Brian Fairbank Inducted into U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame

Brian Fairbank, chairman of the Fairbank Group, which owns and operates the Jiminy Peak (Massachusetts), Cranmore (New Hampshire), and Bromley (Vermont) ski resorts, was inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame last month in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Brian, a former PSIA-AASI Eastern Division examiner, has been a member of PSIA since 1966. He was originally elected to the hall as a member of the class of 2020. His official induction was delayed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Known for his innovations in group lessons – especially for beginners – Brian was honored by the hall for his pioneering work in green energy and sustainability. His page on the Hall of Fame site states, “Brian was an early shepherd of renewable energy, installing a 1.5MW wind turbine at Jiminy Peak. His innovative thinking later sparked the addition of a 2.3MW solar facility, making Jiminy the first resort in America powered by 100% renewable energy.

The Massachusetts Telegram and Gazette also noted that Brian was an early proponent of shaped skis, especially for new skiers. After first seeing a pair at a Stratton, Vermont, tradeshow, he told the paper, “We bought 50 pairs of them immediately and began to play around with them in terms of what our teaching methodology would be. The skis accelerated the learning curve for beginners, and they ended up becoming the model across the country.”