Aspen Skiing Co. plucks new marketing VP from Keystone

ASPEN – Christian Knapp, who most recently held the top marketing position for Keystone, is the Aspen Skiing Co.’s new vice president of marketing, the company announced Monday.

He succeeds Jeanne Mackowski, who recently stepped down as Skico’s VP of marketing.

“Christian comes with a wealth of experience, energy and enthusiasm,” said David Perry, Skico senior vice president, in a prepared statement. “His accomplishments include a highly successful career with Vail Resorts, most recently holding the top marketing post as senior brand director at Keystone, with prior terms at Beaver Creek, Vail and Breckenridge. We are excited to have him on our team.”

Knapp received a SAMMY Award at the recent National Ski Areas Association convention in San Diego recognizing future leaders in the industry. He has worked in the ski/snowboard industry for 15 years, starting in 1996 at Mount Bachelor in Oregon, and since 1998 with Vail Resorts. He was instrumental in executing the Vans Triple Crown of Snowboarding event and setting up Breckenridge’s first freeride team, among other accomplishments, according to Skico.

At Vail Mountain, Knapp managed marketing efforts for the snowsports school and developed the first large-scale Spring Back to Vail end-of-season celebration. He then moved to a brand management position at Beaver Creek. In 2007, he was promoted to lead marketing efforts for Keystone Resort and charged with repositioning the brand as a premier family destination, Skico said in a press release.

In addition to Knapp’s ski resort duties, the governor appointed him as an at-large board member at the Colorado Tourism Office in January 2010.