Resort is a premier all-season Resort destination that offers every type of traveler an unforgettable experience.  Outdoor enthusiasts and adventure buffs will enjoy Massanutten’s Mountain Bike Park, offering exciting jump trails for beginners and veteran riders alike, and hiking Massanutten’s Western Slope. For those seeking a relaxing escape, the Resort Spa delivers a wide menu of services including manicures, pedicures, detoxifying massages, and more. The Resort is a paradise for adventurous families, featuring an indoor/outdoor waterpark complete with a triple-jet FlowRider® Endless Wave, three escape rooms, the Family Adventure Park, and a petting zoo. Seasonal sports activities include two challenging 18-hole golf courses, skiing, ice skating, and snow tubing. Nothing works up an appetite like an active vacation and with 12 on-site dining options, showcasing variety from mouthwatering barbecue to campfire treats, Massanutten offers something for every taste, season, and occasion. At Massanutten Resort, there is something for everyone, all within reach – located just two hours from Washington, D.C., and 50 minutes from the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport.