Ryan Taylor celebrates 20-year anniversary at Snow Australia

Snow Australia Administration Manager Ryan Taylor celebrates a major milestone this month, as November marks his 20-year anniversary with the organisation.

Taylor has been the longest serving administrator in the history of Snow Australia, having joined the organisation in 2000 as a placement student. In congratulating him for his amazing achievement, Snow Australia CEO Michael Kennedy said: “Ryan’s journey began with a work experience placement and has evolved over the years to become the administration and corporate services manager of an organisation that looks nothing like it did when he started 20 years ago.

“It is a credit to his character and longevity that he still turns up as passionate and committed to the role now as he did 20 years ago. I have worked with Ryan for 18 of those 20 years and have had the pleasure of seeing him grow as an individual, a professional and a family man. The transformation of Snow Australia over the years is in no small part due to Ryan’s efforts, commitment and consistency. It has been an honour and a pleasure to work with Ryan for the past 18 years as his CEO and as I often say to him, ‘You can never leave….you know too much!’ Congratulations on 20 years!” Michael Kennedy said.

To mark the anniversary, Snow Australia sat down with Ryan to enjoy a look back at the last 20 years and get a preview of what is still to come. 

Ryan, it’s now been 20 years working for Snow Australia! How did it all start?

“I grew up in Bright, VIC where I learnt to ski and snowboard in my teen years. When I went to university I decided to follow my passion for sport and study Sport Management. As you would expect the course was focused on the major sports in Australia such as football, cricket and soccer, so by the time I had to apply for my 8-week work placement, in my final year, I decided to see what opportunities there were with snowsports. 

“It was the early days of the internet so using the trusty yellow pages I looked up Skiing Australia. During my research I noticed that Skiing Victoria was also listed below Skiing Australia, so I thought that if I could not get a placement at the National Federation, then I would apply for the State Association. Little did I know that at the time they were both operated by a single employee, CEO Steven Potts, and a steady rotation of placement students. Following a short phone call and an even quicker interview in the offices at the Rialto Tower, I was offered the opportunity to complete my placement. At the end of the eight weeks Steven asked me to stay on for another two weeks of paid work, while he went on holiday. Basically I went from being a placement student to managing the office within an 8-week period! Upon Steven’s return I was offered a permanent role with Skiing Australia and that was in November 2000.”

What has the evolution of your role been like within Snow Australia?

“At the beginning my role was essentially to ensure the day-to-day administration of the sport, supporting the CEO and the Board while they dealt with the bigger challenges. Of course being a very small organisation, there were financial and political issues that at the time I was oblivious to. The political issues lasted for many years, but Skiing Australia improved its financial position, becoming Ski & Snowboard Australia and ultimately Snow Australia. With only two employees initially there wasn’t much prospect of being promoted, but the organisation changed around me and found the resources to implement more initiatives and projects, employing additional people to oversee and manage them.”
 
Twenty years in an organisation is quite a milestone. What kept you involved for so long?
 
“Snow Australia has always been an exciting environment to work in. During my time there have always been new projects, new challenges, new people and most rewarding of all, sporting success. Working in a small sporting organisation that has punched above its weight locally and internationally really gives you a reason to keep coming back. As our relevance and recognition within these communities has grown, so have our resources and we have a great group of passionate people that come to work each day looking for ways to ensure the growth of snowsports in Australia continues.
 
"But really, skiing and snowboarding is just a lot of fun!"

What’s the accomplishment you are proudest of in these 20 years?
 
“I’m probably showing recency bias, but the change of name to Snow Australia and the update to our identity, which celebrated the organisation's unification and brought the whole sport together under a single banner, was incredibly rewarding. 
 
“Of course another highlight, and the reason many of us get involved in sport, is being able to see and assist our athletes succeed on the World stage. To have some involvement in helping a young athlete progress through the pathway and achieve at World Cup level, at the World Championships or at the Olympics is very gratifying.”

How has Snow Australia changed since you joined the organisation?
 
“I think for the organisation to be where it is today, from where it was when I started, is just incredible. During my time we have seen the organisation go from survival mode - with only two members of staff, huge debt and significant political issues at Board and State level - to see sustained sporting success, financial stability, organisational growth, and an active Board providing strong leadership and direction. Snow Australia today has 14 employees (excluding high performance staff) and a multitude of qualified contractors, with more people joining as new programs and initiatives are introduced. 
 
“Our President Dean Gosper and Vice President Hugh Whan have been instrumental in leading the organisation through a tumultuous time in the 2000s, providing Michael [Kennedy] the autonomy to implement the organisational strategy. A lot of credit should be given to Dean, Hugh and Michael, who have seen the organisation through times that could have easily gone the other way without their continued leadership.”
 
Where do you see Snow Australia going in the next 20 years?
 
“We have a strong foundation in place that we can now build upon. For example, we are in a position where we can implement a legacy program, such as the Snow Australia Medal, that allows us to reflect on the past and honour those who have had an impact on the sport. To be able to look back and give a program like this the resources and recognition it deserves, after years of always looking forward and focusing on sustainability and growth, shows that Snow Australia is in a strong position to continue its work.”
 
Any final words as you celebrate your anniversary?

"Thank you to all my colleagues who all share a passion for snowsports and make the Snow Australia office a fun and rewarding place to work.
 
“I’d like to thank Steven Potts for taking me on, initially as a student and then employing me, although I’m still not sure if this was due to the quality of my work or if I was just in the right place at the right time and he desperately needed a holiday! Thank you to Snow Australia President Dean Gosper and Vice-President Hugh Whan, who have been instrumental in the sustained success of Snow Australia and have provided many lessons, quotes and war stories for us all along the way.
 
“I’d especially like to thank Michael Kennedy, who has led the organisation for the past 18 or so years and has made it a pretty easy choice to continue working with Snow Australia. When I was getting married, ‘Kenno’ happily let my wife-to-be know that, given how long we had worked together, he and I had spent more time in each other's company than my wife and I had. I’d like to think that we have started to tip the scales back in her favour by working from home for the past eight months!”

In the picture: Ryan Taylor (right) with Snowboard Cross Olympian Cameron Bolton (left) and Snow Australia Performance Pathway & Program Manager Ben Wordsworth (centre)