Download pdf of Nominee Citation HERE. Vote HERE.

Jo’s skiing career began in Austria in 1979 (age 36) with husband Ken and their 13-year-old son. Ken was stationed in Germany with the Army, and joined the Heidleberg and Mannheim American Ski Clubs. The clubs took weekend and holiday bus trips to various resorts in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

Jo returned to the U.S. in 1982 and joined the Pentagon Ski Club in Washington, D.C. The Pentagon Ski Club had and continues to have a strong NASTAR racing program. Jo raced for the Pentagon for 12 years, served as newsletter editor for 3 years, led numerous bus trips to New England ski resorts and an air trip to Lake Tahoe.

Jo and Ken moved to Riverside, CA and continued to travel and race with the Pentagon group. In 1997 they moved to Reno to retire, and joined the Reno Ski and Recreation Club, served as trip chair for Reno 2000-2001. Began racing for Sierra League in 1998, served as League/Council Secretary from 2002 to 2004, served as newsletter editor from 2006 to 2007, served as Vice-President from 2007 to 2008, and has been President of Sierra League/Council from 2008 to the present.

Sierra League/Council hosted the 2009 FWSA Convention, and Jo coordinated most of that event.

Presently, Jo is the National Ski Council Public Affairs Chair for 2011 to Present. The last two years, Jo has worked with Singles League to combine their races and benefit both leagues. The change has provided significant cost savings to both leagues and enabled two leagues to remain viable when the recession was negatively affecting racer numbers. This year Sierra has attracted 20 new racers.

Jo Simpson is very deserving of this award as she continues to strive to increase the number of racers, improve the organization with new ideas, and is always there to lead her racers at the racing events throughout the Far West.