Sam Luoma 35,

Duluth

What do you do? (job, community involvement): I am the programs and operations manager at Chester Bowl. Prior to entering this role, I had been a volunteer in several different roles at Chester. I am a member of the Spirit Mountain Patrol and recently served on the Spirit Mountain Task Force helping to develop a long-term plan for Spirit Mountain.

What is important to you? My family is really important to me. I am thankful to have a fantastic wife, Lizzy Luoma, and two amazing boys, Charlie, 7, and Louie, 3 months. We spend most of our family time outdoors as Lizzy and I were lucky to grow up in households that valued outdoor recreation and time spent outside.

Through my work at Chester, I get the opportunity to help young people foster a connection to the outdoors. Our summer camp is focused on this specifically while our winter ski and snowboard program helps families build a connection with each other while providing an opportunity to learn how to ski and snowboard.

The most important thing I do is reduce barriers like cost of entry or provide access to the equipment needed to take part in outdoor recreation. I am proud to be a part of so many families becoming lifelong skiers and snowboarders. Once a person falls into one of those two groups, they look at the winter season much more fondly. The families I work with during the winter season and the campers at summer camp all develop a connection with the outdoors, specifically Chester Bowl. This connection creates a sense of ownership that leads them to make better choices about how they treat outside spaces. This is a really rewarding part of my work.

How do you spend your free time? I spend most of my time snowboarding or thinking about snowboarding. I also mountain bike, fish, swim, skateboard and spend as much time outside as possible with my family.

From nominator: “The ‘20 Under 40’ awards often go to people who are involved in lots of things — and there is great benefit to people being involved in their community in many different ways. Sam is different; he gives everything to Chester Bowl. Instead of spreading his energy out between lots of causes and organizations, he focuses on two things: his work at Chester and his commitment to his family. I believe that kind of deep commitment to one passion and one community deserves to be recognized just as much as someone who gives a few hours a month to five different groups. Depth of involvement, in Sam’s case, creates an enormous impact on the Chester Bowl community.”

— Dave Schaeffer