Lakewood, CO – The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) today announced that longtime Colorado ski industry executive Andy Daly is the recipient of the association’s annual Lifetime Achievement Award for his notable ski industry involvement and contributions.nDaly’s ski industry career began in 1970 when he moved to Colorado and took a job at Aspen Highlands for what was supposed to be only a couple of weeks. By the end of the ski season, Daly was completely enthralled with the Colorado Rockies and accepted a job as a ski patroller for the next season. Daly moved to Copper Mountain in the fall of 1972 and quickly advanced, serving as patrol director in 1973, mountain manager in 1975, V.P. of Operations in 1980, and was finally promoted to president and CEO in 1982.

In 1987, Daly left Copper Mountain to start his own company, which reopened the Lake Eldora Mountain Resort near Boulder. In 1989, Daly was lured to operate Beaver Creek Resort in addition to Eldora, and also the Broadmoor Golf and Spa Resort in Colorado Springs.

In 1992, Daly was named president and CEO of Vail Associates Inc., the predecessor company to Vail Resorts. During Daly’s tenure as president, the company acquired Colorado’s Keystone and Breckenridge resorts, Heavenly in California, and Wyoming’s Grand Teton Lodging Company. The company filed its initial public offering in February 1997. Daly retired from Vail Resorts in 2002 to start Gore Creek Investments.

During his tenure, Daly served on the NSAA Board, served as Chair of the Public Lands Committee and was the first person to chair the association’s Environmental Committee. He also served on the Board of the American Ski Federation and the Colorado Tourism Board and was a founding director of the American Avalanche Foundation. Daly was a longstanding member of the Colorado Ski Country USA Board of Directors and currently sits on the boards of directors for the Vail Valley Foundation, the Vail Valley Medical Center, and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association.

Daly was inducted into the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2009, he was awarded the Bergen Award for his numerous contributions to the success of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team.

The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented at NSAA’s National Convention & Tradeshow May 3 in Orlando, Fla.