West Vancouver's Cypress Mountain has a new president and general manager: Matt Davies – a longtime leader at Whistler Blackcomb.
Davies replaces Russell Chamberlain, whose LinkedIn profile late afternoon on June 12 still listed his job as being president and general manager of Cypress Mountain. Cypress Mountain did not immediately respond to BIV's questions about Chamberlain's departure.
Michigan-based Boyne Resorts owns Cypress Mountain as well as 10 other resorts across the continent. Davies started on June 1, according to a June 12 news release from Cypress Mountain. He reports to Boyne Resorts' COO Jay Scambio and would be Cypress' top local executive.
Davies is tasked with increasing revenue and keeping up the overall performance of the resort, as well planning for long term development.
He has been with Vail Resorts and other forerunner owners of Whistler Blackcomb for the past 23 years, most recently being senior director of base area operations and business development. Davies' first job at Whistler Blackcomb was in 2000, as general manager of retail and rental.
He joined Whistler Blackcomb's senior leadership team when he was named director of product sales and scanning, in 2015. He led the resort's guest services division as well as the integration of systems and processes when Vail Resorts bought Whistler Blackcomb for $1.4 billion in 2017.
"His resort operations knowledge and leadership qualities are proven and I’m also confident that his summer operations experience is an ideal fit with our focus on expanding the resort’s summer offerings," said Scambio in the release.
Davies grew up in the Lower Mainland and skied at Cypress throughout his youth.
“This is a long-held vision for me to have the opportunity to lead a resort and I am thrilled it’s become a reality at Cypress Mountain,” Davies said.
Cypress Mountain made headlines in the past year when a helicopter lifting components of the resort's new chairlift was forced to suddenly drop its load, causing a large tower head to plunge to the ground. No one was hurt in the incident.
Boyne Resorts last year filed a petition against the provincial government in BC Supreme Court to gain control over a stretch of road on the mountain and allow for pay parking at the mountain’s cross-country ski area.
