Daryl Clapton
APSI Treasurer
Are you currently a snowsports instructor, or have you been one in the past? If yes, how long have you been instructing, over what time period and where?
I'm currently not working as a Snowsports Instructor in Australia but still occasionally work part time in Austria.
From 1988 to 1997 I worked full-time and held certifications in Canada, Austria and Australia. I’ve maintained and still hold my Australian Alpine and Adaptive certifications.
What is your favourite part about being involved in the snowsports industry?
Definitely the people in the industry and the magnificent environment of the mountains along with the great variety and diversity of the clients you get to work with. Everyone in the industry has a shared passion for learning and passing on experiences and knowledge to both their clients and colleagues.
How long have you been involved with the APSI and what inspired you to join the Board?
I first joined the APSI in 1992 and have now been a member for 33 years. What I realised after leaving the Snowsports Industry and pursuing my business career was that there were so many skills I had learnt during my Snowsports career that you don’t think of or realise at the time that helped so much in building our business brand, culture and relationships.
In 2022 I read in one of the APSI newsletters that the board were looking for EOI’s for the role of Treasurer and thought I would apply and hopefully be able to then provide many of the business skills I had acquired over the years back into the APSI and Snowsports industry.
What is your professional background outside of snowsports (if any)?
I completed an Electrical Apprenticeship after completing Year 12. During my apprenticeship I also completed a Diploma of Project Management and Estimating. I have also completed a Diploma of Business Management and am a Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD).
Since 1997, I have been a partner in an Electrical & Communications contracting business based in Melbourne, Victoria which we grew into a national business employing approximately 500 staff and technicians nationwide. We eventually sold the business to a global French company in late 2015.
What is one thing you think members might not know about what the Board or APSI does?
Not sure if all members know that the APSI Board are all volunteers. The board is made up of members who are both inactive and active employees of Australian and International Snowsports Schools but everyone on the board has extensive experience within the industry and have all been in the same shoes (boots) as the majority of our members at some stage during their careers. Together the Board brings together a wealth of Industry knowledge and a broad perspective of our members concerns and requirements.
The Board is extremely engaged and dedicated to providing strategic thinking and financial planning to ensure all outcomes and proposals are progressive and made with the best interest of all current and future members in mind.
What is one thing you hope to contribute or achieve during your time on the Board?
I hope to continue working with all the Board members to see the APSI continue to build on the benefits currently available to all members whilst ensuring the APSI remains financially viable and sustainable for many more years.
Is there anything else you would like to add or share with the APSI membership?
Like all members of the Board, I’m here to represent the members of the APSI. Feel free to get in touch or if you see me around at predominately Hotham or Perisher. I'm happy to have a chat so we as a Board can continue to support members and collaborate affectively to continue to make the APSI a leader in the Snowsports Industry.
