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Show Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, May 26-29, 2018 The Park Record Sport Obermeyer founder revisits the origin of his ski clothing empire Klaus Obermeyer talks ski bum roots and engineering AUSTIN COLBERT The Aspen Times ASPEN, Colo. – Back when gas was only 22 cents per gallon, Klaus Obermeyer spent many a night sleeping in the trunk of his car, hanging out with the likes of Warren Miller and Friedl Pfeifer. One thing each of these men had in common, other than a deep-rooted love for skiing, was the ingenuity and desire to improve upon what already existed. Pfeifer had a heavy hand in the development of both Aspen Mountain and Buttermilk as ski areas, while Miller created his own entertainment company and pioneered the genre of ski films. As for Obermeyer, the 98-yearold German who moved to Aspen in 1947, it was his ability to rewrite the rules of what ski gear is and could be that made his legend. “It was always fun. Make it fun,” Obermeyer quipped on Wednesday. “I’m not proud of anything. We just always tried to make skiing more friendly. There was so much that could be made better, all the time.” Obermeyer, who founded Sport Obermeyer in 1947 and opened its first Aspen factory warehouse in 1961, was the fea- AUSTIN COLBERT/THE ASPEN TIMES Olympic snowboarder Chris Klug, left, talks with ski icon Klaus Obermeyer during Wednesday’s Aspen Business Luncheon at the Mountain Chalet in Aspen, Colorado. tured guest Wednesday during the Aspen Business Luncheon’s latest entrepreneur showcase inside the Mountain Chalet. The moderator was none other than Aspen’s Chris Klug, the 2000 liver transplant recipient who less than two years later won Olympic bronze in alpine snowboarding. “I feel like we should all be drinking hefeweizen and enjoying strudel today,” Klug joked when introducing Obermeyer. “You were a disruptor when you came out with your ski products, and we continue to see that.” Being a business-focused luncheon, much of the talk with Obermeyer was about how he grew his company into one of the world’s most progressive ski-clothing manufacturers and has maintained it for the better part of six decades. He credits a lot of his ability as both an innovator and businessman to his early days working on automobiles and planes back in Germany. “I always say we are dancing on a floor that is moving. It’s always changing,” Obermeyer said. “I have enough technical experience that when I wanted something new that had never been made before, I could go in the factory and show them how they could make it. That made the difference.” Obermeyer’s list of creations is impressive and includes the first high-alpine sunscreen, nylon wind shirts, mirrored sunglasses and the two-pronged ski brake. Then there was the all-important down parka, which he first fashioned out of his bedding. Before that, many people didn’t ski because it was too cold and there simply wasn’t available outwear that could keep you warm and allow you to ski at the same time. “I thought it would be nice to have something you could put on and ski in. So I cut up the down comforter that my mom made me take,” Obermeyer said. “For three weeks I had feathers in my cereal.” Obermeyer opened the conversation by talking about his famed Koogie ties, a now outdated version of a neck tie that he brought to the United States, sold from the trunk of his car, and made what then was a small fortune. Whether he knew it then, that was the start of a long and still ongoing career of innovation. He finished the luncheon by talking about what he loves about Aspen, even though the town “looked pretty sad” when he first came here in 1947. “What was sensational was the snow. I’d never seen that powdery of snow, that light, that fluffy,” Obermeyer said. “Aspen is probably the best rounded ski resort in the world.” B-7 1990 2018 BUY ONE ENTREE, GET 2ND ONE FREE (Equal or Lesser Value) WITH A PURCHASE OF ANY APPETIZER. Best Thai Fine Dining Limit two coupons per party or table. Not valid with other coupon or offer. Dine in only. An 18% gratuity will be applied based on the original amount. Payment must be made with credit card. Valid through December 13, 2018 Web Coupon is also available online at bangkokthaionmain.com UTAH 2014 Some of the petS at NuzzleS & Co. lookiNg for love These animals are available to be seen at the Nuzzles & Co. Adoption Center and Rescue Ranch. Our Adoption Center is open Monday through Friday from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is located in the Tanger Outlets in Kimball Junction. Our Rescue Ranch is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed Sunday. The Rescue Ranch is located at 6466 N. Highview Road in Peoa. 605 Main Street • Park Hotel • 435.649.THAI (8424) • BankokThaiOnMain.com Cleo DeeDee Walnut Mei Cleo is an energetic 10-monthold Shepherd mix. She loves to play with other dogs and ignores cats. She needs an active family who can run and/or hike with her. A good puppy class will also help her use her brain and be the best dog she can be! DeeDee is a 3-year-old Shepherd/cattle dog mix. This sweet girl is a little on the shy side but is friendly once she gets to know you! She is wary of cats and a little timid around other dogs but will be fine with proper introduction. She loves to give kisses! Walnut is a Shepherd mix and is about a year old. He’s a high-energy dog that loves to play and will need lots of exercise. He is working on his training and is a fast learner! He prefers a home without cats, but may do well with another dog with proper introduction. Meet Mei, a 2-year-old cattle dog mix! This cute girl can be a little timid at times but is very sweet! She’s great on a leash, doesn’t jump, and very much wants to please. She likes to play with other dogs and is cat-selective, so she may do well if properly introduced. Barkley Pu’a Sandy Schrodinger Barkley is a fun-loving and curious Domestic Shorthair with a tabby and white coat. He’s about 1 or 2 years old, and he’s got lots of youthful energy – he even likes to go for walks! This outgoing and happy cat is sure to be a loving companion for years to come! Pu’a is a friendly 5-year-old tabby who LOVES attention! She likes people of all ages but would prefer to be the only pet in her home. Pu’a is a snuggly girl who would love a home where she can relax and lounge with her favorite people! Sandy is a buff tabby who’s about 8 years old. She’s a shy girl, but with a little TLC, we know that she will open up and let her beautiful personality shine. She’s a gentle and quiet cat who is just looking for a loving family of her own. Schrodinger is a big and beautiful ball of fluff! This 3-year-old black cat is a gentle and sweet girl who’s looking for her perfect companion. She may be a bit shy at first, but all she really wants is to find that special someone that she knows she can trust and love. WaNted: voluNteerS These Organizations are looking for volunteers. If you would like to include your group in this section, please email information to copyeditor@parkrecord.com. Please limit your entry to no more than 75 words Canines With a Cause Canines With a Cause is looking for volunteers interested in learning dog training and assessment skills. Volunteers will foster and train prospective service and companion dogs to be placed with veterans suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For more information please contact Cathy King at 435-640-9095. The Christian Center of Park City The Christian Center is looking for volunteers with a passion for helping the community. Open six days a week, the center needs volunteers (ages 16+) to help in the food pantry, boutique store, and thrift store, and with seasonal events throughout the year. Interested? Fill out an online volunteer application at www.ccofpc. org or contact Volunteer Coordinator Jenny Mauer at jenny@ccofpc.org or 435-649-2260, ext. 15. EATS Park City EATS Park City is dedicated to working with the school district and community to improve the school-lunch program using education as the foundation for change. School volunteers are needed to help with programs like lunchtime taste tests, cooking classes, and community events. Give an hour a week or a few hours a month to support interesting and fun ways to increase Park City children’s healthy habits. Contact eatspc@gmail.com to get involved. Girl Scouts Be the Girl Scout volunteer she’ll always remember. As a volunteer with a Girl Scout troop, you’ll introduce girls to new experiences that make every day feel like the best day ever. At every turn you’ll be their cheerleader, guide and mentor, helping them develop the skills and confidence that will last long after the meetings are over. For more information, visit http://www.gsutah.org/en/ volunteer-role-model.html or call Heather Smith at 801-716-5109. Guide Dogs for the Blind Guide Dogs for the Blind needs puppy raisers and sitters. Volunteers provide a nurturing, well-rounded, social environment for puppies 8 weeks old to 15 months. Guide Dogs for the Blind supports raisers and sitters with organized weekly training and socialization meetings. Basic equipment and complete veterinary care is provided for the puppies while with their raisers. Meetings are Mondays at 7 p.m. in the Park City/Heber areas. Contact Stefanie at 435-657-0760 for meeting location or questions; Facebook/ SummitGuideDogs, or www.guidedogs.com. Habitat for Humanity of Summit and Wasatch Counties Habitat for Humanity invites you build sustainable, healthy and affordable housing as a ReStore volunteer. Do you love to tinker and fix things? Find treasures? Are you looking for a regular volunteer opportunity that is fun and makes a lasting difference for local families? Immediate opportunities include cashier, merchandising, and customer ambassador roles. For more information call 435-658-1400 or visit habitat-utah.org. Help Eliminate Alzheimer’s The Alzheimer’s Association’s Utah Chapter has many opportunities available for volunteers to raise awareness and promote community events. Areas of particular need are community education, outreach, research, social media, public policy, communications and development. Positions can also be created depending on interest and passion. Many positions are virtual. Please contact Ronnie Daniel, executive director: rdaniel@alz.org. For a full list of volunteer opportunities, visit parkrecord.com/ volunteers |