EAGLE COUNTY — Beth Howard and Nadia Guerriero took different paths to their careers with Vail Resorts. Now they’re working together again.
Howard this week was named the new vice president and chief operating officers of Vail Mountain, moving over from the same position at Beaver Creek. Guerriero, currently the general manager at Northstar, was named to replace Howard at Beaver Creek. The moves become effective May 1.
This isn’t the first time Guerriero has succeeded Howard. When Howard left the general manager’s post at Northstar, Guerriero was named to replace her.
For Guerriero, coming to Beaver Creek is coming home. Her family moved to Boulder in the 1970s — her parents still live in nearby Louisville. In Colorado, Guerriero started an agency to represent athletes, including Olympians. Moving the business to Southern California in 2000, Guerriero started representing athletes competing in the X Games and similar competitions. That led to working with resorts, sponsors and media people.
She landed in the Reno-Lake Tahoe area a few years later and started working on developing and promoting events. That experience led to being hired in 2007 by Northstar — which was then in the Booth Creek Ski Holdings portfolio — as the resort’s director of events and conference services. When Vail Resorts took over, Guerriero stayed, and worked with Howard when she was the general manager there.
While she’s been away from Colorado for nearly 20 years, Guerriero said returning to Beaver Creek is a homecoming — although she’ll finish out the season at Northstar.
Recommended Stories For You
“To have this opportunity is really special,” she said, acknowledging she still needs to understand the resort and its team going forward.
And, she said, she looks forward to working with Howard again.
Howard comes full circle
For Howard, coming back to Vail is another homecoming. It’s where she started a long career with Vail Associates, the precursor of Vail Resorts.
Howard, who grew up on a farm in Iowa, was studying food and nutrition at the University of Northern Iowa when she saw a posting for an internship in Vail. She wrote a letter, was accepted, and soon found herself heading west.
“I’m so happy it all worked out,” Howard said.
That internship in food and beverage led to a long career and, eventually, management.
While she’s been in Colorado and California, “Vail is home,” Howard said, adding she’s eager to get to know that resort’s leadership team and community.
“I’m excited to see how we can take the incredible experience at Vail to the next level,” Howard said. “There’s opportunities everywhere… I’m excited for what I can do when I get in there.”
Having worked at Vail and Beaver Creek, Howard said while the resorts are close in geography both are unique in experience and branding.
Howard had good things to say about Guerriero, who was on her senior leadership team at Northstar.
“She’ll be a great fit (at Beaver Creek),” Howard said.
Vail Daily Business Editor Scott Miller can be reached at smiller@vaildaily.com or 970-748-2930.
