U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame formally inducts six new members

PARK CITY, UT – Six athletes and sport builders were formally inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame Saturday for their contributions to the sport. Honorees included big mountain skier Scot Schmidt, freestyle pioneer and world champion John Clendenin, 2006 Olympic moguls bronze medalist Toby Dawson, freestyle aerials champion Kris Feddersen, globally acclaimed ski film producer Joe Jay Jalbert and ski show pioneer Jerry Simon. 

The group will be enshrined in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in Ishpeming the weekend of September 19th. The six new entrees into the hallowed hall will bring the total number of honored members to 394.

The inductees were voted in by a National Voting Panel of over 200 members, representing all areas of the sport. Nominations for 2014 Class are now being accepted through April 30th. Anyone can make a nomination. Details on how to do so are available at www.skihall.com.

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization. Donations of support for its cause in honoring pioneers of the sports of skiing and snowboarding are welcome at www.skihall.com.

HONOREES:

John Clendenin, Bloomington, IL (Aspen, CO)
Aspen native John Clendenin was one of the early pioneers of freestyle skiing, bursting onto the freestyle exhibition scene in the late ‘60s. One of the sport’s early stars, he founded the International Freestyle Skiers Association in 1973 and won World Championship titles in 1973 and 1974. His legendary Clendenin Ski Method and book “Four Words for Great Skiing” were influential in introducing thousands to the sport. Clendinin also appeared in a host of ski films from noted producers Dick Barrymore, Joe Jay Jalbert and Greg Stump.

Toby Dawson, Seoul, South Korea (Vail, CO)
Lost as a boy in a Korean market, Toby Dawson was orphaned and raised by parents in Vail where he discovered moguls skiing. He made the U.S. Ski Team at age 19, winning his first World Cup in 2001. He reached the pinnacle of his career taking the World Championship in 2005 and Olympic bronze a year later. Today he continues as a recognized global leader in the sport, introducing his birth nation to moguls skiing and serving a key role with the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang.

Kris “Fuzz” Feddersen, Park City, UT (Steamboat Springs, CO)
Kris “Fuzz” Feddersen has had a lifetime of impact on freestyle skiing, as an athlete, coach and business leader. In 14 years as an aerialist on the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, Kris Feddersen amassed 23 podiums and a pair of top five Olympic demonstration event finishes. As a coach, he played a key role in the gold medal sweep of U.S. aerialists at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano. As a co-founder of Flying Ace Productions, he has brought the excitement of action sports to tens of thousands worldwide.

Joe Jay Jalbert, Huntington, NY (Mullan, ID)
An accomplished ski racer, Joe Jay Jalbert’s film career began as a production assistant and ski double for Robert Redford in the 1969 classic film “Downhill Racer.” From official films to industry product launches to television specials, the Emmy award-winning producer has over 800 productions to his credit including four official Olympic and 14 FIS World Championship films. His innovative production techniques combined with enterprising distribution methodology has made him one of the most sought-after ski film producers for more than four decades.

Scot Schmidt, Soquel, CA (Montana City, MT)
One of the most recognized and filmed skiers in the world, Montana native Scot Schmidt pioneered a style and remarkable ability that inspired generations of adrenaline-sport athletes. Labeled by Powder Magazine as “the original freeskier,” Schmidt’s impact in the 1980s literally set the stage for dramatic changes in the sport, playing a pivotal role in shaping the ski industry today. His skiing has been showcased in over 40 films and he has pioneered product testing in his over 30-year partnership with The North Face.

Jerry Simon, New York City (deceased)
From the start of his ski industry career in 1964 working with Harry Leonard’s ski shows, Jerry Simon’s impact touched every corner of the sport. Through his work with wife Barbara Alley on ski fashion shows, pioneering the Skiing Mechanics and Managers Workshop, and producing the SkiGroup resort marketing shows nationwide, Simon helped educate industry leaders and grassroots employees as well as create marketing partnerships. One of his crowning accomplishments was the creation of the International Ski Film Festival – skiing’s version of the Oscars. He passed away in 2010. Since then, the Jerry Award, named in his honor, has been presented annually by the Ski and Snowboard Film Institute (part of the Hall of Fame) to producers of the best films in the industry at the Ishpeming International Ski Film Festival during Skiing History Week.