Donald M. Schuster was the Senior Vice President of Hospitality for Aspen Skiing Company for 24 years prior to retirement in May of 2019 and is currently working with Aspen on an advisory role. Don has also developed a Limelight Hotel in Ketchum, Id. and another Limelight in Snowmass Base Village. In addition, Don lead the effort to further expand the Aspen Skiing Company Hospitality Division. He acted as the company’s representative in a partnership with Intrawest and later East West Partners to entitle and develop a new 1MM sq. ft. village at the base of Snowmass Mountain and subsequently negotiated a sale of the project to Related. He has also successfully managed the conversion of the Snowmass Lodge to a Fractional Private Residence Club and was responsible for the redesign and construction of the Snowmass Club 18-hole golf course and LEED Silver clubhouse. Until 2017 Don was responsible for lodging operations of the Limelight Hotel the Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond, The Little Nell Hotel. Prior to duties included General Management of the Snowmass Club as well as the Aspen Meadows, both of which are lodging and conference facilities.
Mr. Schuster came to Aspen from Richfield Hotel Management, Inc. where he served as General Manager of the Hilton Head Island Hilton Resort. From 1987 through 1990 Mr. Schuster was with Arvida Disney in Florida. First as the Vice President—Director Resort and Club Operations in the Gulf Coast Division where he was responsible for management and operations of the Longboat Key Club a 221 room, Mobil Four Star, AAA Four Diamond condominium hotel, a 38 court tennis facility, and 45 holes of championship golf with 2,200 members. Then as the Vice President—Operations in the South Florida Division where he completed and opened Weston Hills Country Club’s 18-hole golf course and 41,000 square foot clubhouse.
From 1975 until 1987 Mr. Schuster was with Ralston Purina Company at Keystone Resort where he was Vice President of Lodging Operations maintaining a AAA Five Diamond rating for 12 years. Mr. Schuster graduated from Purdue University in 1972. He currently lives in Grand Junction, Colorado, with his wife, Maren, enjoying hiking, road biking, travel and fishing of any kind. They are members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Fruita, Co.
Don was on the board of the Roaring Fork Conservancy and the Aspen Skiing Company Family Fund for many years as well as actively participating in the Basalt and Redlands Lions Club.
During his career Don presided over the Colorado/Wyoming Hotel Association, the South Carolina Hospitality Association and the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association as well as serving on the American Hotel and Lodging Association Resort and Condominium Committees and was appointed by the Governor to sit on the Colorado Travel and Tourism Authority.
