BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Leon has been an active member of the Steamboat Springs community for 30+ years and has worked with organizations such as Ski Town Rotary, Main Street Steamboat, and the Steamboat Springs Planning Commission. He currently serves as the President of High Altitude Basketball and is a volunteer youth coach. Leon owns two downtown retail shops and lives in Steamboat with his wife Bette and children, Michael, Eryn, and Jonathan. In his free time, Leon enjoys spending time in the outdoors hiking, skiing, and biking.

I am from the basketball loving, college town of Morgantown, WV. As far back as I can remember, I spent countless hours in the gym as my dad organized and operated many of our youth basketball programs in the community, and attending college and high school games was commonplace. Early on I adopted basketball as my favorite sport and committed myself to it. Two state appearances, resulting in one state championship and one runner-up, landed me into a scholarship opportunity I wasn’t expecting. I played 4 years at a NCAA division II program to continue learning and loving the game. I continued to play through professional school recreationally and competitively where I could. 

Now, I’ve lived in Steamboat for 6 years, I have two daughters who are 4 & 6 years old, and I am extremely happy to be involved with HAB and the mission of “creating basketball opportunities for all”. With the abundance of sport and outdoor activities available to our area, basketball noticeably takes a back seat. I am humbled and grateful to be a part of this growing team of individuals who are committed to creating more opportunities, for our youth through adults, to discover joy in the game of basketball.

I have been a part of the Steamboat community for 10 years after moving from Atlanta, GA with my wife, Catherine and my children, Jeffrey and Julia. Both of my children have been a part of the basketball programming in Steamboat and have benefited greatly from the community that High Altitude Basketball has built. I currently work with Wells Fargo Advisors and our practice was recognized as the Business Philanthropist of the Year by the Yampa Valley Community Foundation in 2023. I have been a part of the Northwest Colorado Health Board as well as currently serving as Secretary with the High Altitude Basketball Board. Through the opportunity to participate in these organizations, I have learned a great deal about the importance of accessibility and a welcoming community, and believe in the mission of High Altitude Basketball to create basketball opportunities for all.

I grew up in Norwich, NY and played basketball from a young age through high school. I tried to play in college but realized early on that the team didn’t need a slow 6’ player, so I focused on coaching youth from that point forward. After graduation in 1991, I moved to Steamboat and never left. Married my wife Heidi in 2003, and in 2005 and 2007, our sons Ethan and Reece were born. It was 2014 when I met Michael Vandahl, and volunteered to help him coach youth basketball, and have been in the gym since. I coached both my boys through their elementary school years and their competitive teams through 8th grade. When they moved to the high school program, I continued coaching with HAB at the youth levels to the present day. I love being a part of HAB and youth basketball, and hope to remain involved for years to come.

I am a Colorado local, born in Denver and raised in Fort Collins. I have now been in Steamboat for 13 years. I managed a local bank for 6 years and have been in a regional manager role for the same bank for nearly 7 years. I oversee 9 branches spread across the beautiful Rocky Mountains. I also support in managing a local Real Estate Staging business. Sports have played a huge role in my upbringing. The concepts of Teamwork, Consistency, and Dedication have come from many coaches and many hours on the field, on the court, and in the weight room. In High school, I was a 3 year letterman in Football and 2 year letterman in Basketball. Our football team made it to the semi-finals and our basketball team made it to the state championship game. I was able to earn a football scholarship to a Division II school here in Colorado where I also earned a Bachelor’s degree in Finance with a minor in Marketing. I have a 7-year-old son who plays Basketball, Hockey, and Baseball. We typically have a practice or game 3-4 nights a week and I coach every one of his teams as a volunteer. I am a board member of the Baseball program as well and serve as treasurer. It has been an absolute privilege to be a part of the HAB family. I am incredibly impressed with the energy, message, and buy-in of the leadership as we support the growth of this program.

Although I am the newest board member at HAB joining the board in 2024, I have lived in Steamboat for over 20 years. I was the founding coach for the Boys' Basketball Teams at Sleeping Giant School where we brought home two District Championship trophies in the 3 years I coached there. In 2023 I coached the 7th and 8th grade boys HAB Competitive Teams, and I coached the 8th grade team again in 2024. I am currently in the process of migrating HAB over to a new web-based platform that will better serve our director, coaches, parents, and players. In 2021, my wife, Gillian, and I were named Individual Philanthropists of the Year by the Yampa Valley Community Foundation. I served as a Founding School Board member for Steamboat Montessori for 5 years and was the Chair for two years through the COVID-19 Pandemic. Professionally, I have been the President of TALON Grips, Inc. since 2012 and oversee all operations of the manufacturing and eCommerce-based business. However, my favorite titles that I hold are Husband and Dad. Gillian and I have been married since September 23, 2006, and we have two amazing sons who will graduate from Steamboat Springs High School in 2027 (Kane) & 2028 (Olson aka “Bubba”).