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Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz gives $2 million to support mental health programs

BROOMFIELD, Colo. — Today, Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) announced that Chief Executive Officer Rob Katz and his wife, Elana Amsterdam, have made significant contributions totaling more than $2 million to support emotional wellness programs in nearly every mountain resort community in which Vail Resorts operates. The 30 grants were issued by the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust and will impact thousands of people seeking mental and behavioral health support across North America.

“It is our hope that these grants will help improve access to much-needed services around mental health and substance abuse and reduce the stigma and misunderstanding around these issues to encourage more people to get the help they need,” said Katz. “It is our privilege to be able to support so many outstanding organizations and meaningful programs already in place across our local communities in Colorado, Utah, Tahoe, British Columbia, Vermont and New Hampshire.”

Katz and Amsterdam have donated nearly $100 million dollars in recent years to the family’s charitable trust and foundation and named Beth Ganz executive director of the foundation in October to facilitate community engagement, sponsor research and collaboration and to work with non-profit partners to drive towards improved mental health outcomes in mountain resort communities. Ganz joined the Katz Amsterdam Foundation after 11 years as vice president of public affairs and sustainability for Vail Resorts.

“We are spending time getting to know the issues that each community faces around emotional wellness, and the non-profit organizations that are working to make an impact in this space every single day,” said Ganz. “I’m thrilled to join Rob and Elana in finding ways to help fill the gaps in delivering critical services and improve the outcomes across our extraordinary local communities.”

“The contributions that Rob and Elana have made to the regions around these mountain communities are a significant boost to the support services that are available to individuals and families in those areas, said Dan Smith, president and CEO of the Vermont Community Foundation. “Their efforts both highlight the spirit of generosity and provide a great example of thoughtful, engaged, and collaborative giving. We’re privileged to be a partner in their local work.”

These grants are in addition to the $12.9 million of contributions made by Vail Resorts in 2018 to more than 250 community organizations as a part of the Company’s EpicPromise program.

The grant made in our region:

$125,423 to Vermont Community Foundation – increased staffing and services of mental and behavioral health programs across the following organizations:

Stowe, Vermont: Community Health Services of Lamoille Valley, Capstone Community Action of Washington County, Laraway Youth and Family Services, Lamoille Restorative Center, and Pathways Vermont

Okemo, Vermont: Ludlow Health Center, Springfield Turning Point Recovery Center, and Windsor County Youth Services

Sunapee, New Hampshire: TLC Family Center and Greater Sullivan County Health Network

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