New executive director named for Utah Olympic Park’s Alf Engen Ski Museum

The Alf Engen Ski Museum at the Utah Olympic Park. Photo: Michele Roepke // TownLift

PARK CITY, Utah — The Alf Engen Ski Museum Foundation has named Annie Bommer as executive director following the retirement of Connie Nelson, who was at the helm for the past 22 years. The transition will occur on April 1.

An avid skier and native of Ogden, Bommer’s credentials include a master’s degree in museum studies by way of extension studies from Harvard University, and a bachelor’s degree in archaeology from Weber State University in Ogden.

From 2020 to 2022 Bommer was director of the Heritage Museum of Layton, gallery coordinator for the Davis County Arts Council, and curator of the Syracuse City Museum.

Professionally, she has served as an architectural historian, archeologist, museum collections manager, museum education assistant, museum curator, and museum director.

Bommer claims that her greatest career accomplishment was presenting her work on architectural difficulties of adapting medieval castles into museums at the European Castleology Conference in Austria.

Bommer is a resident of Draper, where she is a board member of the Draper City Historic Preservation Commission.

In announcing the new executive director, Ron Steele, president of the foundation board of trustees, said in a statement, “Annie brings to the foundation a very strong resume of museum experience. Her depth of knowledge of museum operations, fundraising, youth programs, and museum visitor engagement will build on the solid foundation established by her predecessor and keep our museums on their world-class trajectory.”

The foundation oversees the Alf Engen Ski Museum and the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles 2002 Olympic/Paralympic Winter Games Museum. Both are housed in the S. J. (Joe) Quinney Winter Sports Center located at Utah Olympic Park, four miles north of Park City. The museums attract almost 500,000 visitors annually. They have no admission charge.

The Quinney Center, which served as a media sub-center during the 2002 Olympic Games, has housed the two museums since their inception in 2004.