The Hall of Fame Proudly Presents

The Women in Snowsports Industry Award

The United States Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame presented The Women In Snowsports Industry Award to a pioneer of the snow sports industry for outstanding contribution by a Woman through innovation, design, functionality, and presentation.

The perpetual trophy is showcased in the "Women of Snowsport" area at the Hall of Fame museum in Ishpeming, MI.

ABOUT THE AWARD: This award provides recognition to the outstanding women whose lifetime contributions have shaped our sports in the US. The recipient of this award is a pioneer of the industry who has made an extraordinary impact through innovation, product design & functionality, fashion, marketing, or any area within the industry. Women recipients of this award ultimately have contributed to the growth and health of our industry.

5th Annual (2023)

Women in Industry Award Winner

Judy Gray

Laguna Beach, California

Judy Gray has had a passion for skiing most of her life. She has been an avid participant in the sport since high school as well as a producer of events for the sports of skiing and snowboarding as her chosen career. Judy Gray founded her own ski travel agency – The Bookie – which catered to planning ski trips for singles and families. With two locations in Los Angeles and Orange County California, Judy sent skiers to resorts all over the USA from the West Coast to the East Coast sharing her love of skiing with thousands.

Judy Gray, one of the few women ever to head major Snow Sports Shows where she co-founded and co produced Ski Dazzle® ski and snowboard events to the public for over 45 years introducing the benefits of winter sports to millions of people. These events are considered the “kickoff to the winter season” in every market throughout the USA where they are produced. Ski Dazzle® events have been attended by more than 1,500,000 people over the years and more than 40,000 people have taken their first lesson on a stationary or revolving ski deck or snowboard riglet park at the shows.

Judy was also an Executive Producer on the two season nationally broadcast travelogue television series “Ski Dazzle® presents Ski Scene” viewed by audiences in the millions of snow enthusiasts. She has hosted educational and entertaining seminars on snowsports for Ski Dazzle® audiences for over 45 years with guests ranging from industry manufacturer and resort founders to Olympic Team and Gold Medal winner athletes, film and freestyle legends, as well as Hollywood celebrities.

4th Annual (2022)

Women in Industry Award Winner

Maria Bogner

Munich, Germany

Maria Bogner's contributions to the Snowsports Industry with the advent of fashionable and functional stretch ski wear are monumental on both the National and International stages. In 1937, Maria became a fashion designer for Willy Bogner, set to change the ski slopes. Although a German manufacturer, Bogner has had a profound impact on all ski wear design throughout the world. Maria is responsible for developing the stretch fabrications widely used by all ski clothing manufacturers still today. In the early 70’s, Bogner outfitted a large number of Skiers who were the pioneers of freestyle. Dubbed the ‘Coco Chanel of sportswear’ by Der Spiegel, she elevated sportswear to sports fashion. Setting up an American factory and offices in Vermont that still stands, her designs and fabrications have set high standards for the sportswear, sports fashion and ski wear designers to come.

3nd Annual (2021)

Women in Industry Award Winner

Diane Boyer

Vail, Colorado

A consistent leader in a male-dominated industry, Boyer was the founding member of the Stratton Mountain Freestyle Team in 1971, and one of the first women to attend Dartmouth College. In 1976, she started working for her family owned company, SKEA, and in 1992, she became president. She then became a member of SnowSports Industries America (SIA) board and worked her way from the third vice chair up to the first female Chairman of the SIA board. In addition, she has been on the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum Board of Directors. She has also been elected to the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame in the category of sport builder.

SKEA's unique and iconic international market niche is built around Diane's ski fashion and lifestyle philosophy. The international collection seeks to capture a women's need to "project attitude, exude confidence, and feature a clean style." Designed by women who ski for women who ski, it is a "luxury brand that actually works."

2nd Annual (2020)

Women in Industry Award Winner

Cheryl Jensen

Vail, Colorado

Cheryl Jensen is the Founder of Vail Veterans Program (VVP). Established in 2004, VVP started as an adaptive winter ski program for a small group of wounded warriors. Over the years, Cheryl grew the organization to host a variety of therapeutic programs serving nearly 3,500 injured military service members and their families and raising over $18M. Cheryl is also the Founder of Sharing Warmth Around the Globe, a program of the National Ski Areas Association, that provides gently used ski resort uniforms to cold weather developing countries for people in need. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Ernie Bender Volunteer of the Year from the Vail Valley Foundation, Outstanding Public Service Medal from the Secretary of Defense, Women’s Outstanding Work Award from Women’s Foundation of Colorado, Outstanding Civilian Servant from the Chief of Staff of the Army, Chairman’s Award from the Vail Valley Partnership, and, most recently, the Women in Industry award from the US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. Cheryl lives in Vail, Colorado with her husband, Bill. Cheryl also serves on the board of the Vail Valley Foundation.

1st Annual (2019)

Women in Industry Award Winner

Barbara Alley Simon

Burlington, NC

(2019) First Recipient USSHOF “Women in Industry Award”

Legacy:

– 50-year ski fashion collection – on permanent display – at Alf Engen Ski Museum.
– 11 years (1980-1990) self-produced tv talk show 16-city tours with live danced ski fashion shows – twice on Today & Merv Griffin (playing on Youtube).
– (1985-1990) – Produced and skied in action fashion videos for tv promos.
– Narrator/producer of massive choreographed fashion shows for Sia trade show (1990-1995).
– (1970-1972) – More Sia fashion shows – opened Sia show in Vegas.
– Fashion editor of both “Snow Country” (1988-1992) & “Skiing” magazines (1975-1980).
– 20 years of consumer ski shows, for both Harry Leonard and Bernie Weichsel.
– (1968) – Ski instructor at Hunter Mountain. Met Jerry Simon at ski race. He hired me for 1968 ski shows. We married Christmas day 1970 on top of Jackson Hole.