Schweitzer Mountain leader will leave role this winter

Tom Chasse plans to step down as Schweitzer Mountain Resort’s president and CEO after this winter. He arrived with his family in August 2006 after a recruiter contacted him about the opening. During two decades at the resort, Chasse shaped both its operations and the distinctive culture he hopes the next leader will preserve.

One of his earliest major moves was expanding snowmaking in 2007 and 2008. The goal was to support a Thanksgiving opening and give guests enough confidence to reserve lodging for Christmas. That investment proved important during the warm 2014-2015 season, when snowfall reached 113 inches instead of the mountain’s usual 200 to 300 inches. Crews were still producing snow in February. Chasse also backed a two-lift arrangement that connected the village and South Bowl through a transfer rather than one direct ride.

Schweitzer sits north of Sandpoint among the Selkirk Mountains. Beyond downhill skiing, it offers lodging, hot springs, maintained cross-country routes and snowshoeing paths. Alterra Mountain Company acquired the resort in 2023, prompting concern about possible cultural changes, but Chasse said the Ikon Pass has not substantially affected the mountain. As his departure approaches, he remains focused on keeping Schweitzer’s character intact while accepting that leadership changes are inevitable.