As the CFO of Vail Resorts, Angela Korch (MBA ’05), a self-described highly driven leader, shares why passion is at the forefront of what she does, her approach to leadership, and what it was like pursuing her MBA alongside her husband. 

 

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When you oversee the financial health and business growth of 41 mountain resorts across four countries, you might have little time to hit the slopes. But when you have high energy and a competitive streak, you find ways to fit it all in. From parenting two kids to outlining a long-term growth strategy for the largest publicly traded mountain resort company in the U.S., Angela Korch (MBA ’05), the Chief Financial Officer of Vail Resorts, doesn’t miss a beat.

 

“I’m a very competitive person,” is how Angela describes herself. “It's exciting to be on a high-performing team that sets high standards and constantly strives to deliver on those expectations.” This philosophy informs her leadership style, which she has developed in her decade-plus career at Vail Resorts, a company that takes employee development seriously at all levels.

 

After earning a business degree at Cornell University, Angela began her career on Wall Street in investment management and high-yield bonds. During that time, she earned her MBA through NYU Stern’s Langone Part-time program. Then, in 2010, she made a career transition and moved to Colorado to join Vail Resorts. This was a major pivot, moving from just managing investments to also managing people, which required building her leadership skills.

 

“There was not the same focus on leadership development and building teams when I was in investment management. The focus was on results,” said Angela. “But at Vail Resorts, it’s about the impact you are having. When I first joined, I underwent a leadership program, took 10-15 personality assessment tools, and had my first 360. I had never done that before. Understanding how to show up as a leader was a huge unlock for me as I went through that journey.”

 

Purposeful leadership 
But after more than a decade with Vail Resorts and then returning as the CFO after an almost three-year stint at Core Power Yoga, it is the leadership aspect that she has come to appreciate. Purposeful in her leadership style, Angela characterizes her approach in three buckets: to inspire and lead with positivity and vision; to focus on talent development and help people be at their best; and to set high expectations that instill a drive to succeed.

 

Angela Korch (MBA ’05) skiing on Vail Mountain in Colorado

 

That drive for success is what she tapped into while working on her MBA at Stern through the Langone Part-time program. “I loved my job and didn’t want to give it up. Since Stern’s part-time MBA program is so strong and offers the same caliber of professors as the full-time program, it was a great fit for me.” The only downside was that her husband, Bradley Korch (MBA ’05), who was doing his MBA full-time at NYU Stern, was having more fun while she had to stay focused on her assignments. She recalled working all day and studying all night, while he would be out with friends and enjoying the full MBA experience.

 

But Angela felt her time at Stern was well worth it. "The network was great, and I loved going to school with other working professionals because we could talk about how school applied to the work we did," explained Angela. With a love of math and strategy, she noted that she especially enjoyed Professor Adam Brandenburger's game theory class, which taught her how to think further ahead to solve a business problem.

 

Grateful for her Stern experience, Angela worked with the Stern Alumni Relations team to put together a Stern alumni group ski trip to Vail on January 27, 2024—and it was a huge success! "It was a great time and a fun way to connect with other alumni while experiencing Vail Mountain," said Angela.

 

Agility as a mantra

During her time at CorePower Yoga throughout the pandemic, she found agility was a core part of leading through uncertainty. During this time, the company had to think hard about innovation when people were practicing social distancing and were constantly trying new ideas to appeal to customer preferences. That experience instilled in Angela a mindset focused on innovation.

 

When she returned as the CFO at Vail Resorts, her strategy, business growth, and problem-solving skills were put to good use. She knew she needed to approach everything as a new leader and be aware of how things had evolved and changed during her time away.

 

"When I returned to Vail Resorts, agility became our mantra," said Angela. But passion remains at the forefront of what drives her success.

 

"I need to work with a company where I can combine what I love with what I do," said Angela. "Being passionate about fun and delivering on our mission, an Experience of a Lifetime, and creating that for employees and guests—that is my purpose and what motivates me," said Angela.