Jack Pieroni Inspiration
and
Lifetime Achievement Award
Jack Pieroni began his lifetime love of winter sports at the age of 15 while attending junior high school in Fresno, California. Jack had a special operator's permit to drive his brother to and from a special school for those with cerebral palsy. On the winter weekends Jack managed to set aside one day to drive friends to Badger Pass to experience his new found love of skiing.
During high school, Jack went to work part-time for Mid-Valley Sports and quickly decided on his lifetime career. Throughout his years at Mid-Valley, Jack built friendships with both customers and youngsters that worked at the store part-time, as he had done. Jack's natural ability in learning everything there was to know about the products he sold and remembering his customers, made the store known throughout the San Joaquin Valley as the place to buy ski equipment.
Jack began his affiliation with the Fresno Ski Club in 1950 and maintained continuous membership ever since. It was also at this time that Jack and a small group of skiers realized that China Peak Ski Resort needed a Ski Patrol, which they founded in the 1950's.
Approximately 25 years later, a series of events directed Jack to open Pieroni Ski and Sports in Fig Garden Village in Fresno. Jack continued to serve old and new customers as well as provide jobs for many top skiers. At this time Jack began to arrange trips for those interested in experiencing other ski areas both in the U.S. and Europe. Skiing had become very popular and Jack began to serve second generation skiers. Unfortunately, the drought years hit in the eighties when the ski resorts were still thinking about snow making equipment. Jack merged with another retailer and then accepted an offer to manage the ski department for Herb Bauer in 1986.
Now Jack is working with third and fourth generation skiers and snowboarders. Throughout his career, Jack has maintained his love of winter sports and his desire to help others participate. Customers, employees, youth winter sports teams, Badger Pass, Sierra Summit, manufacturer representatives, Fresno Ski Club, and others have all benefited by Jack's commitment to doing things the right way.
On his 70th birthday, special recognition was given to Jack with an "I know Jack" pin. The point being that if you are talking about skiing or at a ski resort in the Central Valley and mention Jack's name, someone will say "I know Jack".