Ski industry, travel and tech writers, speakers scheduled for Lake Tahoe 'Snowcial'

Ski and travel industry media heavy-hitters will converge on Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe Feb. 27 through March 2 for the fifth Tahoe Snowcial, a winter social media and technology festival that celebrates a common passion for snow and provides attendees with insights from some of the most innovative players in the market today.

The Tahoe Snowcial organizing committee released its first round of speakers and headline entertainment for the world’s coolest social media conference. The list includes:

— Tariq M. Shaukat, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Caesars Entertainment – Mr. Shaukat is one of the foremost authorities on customer loyalty and relationships.

— David Armano, Managing Director, Edelman Digital Chicago – In addition to world’s largest digital practices, Mr. Armano is an internationally recognized thought leader and speaker.

— Patrick Harrington, Technical Team Lead, Walmart Labs – Mr. Harrington specializes in dissecting Big Data for the retailer that generates more than one million customer transactions every hour.

— Michael Jaquet, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team – Mr. Jaquet has leveraged his experience in digital strategies to develop the Ski Team’s own branded channel on YouTube.

— Stanley Hainsworth, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, Tether – One of the foremost brand storytellers, Mr. Hainsworth has helped create the global affinity for Starbucks, Nike and Lego.

— Barbara DeLollis, Travel Reporter, USA TODAY – A sought-after speaker and moderator, Ms. DeLollis has been covering travel for the USA TODAY since 2002 and in 2009 launched Hotel Check-In, an influential blog that covers all things hospitality.

— Chris Steiner, Co-founder, Aisle50, Author and Senior Writer for Forbes Magazine — Mr. Steiner has published two books: “$20 Per Gallon” in 2009 and “Automate This, How Algorithms Came to Rule Our World” in 2012. He is also the co-founder of Aisle50, an app that is bringing group buying to the grocery industry.

— Ian Swinson, Senior Director of User Experience, Salesforce.com – Mr. Swinson has spent the last 20 years solving design problems at start-ups, design studios and enterprise software companies.

— Chris Heuer, Specialist Leader, Social Business, Deloitte Digital – Considered one of the leading voices on Social Business and Engagement, Mr. Heuer is a holistic business strategist and creative technologist who specializes in helping brands deliver exceptional customer experiences through digital channels.

Tahoe Snowcial also announced that Philadelphia alternative hip-hop band G. Love & Special Sauce will headline the Saturday evening events. With their unique laid-back blues sound and classic R&B grooves, the popular foursome will delight the Snowcial crowd with popular singles such as “Baby’s Got Sauce,” “Cold Beverage” and “Peace, Love and Happiness.”

The most unique conference in both the ski industry as well as the tech industry, Tahoe Snowcial will bring together thought leaders and experts in technology, social media and snowsports to spark new ideas for the future and link networks, passions, and turns. An event that places as much emphasis on interaction as it does education, Snowcial provides an on- and off-mountain atmosphere where opportunities for personal and professional development flourish.

Heavenly Mountain Resort, Harrah’s and Harveys Lake Tahoe serve as an incredible backdrop for Tahoe Snowcial 2013. The event is designed for any and all technology, social media and snowsports enthusiasts looking to increase their knowledge base and connect with other brands in the changing digital landscape.

In addition to two half-day conference sessions, Tahoe Snowcial also offers three days of skiing or snowboarding at Heavenly Mountain Resort, a headline concert at Harrah’s Resort Casino, an Ignite event and a digital film fest. Register now at www.tahoesnowcial.com. Early-bird rates starting at $500 are now available for this one-of-a-kind event, and end December 31, 2012.

For the season, Heavenly has received 172 inches of snowfall. So far in December, Heavenly has received more than nine feet of snow, which is the second-most snowfall for the month of December since 1997-98, trailing only the 11 feet recorded in December 2002-03.

Called the Sundance for the Facebook generation, Tahoe Snowcial is sponsored by Heavenly Mountain Resort, and Harrah’s and Harveys Lake Tahoe. It is the most significant event for connecting the connected snowsports enthusiast.

Sponsorship Opportunities
For sponsorship information, contact the Snowcial Sales Department at snowcial@gmail.com.