Vail Symposium presents special program with Rod Slifer and Terry Minger, two founders of Vail

In a state as young as Colorado, the town of Vail is especially new having only been incorporated in 1966. Few people get the opportunity to found and shape a new community: Colorado native Rod Slifer is such a person. On Monday, March 7, Vail Symposium welcomes Rod Slifer and former Vail Town Manager Terry Minger to the Vail Interfaith Chapel at 6 p.m. for a special evening of stories and discussion about the founding of Vail.

“It is fitting that during the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vail Symposium we present, ‘The Founders of Vail.’ As the Town of Vail developed, so did the Vail Symposium. In fact, the second Vail Symposium in 1972 played a major role in the drafting of the first Master Plan for the Town of Vail. Then town manager Terry Minger was one of the founders of the Vail Symposium,” said Kris Sabel, executive director of the Vail Symposium. “We are excited to provide this opportunity for our community and guests who love Vail to hear directly from two people who played a significant role in its development.”

Prior to his arrival in Vail, Slifer was in Aspen, teaching skiing in the winter and painting homes in the summer. After interviewing with Pete Siebert in 1962, Slifer was offered a position at the fledgling Vail ski resort. Slifer handled whatever was thrown at him, which would form the foundation of a life spent in service to his community.

His contributions to the community cannot be overstated. He served as a member of the Vail Town Council for 16 years and the mayor of Vail for 11 years. He was a founding director of Alpine Banks of Colorado, director of Colorado Open Lands, vice-chair of Vail Valley Foundation and is one of the founders of the University of Colorado Real Estate Center and Real Estate Foundation. Slifer was also an early member of Eagle County and Vail Planning Commissions and Recreation District. Presciently, he was the first real estate agent in Vail.

The Vail Symposium is honored to host an evening with one of the founders of Vail. Slifer will be in conversation with Terry Minger, a Vail legend in his own right who was recently awarded the Vail Trailblazer award. Hear the stories and meet the characters from two people who were there at the beginning.

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About the speakers

Rod Slifer, the first-ever realtor in Vail, has become a major force in Vail’s evolution from ski area to mega-resort. He arrived in Vail in 1962 and has been an invaluable part of the community ever since. In 1989, he merged Slifer & Company with Harry Frampton, former president of Vail Associates and senior partner in East West Partners, and Mark Smith, managing broker, to form Slifer Smith & Frampton. Today, Slifer Smith & Frampton is the Vail Valley’s largest and most prolific real estate brokerage.

Slifer has served as a member of the Vail Town Council for 16 years and the mayor of Vail for 11 years. He is a founding director of Alpine Banks of Colorado, director of Colorado Open Lands, vice chair of Vail Valley Foundation and is one of the founders of the University of Colorado Real Estate Center and Real Estate Foundation. Slifer was also an early member of Eagle County and Vail Planning Commissions and Recreation District. In recognition of his dedication to the Vail Valley, Slifer has been named Vail Business Person of the Year and one of Vail’s 10 most influential citizens.

Slifer, a Colorado native, holds a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Colorado.

Terry Minger is a civic and nonprofit leader. He’s the former President and CEO of The Piton Foundation in Denver and former President of the Gary-Williams Foundation. Previously, Terry served as the President and CEO of the Center for Resource Management (CRM). He has served as President and CEO of Sundance Enterprises: a resort, ski area, international conference center, and film and fine arts community; as President, CEO, and developer of Whistler-Blackcomb Resort in British Columbia, Canada; as Deputy Chief of Staff to Colorado Governor Richard Lamm; as Assistant City Manager in Boulder, Colorado; and as City Manager of Vail, Colorado.

Serving as an advisor to many corporations, foundations, and governments, Minger has worked with the Adolph Coors Company, Walmart, DuPont, Procter & Gamble, Chevron, Sony, Ben & Jerry’s, CH2M Hill, King Soopers, Qwest, Verizon, AT&T, and more. He has also served as an advisor and consultant to the World Bank, the U.N. Environmental Program, Earth Summit, and as a member of President Clinton’s Council on Sustainable Development.

Minger has written two books on the impacts of growth and development in the Rocky Mountain West and another titled Greenhouse Glasnost, a discussion on the U.S. and Russia’s impact on global climate change. He is founder and honorary chairman of the Vail Symposium and part of the founding team of the Vail Alliance for Purposeful Living. Minger received a BA in History and Economics from Baker University, an MPA from the University of Kansas, and an MBA from the University of Colorado.