The Women of Mountain Village
THREE BRUNETTES AND A BLONDE

"Once upon a time there were
four dynamically gifted women whose lives serendipitously converged in
the spectacular town of
Mountain Village"

by Susan B. Watson

Since their arrival, Mountain Village has benefited from their presence, synergy and richly diverse backgrounds. The Women of Mountain Village—Courtney Stuecheli, Kerri Cardin, Tracee Hennigar and Heather Knox Rommel—have created an enviable atmosphere where work and play are synonymous. They do what it takes to get their jobs done, which is creating an exciting range of year-round events, activities and services for one of North America’s most electrically charged and awe-inspiring destinations. These three brunettes and a blonde are not only the beauties behind-the-scenes of Mountain Village, but also the brains who map out and bring in national entertainers, top-ranked sporting and cultural events and unparalleled services to the municipality.

With years of experience in city government, non-profits and project management for special events, Courtney Stuecheli, manager of economic development for the town of Mountain Village, arrived in Telluride with her talented blacksmith/designer husband, Joe Paczosa, by way of Denver. Now, she has the opportunity to develop the perfect career that utilizes her interests and strengths. Courtney says that in the winter and spring months, “we’re busy putting the logistics in place for over 40 summer events.” Most days, Courtney is working on several events ranging from the Summer Concert Series; Red, White and Blues Concert and Ice Cream Social; the Fall Home Tour; Culinary Arts Festival—to planning children’s events like the Kid’s Fishing Tournament and the 9-hole disc golf grand opening. With a background in and a love of the arts, Courtney is most excited about her newest project: creating an art garden in Mountain Village. Obviously, the office gets very busy, but Courtney enjoys the work she does with her co-workers. She says they each bring uniquely different skills to the workplace and together they have, “a pretty good thing going on!”

“Tracee, Courtney, Heather and I work closely as a team,” agreed Kerri Cardin, PR & communications manager for Mountain Village. Kerri has a considerable background in advertising, graphic design, public relations, and website development. “Every day brings new challenges, new excitement, and new projects,” says Kerri who is responsible for PR, web and marketing. The Women of Mountain Village are loyal and hardworking because, as Kerri describes, “working for Mountain Village is like working for a family-run business,” where there is an atmosphere of respect and support. She believes the work she and her kindred spirits perform will expand and grow with the development of Mountain Village. Kerri continues, “Mountain Village is a place that is in the process of discovering its own soul and personality, and we are excited to be a part of its evolution.”

Kerri’s longtime pal from San Francisco, Tracee Hennigar, exudes the positive energy employers’ look for. She is steady, levelheaded; and a can-do worker. A native Coloradoan, Tracees’ grandparents were born and raised in Telluride and Silverton. Described by her friends as “gregarious and fun,” Tracee takes pride in what she organizes and implements. With a comprehensive background in special events planning, she has had the opportunity to work with some of the best companies in the world. As the PR and special event coordinator for Mountain Village, Tracee says the job “feels right,” and notes, “Mountain Village is a hidden oasis—I treasure living and working here.”

When asked what makes this team work so seamlessly well, Tracee is quick to point out, “we share a work ethic, the same vision for Mountain Village, and a mutual respect for our employers, Jr. and Kathy Mahoney. You just want to do your best.” Working together as a well-oiled machine, the three brunettes have developed a solidly designed “iron-plate” way of producing superlative events. “Our shared vision for Mountain Village is to produce high-quality events we believe appeal to everyone.” Dubbed as the “Festival Capital of Colorado,” Telluride and Mountain Village share in the glory, as well as the pitfalls of providing so many events in a year. “Weather can be a tricky part of our last minute planning as well as making sure we have enough volunteers, ” Tracee adds.

As the “old-timer” to Telluride, the blonde, Heather Knox Rommel has worked for Mountain Village since 1995. She started as a lift operator and lawn gal. Since 1998, Heather has risen to director of the Conference Center, a job she loves with challenges she likes to meet head-on. Well-prepared for the everyday responsibilities of her job, Heather brings a refreshingly razor-sharp sense of humor to her hectic workplace. She says, “I keep my head down so I can focus on doing a good job which requires juggling many different tasks. There is always something new. That’s why I love it. There is no corporate blueprint that lays out how to handle every situation.” From business management to customer service, Heather and her staff work to ensure that every Conference Center event runs smoothly—whether it’s a wedding reception, business conference, or a room filled with dogs attached to their proud owners. “This year, the Second Chance Humane Society will have their 4th annual event here, but this year, it’s called the Fur Ball.” Always ready to share the credit, Heather loves the days “the facility is booked with a big convention and the back-of-house bustles with servers, audiovisual staff and housemen; great smelling food wafting from the kitchen; the lobby full of vendors; and guests, often from all over the world, wearing big plastic name badges, drinking coffee and checking their email on our wireless network…This is what the facility was designed for and we do it very well,” exclaims Heather.

The Woman of Mountain Village would be the first to tell you what amazing lives they enjoy because of a series of synchronous, magical, wondrous events which pulled them to these mountains. Heather says working for Mountain Village affords them healthy, balanced lifestyles, too. All of the women enjoy skiing, hiking and attending the events and festivals. Quick-witted, bright and well-grounded, these women share a love for the work they do, in a place they love. As first-time mothers, Courtney and Heather look forward to many years of family enjoyment in a community they have helped vitalize. Kerri is very interested in sustainable development and preserving valuable resources. “Mountain Village is making strides in their conservation efforts and I hope I can contribute in a small way by printing more marketing materials on recyclable paper, helping promote the Conference Center’s eco-friendly facility, and encouraging the conversion of our work fleet to hybrid vehicles.” Tracee admits her biggest challenge, but greatest reward came when she worked to bring Gay Ski Week to Mountain Village. Admittedly a controversial event for Mountain Village, but “at the end of the day, Gay Ski Week was a huge success and I’m proud to say it’s on the map.” Heather says having a fun work environment helps her dedicated team get through the very busy times at the Telluride Conference Center. As a team, these women work diligently to provide the best activities, events and services for the region to enjoy in Mountain Village. With youthful exuberance and child-like enthusiasm the three brunettes and a blonde bring enchantment to their work…and new life to a grateful community called Mountain Village. HS

For a complete listing of all groups and activities in the Mountain Village, please log on to www.tellurideconference.com

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