NZsnowboard.com

26th April 2007

Southern Alpine Recreation Limited (SARL) today announced the appointment of a new
Chief Executive Officer in advance of the 2007 ski season.


Queenstown resident James Coddington is to lead the Queenstown based company which
owns and operates three premier New Zealand ski areas; Coronet Peak, The Remarkables
and Mt Hutt. He takes up the position on May 21.

Mr Coddington brings over 12 years experience in corporate management and marketing
with international companies including The Vetservice Group, travel.com.au/ski, Spirit
Discoveries Limited and Aspen Spirit Inc. 


He joins SARL from the largest veterinary group in Australasia, The Vetservice Group,
where he has held the position of CEO for the past six years.  Over that time he has led the
organisation through a period of massive growth and increased its profitability by 560%.


Mr Coddington also brings a wealth of ski industry experience to his new role.  A qualified
ski instructor and former athlete, he specialised in the internet travel and ski marketing
industry for four years.  His company Spirit Discoveries was the holding company for skiing
programs in Aspen and Queenstown, and as a ski wholesale company, negotiated contracts
for more than 70 ski resorts worldwide.


SARL Chairman John Davies said the company was pleased to welcome Mr Coddington
and was particularly delighted to find a local person of such calibre and experience.


"James has impressive business knowledge and acumen, as well as a passion for skiing
and significant international ski area knowledge. We believe he'll contribute great energy
and enthusiasm to the ongoing development of Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Mt
Hutt.

"Southern Alpine has made substantial investment in ski area infrastructure over the past
five years; it's time now to concentrate on developing the business and our people."


Married with one child, Mr Coddington's love of skiing influenced the family move to
Queenstown four years ago. 


The new appointment follows a recent top level company reorganisation - former Managing
Director and Coronet Peak Ski Area Manager Duncan Smith becomes Executive Director
Planning and Development, former Ski Area Manager of The Remarkables Hamish
McCrostie transfers to Ski Area Manager at Coronet Peak and is replaced by former Mt Hutt
Mountain Operations Manager Ross Lawrence.


Background information:

After completing degree studies in physical education at University of Otago in 1994 (where
he majored in sports marketing), Mr Coddington joined the ski field business in Aspen, USA
where he worked as a ski instructor, trainer and examiner for four years.

He became Director of Aspen Spirit Inc, a skier improvement program, in 1996 which
involved marketing the program internationally.  Prior to this role, he set up his own
company Spirit Discoveries, which became a ski wholesale company, selling ski packages
to Australians in North America, South America, New Zealand, Australia and Europe.

In 1998, Spirit Discoveries partnered with travel.com.au (Australia's leading internet travel
company from 1998 to 2003), where Mr Coddington was appointed general manager, to set
up a niche ski site. Spirit Discoveries was re-branded as travel.com.au/ski and quickly
became one of the top ski wholesalers in Australia by 2000. 

Mr Coddington was selected as CEO of The Vetservice Group (the largest veterinary group
in Australasia) later in 2000. As CEO, he managed the different business units and drove
innovation while marketing the services to the public and ensuring consistently high
standards. He was responsible for 106 veterinary businesses; two referral pathology
laboratories; a distribution business; ownership of veterinary practices; marketing programs;
national contracts with the Animal Health Board and the number one Pet Consumer
magazine in Australasia - "Paws for Thought".


For further information, interviews and images please contact media liaison Alexa Forbes,
Southern Public Relations Limited, alexa@southernpr.co.nz, 03 441 1117