Getting to Know the Team: Barb Clauss: Customer Service Lodge Attendant
Weekly Column By Brooke Szpaicher
Whether it is your first trip to Holiday Valley or you are stopping in to purchase your season pass, most of the faces in customer service become familiar. They are there to help you get out on the hill in the most efficient manner to make the most of the experience! Barb Clauss is a new face to Holiday Valley this season, but no stranger to the resort!
Barb Clauss moved to Ellicottville in 2018 from Hamburg. She has been retired from the NYS Court System for 10 years and loves living in Ellicottville. She lived here previously from 1998 to 2006 and was previously employed by HV, first on the Safety Patrol and then as a reservations clerk at the Inn at HV and now she is a Lodge Attendant at the Main Lodge. “This is my first year at this job, and I work on the weekends and during holiday weeks.”
(V): How long have you been skiing?
(BC): I learned to ski when I was 15 and took about 12 years off when my kids were young, until they wanted to learn to ski! Holiday Valley has been my home mountain for 22 years. My favorite run is Mistletoe. I love the beautiful snow covered spruce trees which remind me of the driveway at our house.
(V): What are some of the duties you oversee at HV?
(BC): My duties as a Lodge Attendant are to answer the many questions our guests have when arriving at the Main Lodge. I am stationed at the desk near the Rental Shop. Since most of the guests are first time skiers/boarders who need rental equipment, they pass by my desk and have a variety of questions about the resort that I am able to answer.
(V): What do you love most about this position?
(BC): The best part of the job is assisting the guests so they have a fun, positive experience while they are visiting Holiday Valley. Having been a skier for so many years, it’s great to help a new skier/boarder learn a sport that can last a lifetime.
Be sure to stop by and visit Barb and all our other Lodge Attendants for a friendly hello or to answer any of your resort needs!