Each year Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum presents The Vermont Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame™ which honors athletes, pioneers and special contributors of Vermont skiing and snowboarding who promoted and/or contributed to the sport of skiing or riding in Vermont. Their accomplishments are recognized at an Induction Ceremony and their histories are documented in the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum’s collection as part of the permanent Vermont Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame exhibit.

The Hall of Fame Committee looks at candidates in three categories: Athletes, Pioneers, and Special Contributors. Both the committee and the categories were approved by the Board of Directors.

Thank you KneeBinding, our 2023 Gold Event Sponsor and Killington Resort, our 2023 Host Sponsor.

Know someone that you would like to nominate to the Hall of Fame? Click here.

October 19, 2024
K-1 Lodge @ Killington Ski Resort
5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Killington is a cashless resort

For safety and efficiency Killington is a cashless resort. They accept all major credit cards and Google, Samsung and Apple Pay. Reverse ATMs are available at the Grand Hotel and Snowshed, K-1 and Pico base lodges. Learn more.

Howard Buxton

Vermont native Howard Buxton began his distinguished lifelong career in the Vermont Army National Guard in 1950, and in 1973 was tasked with moving the US Army biathlon training facility from Alaska to Vermont. Howard soon developed a true and lasting love for the sport. He led the evolution of a small US Army sport to an independent organization with its own governing body, the US Biathlon Association (USBA). Howard served as the first president of the USBA from 1973 to1979. The USBA is now recognized nationally by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), and internationally by the International Biathlon Union (IBU). 

Buxton served as the Chief of Competition for Biathlon at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics and went on to be involved in five more Olympic Winter Games until Nagano in 1998. He was a member of the USOC Executive Committee from 1988 to 1996. In recognition of his leadership and important role in U.S. Biathlon, Howard was appointed assistant U.S. Chef de Mission for the 1992 Albertville Olympics, before serving as the U.S. Chef de Mission and then for the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics.

Howard was unquestionably a great leader within U.S. Biathlon, and was also a distinguished member of the Vermont Army National Guard, where he retired as a brigadier general. Until his death is 2016, at the age of 86, Howard was a dedicated member of his Richmond, Vermont community, where he was an absolute fixture and served as Town Moderator for 40 years.

John Egan

Longtime Mad River Valley resident and renowned Sugarbush ambassador, John Egan's love for skiing began at a young age. He quickly honed his skills on the slopes and developed a deep passion for exploring the mountains. Egan's early experiences laid the foundation for his future as a groundbreaking skier.

Egan cut his teeth on the US Pro Tour, Mogul Tour, and at the US Extreme Skiing Championships. In the early 80’s he emerged as a prominent extreme skiing figure, captivating audiences with his daring descents of treacherous mountain terrain. He fearlessly tackled steep couloirs, jagged cliffs, and deep powder, pushing the boundaries of what was considered possible in the sport. As one of the original members of the North Face Extreme Team, he is recognized around the world as a pioneer of Extreme Sports.

He played a pivotal role in popularizing extreme skiing through his involvement in producing and starring in ski films, where he showcased his skills in breathtaking locations around the world. He appeared in seventeen Warren Miller movies between 1979 and 2020. Egan also hosted promotions, and worked as a stunt man for seven years in the general film and broadcast industry. 

Egan's remarkable career and pioneering spirit earned him numerous Powder Magazine accolades. In 2006 Powder rated him one of the top 48 greatest skiers of our time and one of the most influential skiers in the last 35 years. In 1995 they rated him one of the top seven skiers in the world, and one of the top fifty skiers on the continent in 1999.

Egan was affiliated closely with Sugarbush Resort for 44 years, from 1976 to 2020, most recently as full time VP, Chief Recreation Officer for 19 of those years.

Apart from his achievements as an athlete, John Egan has also made significant contributions to the ski industry as a whole. Through his work, he has inspired countless individuals to embrace the spirit of adventuring and exploring. Today, John Egan continues to ski, explore, and share his passion for the mountains. He serves as a mentor and guide for aspiring skiers, passing on his knowledge and wisdom to the next generation. Through his enduring love for the sport, Egan remains an iconic figure and a true legend in the world of skiing.

Diane and Tim Mueller

Diane and Tim Mueller are a dynamic couple who have made significant contributions to the world of skiing and snowboarding. Together, they have played instrumental roles in the development and success of Okemo Mountain Resort in Ludlow, Vermont.

The couple purchased Okemo Mountain Resort in 1982 after seeing a master plan for development and set out to transform Okemo into a premier winter sports destination. Under their leadership, the resort experienced tremendous growth and became known for its exceptional snowmaking, grooming, top-notch amenities, and warm, welcoming atmosphere.

Diane spearheaded initiatives to enhance guest experiences, including employee training, improving infrastructure, expanding lodging options, and developing an array of on-mountain amenities. Her dedication to customer satisfaction and commitment to providing a quality experience for all visitors has been instrumental in Okemo's success.

Tim played a pivotal role in expanding the resort's trail network and terrain parks, ensuring a diverse range of options for skiers and riders of all abilities. His passion for skiing and his innovative approach to mountain design helped establish Okemo as a destination that catered to both avid enthusiasts and beginners.

Together they invested more than $100 million and added more than seventy new trails, one of the most extensive snowmaking systems in the east, three base villages, and a championship 18-hole golf course. They achieved skier visits that put Okemo in the top twenty nationally by 1996 and the top three in Vermont in 2001. Acquiring two nearby golf courses and the development of Jackson Gore Village and Adventure Center made Okemo a successful year-round resort.

The Mueller's commitment to environmental sustainability has also been a hallmark of their tenure at Okemo. They implemented numerous initiatives to minimize the resort's ecological impact, including energy-efficient snowmaking, recycling programs, and conservation efforts. Their dedication to preserving the natural beauty of the mountain and its surroundings has set an example for the industry.

Over the years, The Mueller's efforts have garnered widespread recognition and accolades. Okemo has consistently ranked among the top resorts in the East, earning praise for its exceptional service, well-maintained slopes, and family-friendly atmosphere. Their leadership and vision have not only shaped Okemo but also contributed to the growth and development of the skiing and snowboarding industry as a whole.

In 2018 the Mueller’s sold Okemo Mountain Resort to Vail Resorts along with two other resorts that they owned, Sunapee Mountain Resort in New Hampshire, and Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Colorado.

Beyond their achievements at Okemo, Diane and Tim have been active members of the ski community. Diane was named Citizen of the Year in 2001 by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, she served on local Vermont school boards, and was Chair of the Vermont State Board of Education. Tim served as president of the Vermont Ski Area Association and was president of the Vermont Business Roundtable and the National Ski Areas Association. Their passion for winter sports and their dedication to providing memorable experiences for guests have left an enduring legacy in the world of skiing.

Suzanne (Suzi) Rueck

Suzi Rueck developed a love for skiing at a very young age. She quickly honed her abilities and began competing in various ski disciplines, including slalom and GS. In 1981 she was introduced to the new sport of snowboarding by Mark Heingartner who was already competing on a national level. At the time, snowboarding wasn’t allowed anywhere in VT and she would hike up Bromley and Stratton at night to have fun. 

In 1986 Rueck applied all her skills from ski racing and won her first US Open Snowboarding title in Slalom and 2nd place in Giant Slalom. She immediately was signed as a Burton Snowboard team rider and for many years traveled the world competing and promoting the sport as a sponsored rider. 

Rueck was selected as one of fifteen people to help write the first educational manual on how to teach snowboarding for Professional Ski Instructors of America to be used by every resort that was open to snowboarding. The manual provided ski schools with a standardized way of teaching children and adults making it an enjoyable and safe experience for those who wanted to learn and later helped the sport gain greater acceptance among skiers.

Shortly after creating the manual, Paul Johnston, the VP of Stratton Mountain, asked Rueck to integrate the Burton snowboard program into the Stratton ski school. With the help of Stratton’s ski school director, Alois Lechner, Paul Johnston and her staff, the integration of the program was tremendously successful. 

Rueck created a snowboard school in 1989, where she developed a snowboard racing and freestyle program for Stratton called the Allegro Snowboard Group where kids were coached to compete in the only amateur event, the US Open Juniors. Through this program Rueck coached a generation of professional snowboarders including Olympic gold medalist Ross Powers and Olympian Tricia Byrnes.

While coaching she saw the need for events so she founded and owned the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Association which owned and operated the Green Mountain Race Series, Tri State Series, Mid Atlantic Series and Colorado State Series. In the span of just a few years these series created the grassroots foundation for all amateur snowboarders. These events promoted sportsmanship, camaraderie, and pride while offering competitive, fun, and fair events for snowboarders. She created a rule book with Jason Grossi and the methodology for consistency in judging for half pipe events and a parents association that gave her the helpers needed for starting gate line up, scoreboard details, gatekeepers, and so much more. 

Many famous riders came out of the Green Mountain Series and are still very much involved in the sport. Names such as Ross Powers, Tricia Byrnes, Jeremy Jones, Danny Kass, Kelly Clark, Russell Winfield, Jeff Greenwood, Seth Wescott, Lindsay Jacobellis, Seth Neary, and Tom Zikas to name a few. 

By creating a competitive and structured series the Burton US Open granted wildcard positions to those that won the top three titles in each event. Every weekend from January to March there were events held and hundreds of competitors competed. The Green Mountain Series was known as the most competitive amateur series in the country. It was said, that if one won the Green Mountain Series there was a great chance of winning a US Open or a World Cup title. The competition was fierce. 

After running these events for approximately twelve years Rueck handed over the events to ski areas and people who wanted to run organized events. She helped bring the east and west coast together and with the help of others formed the USASA and the USSA Nationals. The Green Mountain Series is now called the Southern Vermont Series and now runs events for all ages for riders and skiers in Slopestyle, Boarder and Ski Cross, Halfpipe, Rail Jam, Snowboard Giant Slalom and Slalom. 

Rueck worked tirelessly on the series she founded thus creating a path that helped produce many of the top level snowboard athletes in the world. The Green Mountain Series was the perfect feeder program for young competitors to move onto bigger New England Cup Races, FIS events, and the US Open. 

Rueck was a mainstay at Stratton in those early years when snowboarding transformed from a novelty into a world-class winter sport.