Alta Ski Resort, UT, Names Dave Hirasawa as New General Manager

There will be a new face leading the charge at Utah’s famous Alta Ski Area this season. The resort recently appointed longtime ski industry executive Dave Hirasawa as general manager. With his appointment, Hirasawa becomes the fifth general manager in Alta’s 89-year history. He succeeds Mike Maughan, who retired after serving as general manager and president at Alta since 2017.

Before joining Alta’s team, Hirasawa worked as the senior vice president of accounting and finance at Boyne Resorts, headquartered in Petoskey, Michigan. At Boyne Resorts, Hirasawa oversaw financial and accounting operations at several of the company’s resorts, such as Brighton Resort, Utah; Big Sky Resort, Montana; Sunday River Resort, Maine; Boyne Mountain, Michigan; and Loon Mountain, New Hampshire. Boyne Resorts is North America’s largest family-owned mountain resort company, owning 13 premier mountain and golf destinations.

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Hirasawa’s longest tenure came at Grand America Hotels & Resorts, where he spent over nine years. There, he served as the director of business development before moving up to chief financial officer. At Grand America Hotels & Resorts, he oversaw accounting, resort operations, financial planning, risk management, and ski industry partnerships at resorts such as Sun Valley Resort, Idaho, and Snowbasin Resort, Utah.

The University of Pennsylvania Wharton School graduate also worked at various individual ski resorts throughout his career. He served as the vice president of finance at The Canyons in Utah from 2009 to 2011 before it merged with Park City Mountain. He held the same position at Steamboat Ski Resort in Colorado.

Before entering the ski industry, Hirasawa was an investment banking analyst at The Bank of New York from 2000 to 2002. He began working in skiing in 2003 at the American Skiing Company as the director of financial analysis and investor relations.

“Throughout our search, we were focused on finding a leader who understands and respects what makes Alta unique—our employees, our community, our independence and, above all, our commitment to providing an authentic skiing experience in a natural mountain environment,” the Alta hiring committee said in a Ski Area Management article. “We believe Dave is the right person to carry those values forward while helping sustain Alta into the future.”

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As general manager at Alta, Hirasawa will oversee the daily and long-term operations of the resort across all departments, such as lodging, ski operations, and guest services from October 19, 2026. On the financial side, Hirasawa will plan annual operating budgets, manage cash flow, and prioritize investments for modernizing and growing the resort.

With a strong background in finance and past work in the ski industry, Hirasawa is poised to carry on Maughan’s 36-year legacy at Alta. Alta’s 2026-27 season is just around the corner, and for Hirasawa, so is a new chapter of his career.