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Skiing fast and getting on the podium takes more than just training, it takes financial support to support the athletes and their goals. Stifel Financial has just signed an agreement with US Ski & Snowboard to provide financial support, race sponsorship and financial education to athletes.
The United States is unique in that no national team is government funded, but is supported entirely by private funding, which includes the US Ski and Snowboard Team. US Ski & Snowboard relies heavily on donations from individuals, corporations and foundations to support National Team athletes, including their pre-season preparation period.
“US Ski & Snowboard is the national Olympic governing body for ski and snowboard sports in the United States and represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on seven teams; alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, freeskiing, freestyle, snowboarding, Nordic combined and ski jumping. All teams except development and rookie teams are fully funded,” said Anouk Patty, Chief Sport Officer, US Ski & Snowboard.
Stifel is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, and was founded in 1890.
“The Stifel is a place where success meets success. We understand the skills, dedication and persistence needed to succeed in any endeavor, and we recognize the importance of having the right people to provide support throughout the process,” said Stifel Chief Executive Officer, Ronald J. Kruszewski. “The athletes of the US Alpine Ski Team exemplify focus and perseverance and represent the very definition of success, which is exactly the type of partner we want to align ourselves with.”
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Kruszewski and Stifel have supported US Ski & Snowboard in the past by organizing fundraisers. The most recent event took place in St. Louis on October 1, where $800,000 was raised for the athletes. Mikaela Shiffrin was at the fundraiser, cowboy hat and all, at this western-themed event and was grateful for the generosity she says. Facebook post October 2:
“A heartfelt thank you to Ron and Stifel, for hosting his most successful fundraiser to date, directly benefiting US Ski & Snowboard. Fundraisers like this are so vital to our team and the development and success of all of our sports and athletes, as we receive no government support, compared to many of the nations we compete against.
Courtesy of Facebook post by Mikaela Shiffrin
Stifel also has sponsorship deals with the NHL’s St. Louis Blues, several PGA golfers and is the presenting sponsor of the Haskins and ANNIKA Awards, which honor the nation’s top collegiate golfers, and the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. Kruszewski has a personal connection to the sport as he splits his time between St. Louis and Vail.
“My happy place is whenever I can spend time skiing and being in the mountains,” Kruszewski said.
In addition to supporting the team, the new agreement with Stifel includes title sponsorship of the men’s FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup event in Palisades Tahoe, Calif., and as sponsor of the other men’s events in the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in Beaver Creek and Aspen.
“The International Ski Federation (FIS) has recognized the impact World Cup races have on fans and spectators in the United States,” Patty said. “This year the FIS has added more races to the calendar to meet demand. New to the circuit this year is the Palisades Tahoe FIS World Cup, which will feature a downhill course and a super-G course with an expected crowd of over 15,000 fans and the same sprint athletes who raced the circuit. of the 2022-23 World Cup.”
Stifel will also establish a professional and financial education program for athletes.
“Being an athlete involves setting training and performance goals. Having clear financial goals is just as important,” Kruszewski said. financial stress and anxiety often experienced by young athletes.We have been helping individuals plan their wealth since 1890 and are excited about the opportunity to create a financial education program to help athletes with a savings strategy and This is a key element of our partnership.
Athletes are excited about the support and the opportunity to learn as well.
“It’s great to partner with Stifel and I can’t wait to learn how to save and invest for my future beyond ski racing,” said Tommy Ford, who has been with the team since 2009. Ford won the Birds of Prey giant slalom at Beaver Creek in 2019.
Cheer on the Stifel US Alpine Team as the women head to Killington, Vermont, and the men head to Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada over Thanksgiving weekend. The following weekend, the women’s team heads to Lake Louise and the men descend on the Birds of Prey at Beaver Creek.
