A Message from Your New Division Director
Dear Eastern Division Patrollers,
Winter has finally given up its hold on the East, and skis are being traded for bikes and boats. This is an exciting time of transition, and I am incredibly honored to step into the role of your new Division Director following the election on May 3.
As one of my first official actions, I asked Justin Guth, New Hampshire Region Director, to serve as the new Assistant Division Director. He has graciously agreed and will take on the ADD duties while continuing his excellent work as the NH RD.
I also want to extend a special thank you to Grant Fullman and his assistant, Chuck Dunn, for their guidance and leadership over the past few years. They have left the Eastern Division on incredibly strong footing, and I look forward to building upon that solid foundation.
ABOUT ME
To give you a little background on my journey: I have been a patroller for 35 years at Hidden Valley—a smaller resort in Western Pennsylvania. Over the course of my patrolling career, I have held nearly every role imaginable, from line patroller to paid staff shift supervisor. Currently, I serve as a ski patrol specialist and weekend shift lead, where I have the daily pleasure of working alongside some of the most dedicated patrollers in the National Ski Patrol.
For the past four years, I have also had the honor of serving as the Western Appalachian Region Director. During that tenure, our region shook off the post-COVID Senior Program slump—rebuilding both our instructor and candidate ranks, strengthening our YAP program, and revitalizing the Alumni Program. Throughout it all, we pushed the message that training never ends and that we can always learn and improve.
Along the way, I was humbled to receive my National Appointment #12346 and earn Certified #872.
On a personal note, I have the unique pleasure of patrolling with my wife, Lisa, who actually serves as my home patrol’s leader! Together, we share a blended family of seven adult children who keep us constantly on the move. With three of them currently in college, we have certainly learned a thing or two about how to stretch a budget and finance complex programs!
MY VISION AND PLATFORM
I stepped up to run for Division Director because I believe deeply in the future of our organization. As your director, I am committed to focusing on five key priorities:
• Define Our Purpose: Develop a clear, achievable, and modern Mission Statement for the Division.
• Fiscal Responsibility: Support our strong financial standing while robustly supporting our high-quality educational programs.
• Accessibility: Ensure that our premier programs and training opportunities are easily accessible to every single member across the Division.
• Mentorship: Empower younger patrollers by providing them with the tools and mentorship needed to grow into leadership positions within their local patrols, Regions, and the Division.
• Presence and Visibility: Ensure that the Director’s office is highly visible, active, and engaged on the ground throughout the entire Division.
LOOKING FORWARD
It is both my goal and my responsibility to maintain the robust financial health of our Division. Because we are currently in a strong position, we have an excellent opportunity to maximize the value that every member receives from their dues. I will work tirelessly to preserve this financial stability while ensuring our organization actively serves you.
I look forward to meeting many of you in the coming months. My virtual door is always open, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have a question, a concern, or a fresh perspective. If you have a great idea for an improvement, I’d love to hear it—just don’t be surprised if I ask you to help lead the charge in implementing it!
Thank you again for your trust and support. I look forward to working with all of you to keep the Eastern Division moving forward.
Warm regards,
Peter Buss, Division Director
