NSP BOARD SESSION

June 21-22, 2001

Indianapolis, IN

2

Presentation Overview Association Focus Research

• Member-at-Large Survey• Education/Program Leaders Survey• Phone Interviews with Related Organizations• Focus Groups with NSAA Members

Lessons Learned and Implications Increasing Value

3

Association Focus

Problem Statement:

Historically, NSP has tended focus on internal matters and preserving of the status quo. Now, due to rapid change within the snowsports industry, NSP finds itself increasingly out of touch with industry trends and unable to respond to our ski area partners. We must change to recapture a leadership role in the industry.

4

Association Focus

Charge to the G.1 Committee:

The G.1 Committee was directed by the NSP Board of Directors to research and present a process to implement a change to the NSP governance and structure.

5

Association Focus

Board Mission Statement:

The function of the NSP Board of Directors will change to address strategic national issues important to the organization. This change will result in a business model that will be more effective for members and industry stakeholders.

6

Association Focus

As a result of the board’s work, NSP• membership is satisfied and growing• is a dynamic and valued partner in the outdoor

recreation industry• will be an enabler for all industry stakeholders• will provide the credential of choice

7

Association Focus

As a result of the board’s work, NSP (continued)• members and ski area managers will feel

indispensable to one another• will be a leader in outdoor recreation industry• value will be increased in the marketplace by

virtue of its being a problem solver for industry

8

NSP Background

26,245 NSP members 8,000 members in education ranks (Instructor through

Program Director) 1,060 receive POB Members’ average age is 44 9,544 education course attendees in FY 2000 624 Local Patrols Members by years of membership:

0 - 5 yrs -- 37% 5 - 10 yrs -- 20% 10 - 15 yrs -- 15.2%15 - 20 yrs -- 3.8% 20+ yrs -- 19.9%

9

Member Survey:Years as NSP Member

41%

46%

2% 7% 4%

1-5 Years 6-10 Years 11-15 Years

16-20 Years Over 21 Years

10

Member Survey:Frequency of Connection with NSP by Level

Never

Local 2%

Section 51%

Region 53%

Division 53%

National 49%

1-3x per year

Local 8%

Section 30%

Region 33%

Division 35%

National 40%

6+ per year

Local 75%

Section 2%

Region 0%

Division 2%

National 3%

11

Member Survey: Continuing Interest

84%

2% 5%5%

2% 2%

YesNo: Lack of Real Time Ski PatrolingNo: Requirements Too DemandingNo: Time Requirements Too DemandingNo: No Incentives to AdvanceNo: Insufficient NSP Support

12

Member Survey:Why Remain a Member?

21%

28%

18%

18%1%

14%Service/VolunteerismCamaraderieSkiing PrivilegesPersonal Growth/Skills ExpertiseExercise/Relaxation/EnjoymentRequired to Volunteer

13

General Members: Lessons Learned

Local patrol is main reference point for members• followed by the national organization (though

members may have limited understanding of national services)

Members have relatively little direct contact with regions, sections, and divisions

Members are positive about the services they perform and their expectations about their role as a patroller are being met

14

Implications

Better communication is needed to overcome member-at-large confusion about NSP’s levels and layers

NSP must review the function and necessity of all the organization’s levels

15

Education Group:Number of Years as an NSP Member

40%

35%

10%

15%

1-5 Years 6-10 Years

11-15 Years 16-20 Years

16

Education Group:Frequency of Connection with NSP by Level

1-3x per year

Local 11%

Section 36%

Region 36%

Division 48%

National 53%

4-6x per year

Local 5%

Section 14%

Region 14%

Division 7%

National 11%

>6 per year

Local 85%

Section 12%

Region 12%

Division 11%

National 9%

Never

Local 0%

Section 36%

Region 36%

Division 34%

National 27%

17

Education Group:Continuing Interest

89%

2%5% 2% 2%

Yes

No: Requirements Too Demanding

No: Time Requirements Too Demanding

No: Lack of Leadership

No: Increasingly Confrontational Skiers

18

Education Group: What Do You Receive from Involvement in NSP?

34%

21%13%

22%

7% 2% 1%

Service/VolunteerismCamaraderieSkiing Privileges/DiscountsPersonal Growth/Skills ExpertiseExercise/Relaxation/EnjoymentTax Write-OffCookies

19

Education Group: What Do You Know About Becoming a Leader in NSP?

24%

16%

12%2% 2% 4%

40%

NothingAm or Have Been Active in Leadership RoleLocal Leadership Too Political/"Good Ol' Boy"/ClanishKnow Requirements/Criteria for AdvancementToo BureaucraticThanklessToo Time Consuming/Not Financially Rewarding

20

Education Group: Lessons Learned

The political process is often seen as adversely affecting the education process

Instructors do not perceive themselves as future NSP leaders

• 40% don’t know the process for becoming a leader No one effective method of communicating

program changes to program personnel Frequency of communication implies

inconsistency from bottom up and top down

21

Education Group: Implications

NSP needs to gain control and direction over its education courses and training

NSP needs to address issues surrounding disenchantment and burnout

Program personnel are vital to NSP’s business strategy

22

NSAA FOCUS GROUPS

Two focus groups• Community areas• Destination resorts

May 8 & 9, 2001 La Quinta, California (NSAA Convention)

23

NSAA Focus Groups Topics Discussed

• Major concerns/ “Hot Topics”• Role of the patroller — current & future• View of NSP• Channels of communication• Scope of ski area management & services• Future Issues & relationships• Open comments

24

NSAA Focus GroupsScope of ski area management & services in

terms of partnership with patroller s Would like volunteer patrollers to do the same work as

professional patrollers, except for avalanche work Prefer to treat patrollers like employees: i.e., they have

most employee privileges and need to mesh their services with employee services

Would like patrollers to buy into resort philosophy: take pride in resort and treat people like customers

Would like volunteers to take on a professional approach to their role

25

NSAA Focus GroupsFuture issues & relationships

Customer service and guest services will continue to increase in importance

Ski areas know they need to train patrollers in awareness of guest services

Concerned about time commitment required by volunteer patrollers for each NSP skill level

Believe that there will be less volunteer patrollers and more professional patrollers

26

NSAA FOCUS GROUPSFuture Issues & Relationships (continued)

Ski areas know that industry is changing and patrollers must adapt too

Recruiting continues to be a problem (Finding alpine patrollers is difficult and finding nordic patrollers is almost impossible)

Patrollers must be careful not to exceed NSP standard of care

NSP needs an image that is current with the industry

27

NSAA Focus GroupsOpen comments

NSP is a great organization, fortunate to have the NSP patrollers

NSP should help areas find new patrollers (concerns about the next generation of patrollers)

Organizational structure needs to be streamlined Stay focused on core purpose of NSP, which is

education and public awareness of safe skiing

28

NSAA Focus Groups: Lessons Learned

Confusion over “who is in charge of what?” Opportunities for collaboration Opportunity for patrollers to be part of the

skier’s positive experience Guest service needs to be an integral part of

the patroller’s function

29

NSAA Focus Groups: Implications

NSP needs to work together with NSAA on developing joint programs and industry strategies

• Guest services, guest experiences, growing the sport

Increased communication needed between NSAA and NSP

NSP needs to deliver a clear message about the value of its members and services to ski areas

30

Related Organizations American Avalanche Association Canadian Ski Patrol National Association for Search & Rescue National Ski Areas Association Midwest Ski Areas Association Ski Maine Association Professional Ski Patroller Association U.S. Forest Service

31

Related Organizations:Interview Questions

What are the “hot topics” in your segment of the industry?

What business challenges have you experienced in the past 3-5 years?

What is your view/opinion of NSP? What is you relationship with NSP (all levels)? Within the industry, where do you see NSP? If you could say one thing to NSP, what would it be?

32

Related Organizations: Lessons Learned

All organizations are experiencing changes in the ski industry, i.e., decreasing membership and decreasing number of ski areas

NSP is in danger of losing its role in the industry due to isolationist behavior, i.e., the industry is changing and so must NSP to remain relevant

33

Related Organizations: Implications

NSP needs to take a greater role within the ski industry and recognize that the industry must work as a team for its own survival

NSP must stop thinking about internal politics and start thinking strategically about the industry

34

RECAP: Lessons Learned

All membership organizations are experiencing rapid changes in the ski industry

NSP’s isolationist behavior endangers its position, and must change to remain relevant

Guest service needs to be an integral part of the patroller’s function

Confusion over “who is in charge of what?” is compounded by bureaucracy and layers

The political process is often seen as adversely affecting the education process

35

We’ve gathered data

and asked hard questions.

Now what?

36

The Next StepsThe NSP board is in a good position to: Make decisions about structural and procedural operations of

NSP Make decisions about its own effectiveness, size and structure Develop a plan for change and take that plan back to NSP

Divisions and other stakeholders for input Focus on the business strategy for NSP Deliver unique value to stakeholders