In this day and age, any tenure that spans a third of a century is remarkable enough. However, when it also entails two vastly different careers, the feat becomes truly exceptional. Georgia Anderson began her employment with Deer Valley Resort in Human Resources before becoming the director of that department. About 15 years later, she re-invented herself by becoming the director of merchandising and logo licensing! This speaks volumes about the unlimited commitment and energy Deer Valley employees are capable of and how their unwavering leadership can inspire the next generation of employees.

JF: What prepared you for your current career with Deer Valley Resort?

Georgia Anderson: I grew up in Salt Lake City and moved to Park City in 1980; I was working for a small company in town. When I heard that a new ski resort was in the planning process, I immediately applied for a position. I interviewed with Deer Valley and obtained a position as an accounting clerk. The day before I was supposed to start, the director of human resources called me and said, “The person we hired to be my assistant is not coming and we’d love to have you take the job; what do you want to do?” I thought about it and said “Sure, I’ll be in human resources, why not?” As I came on board, things began to grow very fast. After a few months I was made a supervisor and a couple of years later, I became the director of human resources.

JF: So more than looking for a specific job, your desire was to be part of a new, innovative company?

Georgia Anderson: Yes and that’s where it gets interesting because sometimes I wonder what would have happened to me if I had not made that choice at the very beginning. I feel so fortunate to have been here during those earlier years, when everything was being planned, the policies were developed and the vision was being formed on how we would become like the Stanford Court Hotel in San Francisco. I even remember personally visiting and experiencing that wonderful hotel and being part of this revolutionary change in the ski industry. At that time, the resort wasn’t open yet and the Snow Park Lodge was still under construction.

JF: Where was your office located?

Georgia Anderson: Our first office was where Starbucks is today on Park Avenue. We were there until the resort opened on December 26, 1981, when our first winter season began and we moved to the new Snow Park Lodge.

JF: Now, you need to explain how you found yourself as director of human resources one day and director of merchandising the next?

Georgia Anderson: I wasn’t looking for a change, but at that time, the retail shop and logo licensing was handled by an outside company. The resort owner really wanted to bring that function inhouse and have someone in charge who understood the brand, had passion for that project and could take the lead. Our attorney for the resort knew that, and since we were working closely on human resources issues, she also knew me well. So one day, out of the blue, she called me and said, “Georgia, you have a degree in fashion-merchandising and I think you should consider becoming the new director of merchandising!”

JF: How did you respond?

Georgia Anderson: I first said, ”What are you talking about?” I was afraid to make a change but after thinking it over I decided that I could to do this. I loved the challenge, yet it was a huge shift for me, from dealing with thousands of employees to moving into merchandise and product development.

JF: When was that?

Georgia Anderson: It’s been about 16 years.

JF: How did you actually get this program started at Deer Valley Resort?

Georgia Anderson: We brought it inhouse and we established two Signatures stores; one here in Snow Park and the other at Silver Lake, then we moved the Snow Park location upstairs and added our Main Street store later on.

JF: Are you just in charge of the Signatures stores?

Georgia Anderson: No, I also oversee NextGen DV, the children outerwear store that we’ve been operating for three years. Also we have Shades of Deer Valley, our sunglasses and goggles specialty shop at Snow Park that we’ve been operating for seven years, and finally, also at Snow Park, there’s Deer Valley Etc., the espresso bar where we offer a lot of fun kitchen and gift items as well as a large selection of logo mugs.

JF: How many employees work in these stores?

Georgia Anderson: There are about 65 employees, mostly part-time, but they are an amazing group of individuals!

JF: What about online sales?

Georgia Anderson: We’ve been selling online for about 10 years and this business has grown steadily over time. Today we’re looking forward to making a change with our eCommerce cart that should boost our volume further. Our most popular online purchases are Deer Valley Gift Cards and the Turkey Chili mix.

JF: Were you also involved with the 2002 Store during the winter games?

Georgia Anderson: Absolutely! As we moved towards the 2002 Winter Olympics, just before the turn of the century, we added our 2002 Store, which was located in the Snow Park Lodge where SharpShooter Imaging is today. We operated that store throughout the 2001 – 2002 winter season. We were able to offer some incredible items, including our own Deer Valley Olympic pins, which was both a wonderful and fun merchandising opportunity!

JF: Besides the pins, what did you sell?

Georgia Anderson: We offered merchandise that had both Olympic and Deer Valley logos since we were an official venue and were in the midst of so many Olympic competitions.

JF: While we are on the subject of the Deer Valley logo, how did it get started and how was the brand created?

Georgia Anderson: My understanding is that the “Deer Valley” name itself was Polly Stern’s idea. Polly was the wife of Edgar Stern, founder of Deer Valley. I believe that the ad agency at the time created the logo and that Polly was also closely involved with its development and design. It has evolved ever so slightly over the years, but the deer head inside the aspen leaf has always remained. We are very fortunate to work with a brand and a logo that are so powerful and carry such widespread recognition.

JF: How are new items sourced and developed for your Signatures stores?

Georgia Anderson: Sometimes people approach me with design ideas; of course, we attend many trade shows, we also have some long standing vendors that may come up with new variations on their designs, but the most fun for us is when we’re creating something totally new, like Christmas ornaments. For instance, we took inspiration from our mascots, like “Bucky the Deer,” and last year we developed a 3-D ornament featuring Bucky on skis. Step-by-step, we’ve seen this project evolve from a rough concept into a completely finished product and the whole process has been extremely gratifying!

JF: Someone mentioned the Avalanche Dog merchandise to me; what is that?

Georgia Anderson: I’m glad you asked! About a year and a half ago, our Ski Patrol avalanche dog handlers approached me and said they are always asked by guests about the availability of merchandise featuring their rescue dogs. So this is how we developed the Avalanche Rescue Dog collection, with its distinctive dog and deer logo! When you purchase these articles, the proceeds go the Avalanche Rescue Dog program; this is a great way to sponsor the dogs and provide a great gift idea for guests who want to reward the person watching after their dog while they’re visiting Deer Valley!

JF: What are your best selling items?

Georgia Anderson: As I explained, we have many different stores, but the number-one selling item in all of them is the Turkey Chili mix! Another popular item is our little replica trail signs that we can even customize. We also sell lots of t-shirts, ball caps and coffee mugs.

JF: All are wonderful Deer Valley memories that people can use or see year-round!

Georgia Anderson: Exactly!

JF: What is your driving philosophy in picking a new product?

Georgia Anderson: First and foremost, it needs to reflect what Deer Valley Resort stands for in terms of quality and design. It can be playful though and doesn’t have to be serious all the time. We call this process passing the “Polly Test.” By this, we mean that when we’re considering new merchandise, we always ask, “Would Polly Stern approve of it?” Today, when we decide on a new product, there are things we feel good about and things that might concern us. If an item elicits too many questions or raises too many doubts, we simply won’t select it.

JF: How do you arrive at your price points?

Georgia Anderson: We cover all price points. Our products always represent an excellent value; for instance, anyone can come into our stores and find a good quality t-shirt that’s not overpriced.

JF: Can you give us a few examples, ranging from the most expensive down to the most affordable item?

Georgia Anderson: Sure, we have a 14-carat gold necklace with diamonds on it, made locally, priced at over $1,600 and a sticker that only costs a couple of dollars. We also offer a full range of polo shirts priced from $39 to $99!

JF: What have been the most important lessons you’ve learned over these 33 years with Deer Valley Resort?

Georgia Anderson: I think attention to detail is paramount. The little things take a lot of time, but they add up to a whole lot and can make a tremendous difference. Even though it takes so much energy to attend to the most minute detail, we take the time to always do it and we constantly take pride in doing things right!

JF: Now, if you keep that focus on details into consideration and take a sweeping view over your entire tenure with the company, what is your own personal definition of the “Deer Valley Difference?”

Georgia Anderson: It is the combined dedication and commitment from everyone to keep passionate about doing things right and keeping going back to our roots. We are not standing still though, as we always strive to improve our products and services. This approach is ingrained into our culture and we embrace change while preserving the personal touch.