Product Development Engineer Senior I Jerome Gulvas celebrated his 15-year Arthrex anniversary back in 2019, but like many employees, his Trip of a Lifetime was postponed for a few years. It wasn’t until March 2024, just a few months before his 20-year anniversary, that Jerome, his wife Kathy and their two children celebrated with a skiing trip in Park City, Utah.
Beautiful mountain views, higher elevation air and rustic townscapes were a welcome change from the tropical, Floridian climate. And having grown up skiing, Jerome was ready to conquer the slopes for the first time in almost a decade.
A brief delay due to inclement weather redirected Jerome and his family to Denver, where they made the most of the airport’s outside waiting space.
“It was 65 degrees and sunny, and we spent that time looking out across the mountain ranges and just appreciating the fresh air,” he said.
When the family finally deboarded in Salt Lake City, they checked into the Westgate Resort and Spa. With a central location at the base of a mountain, hotel guests can go directly to and from the slopes as they pleased.
“You walk straight through a locker room to grab your stuff before heading out, and at the end of the day, you leave your skis with valet at the base of the mountain and just walk right back in,” said Jerome.
And right next to the hotel is the Red Pine Gondola where guests can queue up in the morning to hitch a ride up the mountain.
On the first day, the kids had a blast learning the proper techniques at ski school alongside other children their ages. Once the kids were ready, the whole family spent the next two days together going down green and blue trails. One blue trail in particular, Snow Dancer, was the kids’ absolute favorite.
When he got the chance, Jerome ventured out on solo black diamond runs for a bit of a challenge.
Jerome said it snowed every day, coating the trails in a white powdery blanket and leaving the sky a cloudy grey. But on the last skiing day, the sky cleared up enough to see out across the mountain ranges.
He said, “I’d been telling my wife before we left home that the views on the mountain would be amazing, and when we finally got to experience them, it was breathtaking.”
The trip lasted five days total, but Jerome and his family enjoyed some extra time just relaxing at home.
“This was the perfect amount of time for skiing,” he recalled. “After three days I was like, ‘All right, my legs are getting sore, let’s go back home.’”
Jerome will celebrate his 20th Arthrex anniversary in September, and he already knows his next trip will be a less active one. He plans to relax on the beach and work on his tan.
"I would like to thank Arthrex for this amazing experience and the opportunity to continue to work for such an amazing company,” he said.
For every five years of employment with Arthrex, employees are eligible for a company-paid Trip of a Lifetime to recognize their dedication. Look for more Trip of a Lifetime highlights on the Arthrex Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn pages.