A life working recreation

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Christopher R. Morales
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  A man rides down the slopes of the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Hillberg Ski Area. He could easily be mistaken for any other snowboarder, except for a distinct gleam in his eyes and a nametag that says 'Manager.'

Raised in Seattle, Washington, Trevor Bird, recreational specialist, supervisor and manager at Hillberg, Otter Lake and the paintball facility, grew up skiing and snowboarding at Snoqualmie and Stevens passes with his family since age six.

His passion lies in all sorts of outdoor activities, so he pursued them in high school and college.

"In my high school there was this big outdoor program I was part of called Post 84," Bird said. "It was basically a student-run outdoor program where we took other high-school students on trips and taught outdoor survival skills, rafting, kayaking, mountain biking and all sorts of activities."

Bird moved to Alaska to attend Alaska Pacific University in 2005 for a degree in outdoor studies with a focus in commercial recreation and tourism.

"I love the degree I got and I wouldn't trade that experience for anything, but in high school it's so hard to know what you want to do," Bird said. "If you are young, this is your chance to try different jobs, see what you like, and learn what you like."

"At APU, they had their outdoor studies program which was a great fit because it [had] small classes, [and] most of the time was spent in the back country," Bird said. "We spent a month at a time out in Alaska doing 100-mile canoe trips, 80-mile hiking trips and things like that.

"Then I heard the manager position [for Hillberg] opened up, after I finished up college in 2009, and I came aboard in 2010," Bird said.

He confessed that it was difficult going from college straight to a manager position at age 23, but enjoys working as Hillberg's manager for the same reasons he enjoyed working at any ski resort.

"I already liked the vibe of ski areas," Bird said. "We are here to have fun, it's not a stiff job, it's a fun place to be and that's the goal."

"People come here to have fun and that's what I like about my job," Bird said. "We get to see people have fun every day."

Over time he was able to transition from being a worker-in-charge to a leader.

"I used to try to do everything, but as [my assistants] progressed, they know the jobs now so I am able to step back and have them run things," said Bird. "For example Jordan [Baldwin, a recreation assistant] would oversee all the cashiers and that helps me because I wouldn't have to be there answering questions; and Mary [Pederson, a recreation assistant] usually oversees all the rentals, which frees me up to deal with the issues outside with the snow making, the lifts and the maintenance."

Bird admitted he wants to become the type of manager people want to work with, rather than someone to work for.

"He and his managing style have grown a lot over the last five years," Baldwin said. "He wanted to please everybody in the beginning, and learned that that is not the best way to manage."

When Hillberg closes for the season, Bird continues to do what he loves - outdoor activities. As he continued to participate and teach outdoor programs on base he collected more responsibilities.

"During the summer time I was rafting and leading the rafting program for the Outdoor Recreation Program on Eagle River," Bird said. "I also teach the stand-up paddle boarding classes, the fly-casting classes and some others."

Bird soon took charge of the Otter Lake and paintball facilities during the summer as part of the ORP. He works almost year-round managing facilities and leading classes on base.

"I love the fact that every six months I get to change gears and change what I do," Bird said. "It keeps me very busy.

"It really helps during the shoulder seasons we can relax - so to speak - and get a chance to revamp and readjust for the next endeavor," Bird said. "So now I get to start thinking about summer, camp grounds, boat rentals, and paintball, and put Hillberg on the back burner to think about different programs."

He has been managing Hillberg and Otter Lake for several seasons, and doesn't plan to slow down soon. In his experience, he said, the only way to get ahead is to work hard.

"Put your all into it and if you are doing a job, take ownership of it and do it well," Bird said. "If you want to succeed, you have to use your head."

"Being able to think on your own is a huge skill, there are a lot people who need more direction and the gems [supervisors] are looking for are the workers who do the task they are told to do and see other stuff that needs to happen," Bird said. "If you can be that employee, I'm sure you can go far in any job you do."