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VANCOUVER - Long-time coach Max Gartner is moving off the ski hill into the corporate board room.
Gartner was named president of Alpine Canada Wednesday, a move that shifts his focus from helping athletes win races to overseeing the association's business operations and increasing corporate sponsorships.
"I'll probably be spending more time in the office than I have in the past," Gartner said in a telephone interview from Alpine Canada's headquarters in Calgary."Hopefully I will supply some leadership as to where the organization goes and will work very closely with our athletic guys in the various areas to move our sport forward."
Gartner's appointment was announced during Alpine Canada's annual general meeting.
Calgary businessman Gary Allan, who served as president since 2006, becomes chairman of the board. He replaces Reid Drury who remains in an advisory capacity following the end of his term this year.
Gartner, 51, a native of Linz, Austria, joined the Canadian ski team as an assistant coach in 1982. He has been a head coach or manager with both the men's and women's squads. Since 2004, he's been Alpine Canada's athletic director in charge of both the men's and women's ski teams.
"I think it was time for me to pass that onto someone else, bring some new energy," said Gartner. "It's always good to get fresh blood. Coaches and athletes have heard me talk a lot.
"It was pretty interesting the organization thought I could bring something to the table in this new role. I see it as a new challenge. Hopefully I can surround myself with people who have expertise in the areas I don't have (so I can) learn some of this stuff."
Alpine Canada's World Cup and development teams operated on a budget of around $5 million last year. About 65 per cent of that came from corporate sponsors.
Gartner said maintaining that level of corporate funding "is going to be a big challenge" in the wake of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
"I'm hoping the corporate world will not leave us behind and will keep supporting us," he said. "We have some really good existing sponsors that are still in place. We just want to make sure we provide value to them and we want to attract new ones.
"It's going to be a different environment. When you approach a home Olympics it's always the best time in amateur sports. The awareness is there so everybody jumps on the bandwagon. I think now it's time to see if we really want to be a world competitor going forward."
Alpine Canada had predicted winning three medals at the Olympics but came away from the Games empty handed. Canada has not won an alpine skiing medal at the Olympics since 1994.
"We still have unfinished business with the Olympic medal," said Gartner. "My pitch is we have a very attractive team, especially on the men's speed side, that is hitting its prime as we go into the next Olympic cycle."
Alpine Canada had a successful World Cup season. Canadian skiers collected four World Cup victories, the most since 1984, and eight podium finishes.
Erik Guay used two victories to take the Crystal Globe in super-giant slalom and was third in a downhill race.
Manuel Osborne-Paradis had three podium finishes, including wins in super-G and downhill, while Emily Brydon reached the podium twice in downhill.
Patrick Riml, who spent the last two seasons as head of the women's program, will take over Gartner's role as athletic director.
Brianne Law, previously a coach with the Canadian Paralympic ski team, moves into the role of Paralympic team director.
Jean-Franocis Rapatel, who previously was head coach of the Paralympic team, takes on the new job of national athletic director, which has an emphasis on development programs.
Gartner said Rapatel's appointment is important, especially as the women's team copes with the retirement of veterans like Brydon, Genevieve Simard and Brigitte Acton.
"We are trying to rebuild that program," said Gartner. "It is really important for us to have a strong development program.
"I still think that is an area where we are behind some other nations."
