Letter from the NRM President

October 9, 2009

The colors have (almost) changed, the temperatures have dropped, the snow is falling and there’s a sense of anticipation in the air of winter and things to come. Renewals of camaraderie, quiet or exuberant days on a mountain or in the backcountry, enjoyment of one’s immersion in the snow sports world, the desire to pass on what we have learned to others and revel in their sense of accomplishment, sharing what we love and enjoy, all these and more are reasons why we return year after year.

With this in mind, I would encourage all of our members and friends to partake of the myriad opportunities that will be available through NRM to enhance and advance your knowledge and understanding of all things snow sports. From new members playing with the basic concepts of movement through those seeking to stretch their boundaries and experience in the out of bounds environment, NRM will be providing opportunities to do so.

This was a busy summer for the board members and Turi as we worked to implement changes to better serve the membership. A new web based data management software system is going live piece by piece allowing member service from all nine divisions to be managed through one computer system. Mark Dorsey, PSIA/ AASI Executive Director, addresses this in his article in this issue. This system will provide far superior information access and exchange, improving member’s ability to access and update their personal data, provide for on line registration for events and much more. Visit www.snowpros.org and watch the changes as they come on line over the next few months.

The national education advisory council has been working on numerous projects in addition to increasing member access to services, some directly evident and others that improve the service to our members behind the scenes. You will find many additions to both the alpine and snowboard movement matrix and the nordic and adaptive matrixes will be added in the near future.

In house, PSIA-NRM established a task force that did a complete revision of the division’s bylaws and rules & regulations over the summer, resulting in documents that are clear and easy to follow. You can access them on our website. As one member put it “I can find things now.” The NRM website itself has undergone a makeover – more information with easier access. Our event schedule has grown and opens up new avenues to many of you.

All told, it has been, and continues to be, a constructive and productive year. Please take advantage of as many opportunities as you can. You won’t be disappointed.

Michael Hickey
President, PSIA-NRM