Alterra Appoints Kelly Vohs Chief Executive
Alterra Mountain Company appointed Kelly Vohs chief executive officer, effective 19 October 2026. The company announced the appointment on 5 October 2026.
Three Hotel General Manager Roles
Vohs was general manager of the Boca Raton Resort & Club and of the Waldorf Astoria Chicago. He was the opening general manager of the Conrad Chicago.
Earlier he led operations for BR Guest Hospitality, a New York restaurant group with more than 20 restaurants. The release describes nearly 30 years leading customer-facing, operationally complex businesses across hospitality, real estate and technology.
A Decade Inside the Blackstone Portfolio
Vohs arrives from SafetyCulture, the frontline operations platform, where he was chief executive. The release states the platform is used by more than 85,000 organizations and supports more than 2.5 million frontline workers.
Before SafetyCulture he spent more than a decade leading companies inside the Blackstone portfolio. His most recent role there was chief executive of LivCor. He served eight years as a Green Beret with the U.S. Army's 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, with four combat deployments.
The Succession He Steps Into
Vohs succeeds Jared Smith, who announced on 10 March 2026 that he would step down as chief executive at the end of the season. An executive committee of the board has run the company since then. It comprises ownership representatives from KSL Capital Partners and Henry Crown & Company, alongside Rusty Gregory, a former Alterra chief executive.
What the Appointment Covers for Lodging
The release places the hire against the 2026/27 winter season. It sets out no lodging-specific mandate for the new chief executive. It describes the portfolio as year-round mountain destinations, the world's largest heli-skiing operation and the Ikon Pass.
The mountains run across Colorado, California, Vermont, West Virginia, Idaho, Utah, Washington, Quebec and Ontario. CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures and Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing sit in the same portfolio, with Alpine Aerotech, Aspenware and Ski Butlers.
The Board Chair on the Hire
"Alterra Mountain Company's mission is to bring the joy of the mountains to all, and in Kelly we found a leader who has lived that joy and knows what it takes to deliver it," said Eric Resnick, chairman of the board of Alterra.
"Kelly has spent his career running businesses where thousands of employees show up every day to take care of people, from iconic resorts to communities that tens of thousands of families call home," Resnick said. "With snow beginning to fall, our teams preparing the mountains and guests planning their winters, Kelly will take the helm at exactly the right moment."
Vohs on the Teams Who Run the Mountain
"Some of the best days I've ever had have been on a mountain," Vohs said. "It takes a lot of people to make that happen - lift operators, instructors, groomers, chefs, housekeepers, and the people behind the scenes guests never see. My first job was in a restaurant kitchen, so I know this is a team sport."
"A great day on the mountain is won or lost by those teams. My job is to back them up so they can do their best work and love doing it," he said. Vohs and his family will make Denver their home.
The release names no start date for the search that produced the appointment. It also sets out no separate remit for the resort lodging businesses.