Employee Spotlight: Tracy Bartels, Breck’s Health and Safety Manager

Vitals
Name: Tracy Bartels
Job: Health and Safety Manager
Age: 49
Family: Married with 2 kids, ages 21 and 24
Education: B.S. Industrial Engineering, University of Missouri
Resume: Started with the Breckenridge Ski and Ride School in 2000. Spent 11 years working the children’s ski school.

Q: What brought you to Summit?
A: My family decided to make a lifestyle change. The company I worked for was sold and we packed up and moved from Florida to Breckenridge.

Q: Previous career paths?
A: Out of college, I worked designing the assembly process for missile guidance systems with Texas Instruments. I left TI to design and then manage a brand new assembly factory for scroll compressors with United Technologies Carrier. My last position before joining Vail Resorts was to select a location, design a factory, and then manage the factory for a company that made industrial uniforms with The Unitog Company.

Q: Describe your team’s mentality?
A: We are truly here to help people and really want to partner with departments to develop safe methods for employees to perform their jobs.

Q: How does your department impact Breck visitor experience?
A: By working with departments on ways to improve employee safety, more employees are healthy and available to help guests on their experience of a lifetime.

Q: Examples of ways your department improves employee safety?
A: One example would be the athletic training program. This is a program we piloted last season in Colorado that is being expanded to other locations this season. We worked to partner with Howard Head in Colorado to provide free appointment times for employees. By helping employees address minor athletic conditions before a severe injury occurs, we can help employees be well.

Q: How do you improve guest safety?
A: As a company, we are very focused on improving guest safety. We work with ski patrol, mountain safety, lift operations, ski school, and other senior Breckenridge leadership to evaluate where and when incidents are occurring to try to prevent future incidents.

Q: Most memorable day on the job?
A: I love days where I get to spend time interacting with guests excited to be here.

Q: What sets Breck apart from other resorts you’ve worked at?
A: I have only worked at Breck and Keystone. I love Breck’s high alpine terrain and Keystone’s long runs.

Q: Where can you be found on your days off?
A: Going for a hike with my dog or enjoying time with my family.

– Lisa Pogue