WV Snow Sports Museum Inducts Joe Stevens Into The Class Of 2021 Hall Of Fame
Ski South East
The West Virginia Snow Sports Museum was founded two years ago now and I am proud to say that myself and SkiSoutheast.com were one of (18) charter members. Their first Hall of Fame class (the Class of 2020) included such WV icons as Robert and Anita Barton, Dr. Thomas Brigham, Whitegrass’ Chip Chase, Snowshoe’s Ed Galford and others.
The 2021 Hall of Fame Inductees is a smaller class, but no less iconic as it includes David Faunce, Ed Filler, Phil Firl, James “Chief” Haas, Fred Soltow, Jr, Ed Worden and our own SkiSoutheast.com columnists (and friend), Joe Stevens.
You can catch up on the bios and achievements of the entire Class of 2021 here.
We have high regards for all of this year’s inductees, but today we will feature our buddy, Joe Stevens.
The WV Snow Sports Museum bio refers to Joe as:
Innovator and Leader in West Virginia Snow Sports. Media Leader – Editor, Reporter, Author and a Creator in all media-related positions.
I would add something that I have shared with many industry leaders in the region.
If I were starting up or taking over a ski resort anywhere in the region, Joe Stevens would be the first person I’d hire.
Joe Stevens has been involved in the ski industry since 1985 when he took his first ski lesson at Massanutten Ski Resort in Virginia. Joe was a radio reporter/anchor for the Virginia News Network in Richmond. His newfound passion for skiing convinced him to produce the “Ski Today” radio show on the network, which promoted skiing in Virginia and West Virginia.
Joe while at Snowshoe Mountain.
In 1990, Snowshoe Mountain Resort hired Joe as the Public Relations Manager and Communications Director. A role he held for 16 seasons. One of Joe’s most successful contributions to Snowshoe and West Virginia skiing was convincing Snowshoe management to purchase a satellite news uplink truck, which presented Snowshoe and West Virginia skiing to the nation and continues to do so.
Joe was proud of the relationship he had with the Weather Channel. Their meteorologists would call him often, checking on the snow conditions at Snowshoe. He frequently hosted Weather Channel events at Snowshoe. These efforts presented Snowshoe as a viable ski option in the southeast, indirectly introducing the entire state ski industry, highlighting our big mountains and generous snowfalls. Joe understood how important it was to get the weather word out about West Virginia mountains. As the Director of Sales at Snowshoe, Joe was passionate about promoting the West Virginia Ski industry to the nation.
Since 2005, he has served as the Executive Director of the West Virginia Ski Areas Association. A role that allows him to do what he truly enjoys. Showcasing West Virginia Skiing.
Other Recognitions:
Recipient of the U.S. ski industry’s SAMY award in 2000 by Ski Area Management Magazine. The award highlights leaders in the ski industry nationally.
Communications Person of the Year, WV Tourism, 1999.
Communications Person of the Year, Public Relations Society of American, WV Chapter, 2004.
Bob & Anita Barton Award in 2020, in recognition of dedication and promotion of the skiing industry in West Virginia.
Learned to snowboard in 1997 on the suggestion by Southeast Snowboard Reps, so that part of the industry would have a PR person involved in the growing side of the industry.
Author of Snow News Is Good News column on skisoutheast.com from 2006 – present. The column highlights matters related to the ski industry in the southeast.
Joe has been one of the driving forces in making the West Virginia Ski industry great. He is passionate about west Virginia Skiing. Joe presents the industry positively, in both good and bad times …and I would add that he’s done the same for the entire Southeast and mid-Atlantic region promoting and hosting Ski & Snowboard Media Weekends at Snowshoe Mountain and Wisp Resort in Maryland.
That is how I was introduced to Joe Stevens. I was early in my years of promoting SkiNC.com and he called me one day and we struck up a conversation that went much longer than either he or I probably planned to talk. At one point in the conversation he stated, “Mike if you ever want to sell me some advertising space on your website, I read it everyday and would love to support it.”
I said, “Why not?” …to which he responded, “You’re kidding. You’d let me advertise a West Virginia resort on your website?”
I repeated, “Why not?”
He then asked me what I was doing that weekend as Snowshoe Mountain and Joe were already hosting a media weekend mostly for traditional media outlets. He invited us at the last second and we attended that first one along with Jim Cantore & Paul Goodloe of THE WEATHER CHANNEL, Joe Murgo of WTAJ in Pennsylvania and dozens of others.
It was shortly after that when Ober Gatlinburg’s Kathy Doyle (and at the prompting of Joe Stevens) that we branched out to cover all of the ski resorts of the Southeast and mid-Atlantic. So as you can see, Joe was influential to me as well.
Congratulations to Joe Stevens. We’re proud of you dude and glad you’re a part of our team and someone who I call a friend.
Interesting to read about Joe Stevens finally getting recognized by the WV Snow Sports Museum for the Class of 2021, after all those years documenting and promoting skiing in the region. It makes you appreciate how one person's dedication can keep a whole community's history alive. I was reading this on a slow afternoon while taking a break, and it reminded me of how I usually unwind with a few rounds of Game bài đổi thưởng in my free time, I had heard the name Sunwin mentioned before when a friend was talking about casual games. Anyway, the induction seems well deserved and the museum's effort to preserve these stories is really valuable.
The fringe detail immediately makes this feel more hands-on than a general sewing project. I can imagine the bag changing character with every row of fringe, especially when the material moves while being worn. That practical combination of construction and decoration is what makes the topic interesting. I have come across 123b when people mention relaxing games during quiet breaks, and the word fringe brings back a similar idea of small repetitive actions that can be satisfying in their own way. The tutorial seems to value both preparation and the final visual effect, which is a solid balance.
Bài viết này không hề nói nhiều về thành tích bằng cách nói về con người phía sau. Tính khiêm tốn ở đoạn cuối khiến phần vinh danh bớt xa xôi. Mình đọc chậm ở đoạn nhắc những người cùng thời và cách họ nhìn Joe Stevens, vì đó là lúc bài thành lời cảm ơn chứ không chỉ danh sách. Dì mình từng nói Go88 khi cả họ chờ tới lượt vào một hội trường, bà bảo thời trẻ mấy người quen cũng chơi vài ván rồi dứt vì bận việc, không ai nghĩ ngợi nhiều. Câu đó chẳng liên quan trực tiếp tới bài, nhưng cái kiểu nhớ người hơn nhớ hạng mục thì giống nhau.
Bài về Joe Stevens cho thấy phần thưởng đôi khi chỉ là cách một cộng đồng nói lời cảm ơn. Mình không am hiểu lịch sử trượt tuyết nhiều, nên đọc tới đoạn liệt kê đóng góp thì phải đọc lại cho bình. Đời sống giải trí của mình quen hơn với những buổi tối mở vài trang web lên xem cho đỡ buồn, chẳng hạn từng thấy cái tên 7m: trong nhóm game bài đổi thưởng, dù chưa dùng gì. Nó xuất hiện như một mốc nhắc nhở rằng mình hay chuyển kênh khi bí đề tài. Sau bài này, mình thấy ấn tượng nhất là việc một người được ghi nhận vì đã nâng đỡ cả cộng đồng thay…
Bài về Joe Stevens cho thấy một sự ghi nhận thường đến rất muộn, khi người ta đã đi gần hết chặng đường gắn với môn thể thao nào đó. Mình đọc tới phần nhắc các thế hệ trước thì nghĩ tới mấy buổi tối mùa đông, khi ông mình kể chuyện trượt tuyết mà mình chẳng hình dung nổi. Có lần chờ ông trả lời điện thoại, mình vô tình mở kèo nhà cái hôm nay ra xem qua cho đỡ sốt ruột, cũng chẳng nhớ nhìn thấy gì. Quay lại bài, phần khiến mình chú ý là cách bảo tàng chọn người vinh danh dựa trên đóng góp lâu dài, không chỉ là một thành tích nổi bật trong…