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The man you hear on the radio all winter long talking about “Okanagan champagne powder” at Big White has been recognized with a prestigious award.
Michael J. Ballingall, Big White’s senior vice president, is the latest recipient of the Far West Ski Association’s Bill Mackey Award for Outstanding Ski Industry Employee.
Ballingall called it “an honour” to be recognized.
“The fact that our very own Jim Loyd won it in 2002, then Katie Balkwell in 2016 made my receiving of this award a hat trick for Big White Ski Resort,” he said.
“It bodes well that our philosophy of strong partnerships and looking after the customer has resonated through our organization for 60 years.”
As Ballingall mentioned, his award this year makes it a hat trick for Big White, which joins Aspen Snowmass as the only other resort in North America to have received this award three times.
The Bill Mackey award is given for outstanding service to the skiing public by a ski industry or ski area employee.
It may be received more than once, but not in consecutive years.
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