Whip Jones

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For other uses, see Whip Jones (disambiguation).

1 Whip Jones (1909-2001)
2 Youth
3 Education
4 Early Career
5 Marriage and Divorce
6 Moving West
7 Aspen Highlands
8 Hall of Fame
9 Legacy
10 Odd Coincidences
11 Notable Historic Relatives
12 Notable Living Relatives
13 Links

[edit] Whip Jones (1909-2001)

Whipple Van Ness Jones was an Aspen Legend, Ski Industry Pioneer, Founder of Aspen Highlands, Philanthropist, Member of the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame.

[edit] Youth

Born November 08, 1909 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Whip attended Oconomowoc High School and was a member of the football team, an actor in the school’s plays and, with his brother Frank, the Wisconsin State Champion in Doubles Tennis. A consummate sportsman, Whip enjoyed the winter ice on Lac La Belle, skating and taking groups sailing on his large high-speed iceboat, often at night. In one unfortunate late night accident, his ice boat crashed through a wooden fishing hut which 'exploded into splinters' according to one thrilled passenger.

In summarizing his youth, Whip would say, “We just tried to have fun!”

[edit] Education

While attending Harvard as an undergraduate, Whip concentrated in economics. Graduating in 1932 with an A.B. degree. He was an active member of the Rugby Club, serving as the organization’s secretary during his senior year.

[edit] Early Career

Following graduation, he spent one year as a part-time student at Harvard Business School before starting in the trust and investment department of St. Louis Union Trust Company in St. Louis. Eventually, he earned the title of partner at the investment firm of Hill Bros., also in St. Louis and became a member of the New York Stock Exchange. From 1942 through 1946, Whip served in the Army Air Corps as a Lieutenant Colonel and managed a team of contract attorneys.

[edit] Marriage and Divorce

Jones first marriage was to electrical heiress Mary Sue McCulloch, granddaughter of Edison Pioneer John I. Beggs and author of Suzie's Story. The couple had four children: Daphne, Diane, Richard and Whipple (jr). In the late 1940's the couple had a bitter, contentious, and well publicized divorce ending with Jones being awarded the largest settlement paid by a woman to a man in US History to date.

Subsequent wives were: Georgia Cleveland, Penleope Etnier, Vivienne Joyner Subsequent Children: Carey, Melanie

[edit] Moving West

After discovering loves for skiing and auto racing following his discharge from the Air Force, Whip moved to Aspen, Colorado in 1949. In the winters, he would ski and in the summers, he would race open topped roadsters through the streets of Aspen. During this time, Whip also used his investment expertise to foray into natural energy resources in the Rockies. He learned to fly and could often be found piloting his Cessna 180 for business and pleasure. During a snow related accident, Whip lost significant portions of his right fingers. In a characteristic move, he flew himself solo from Aspen to the nearest hospital in Denver in an unsucessful attempt to have his fingers reattached.

[edit] Aspen Highlands

Outside of his primary business interests, and at the urging of his current wife Penleope, Whip acquired a horse ranch at the base of Highland Mountain in Aspen for $50,000. Originally intending to develop the property as a summer tourist dude ranch, he became interested in developing a ski resort after the Forest Service suggested it would be a "great place for a ski area."

In 1956, at the age of 47, Jones' ultimate career began. Jones first proposed the idea for the Aspen Highlands ski area to the Aspen Skiing Company, which turned it down. Not one to get discouraged, Jones turned to famous skiers Dick Durrance and Stein Eriksen as well as local architect and subsequent founder of the 10th Mountain Division Hut System, Fritz Benedict to develop the ski area on his own.

In a stroke of entreprenuerial genius, he was able to finance his start up, trail development, expenses and lifts, by selling the lumber from the cleared ski runs and using low cost labor. When the area opened in 1958, it had three lifts, including the world's longest single section double chairlift. Aspen Highlands soon became known throughout Colorado as the affordable, laid-back, ski area with the longest vertical in the state. With the help of his wife Vivienne, the ski area grew to over 50 trails, boasted the longest (3,635 ft) vertical run, developed two awesome bowls, and continues to offer some of the best skiing and snowboarding in North America.

Whip founded the Aspen Highlands Skiing Corporation to manage the ski area. In the corporation’s 25th Anniversary Report, Whip wrote, “Naturally, my recreational activities have centered around the ski mountain, the marvelous fishing streams and the high country for hunting and pack trips.” Whip continued as an avid sportsman into his later years, playing golf, shooting and driving his sports cars. Aspen Magazine dubbed Whip a ‘dynamo’ and quoted his motto as “Always have a reason for waking up.”

Throughout its history, Aspen Highlands and Whip Jones remained at odds with the Aspen Skiing Company. At one point, Jones sued the Aspen Skiing Company for antitrust violations and won $10 million in damages.

After an avalanche in one of the bowls claimed the life of members of his ski patrol, Jones closed the bowls to skiing for many years. Aspen Highlands faced declining profitablity and skier numbers throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s ending with Jones laying off employees and ultimately firing his grandson Rick (Richard McCulloch Jones) from the position of president.

In 1993 Jones made an $18.3 million gift of Aspen Highlands stock to Harvard in the form of a charitable remainder trust. This remains one of the largest donations the University has ever received. The proceeds endow The Whipple V. N. Jones Cornerstone Scholarship Fund and The Whipple V.N. Jones Professor of Economics.

[edit] Hall of Fame

In 2000, He was inducted into the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame and was recognized as a legend in the ski industry. At the induction ceremony, Whip was recognized for his lasting contribution to skiing in the state through his vision, hard work, and creative marketing. Whip's vision and marketing ingenuity proved invaluable when he had to compete with the larger Aspen Ski Corporation and its monopolistic three-area ski ticket (Aspen Mountain (Ajax), Buttermilk and Snowmass). His innovative marketing lured many a skier to Aspen Highlands with the promise of fun. Many skiers remember with nostalgia the Wine & Cheese Parties, colorful "jelly bean" school buses and marketing campaigns that tied skiing highlands with swanky sex appeal.

[edit] Legacy

Whip died June 29, 2001 and was buried in Aspen.

Whip was married four times. He had six children, 15 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren at the time of his death in 2001. He was 91 and died of natural causes. His legacy lives on through those he touched, his family, his ski resort and the funds he established at Harvard:The Whipple V. N. Jones Cornerstone Scholarship Fund and the Whipple V. N. Jones Economic Chair.

When asked what the secret to a long life is, Whip replied “I tried not to carry a lot of baggage with me through life.”

Whip would hope that you live your own life and leave your own legacy. He would also hope that if your travels take you to Aspen that you spend some time skiing Highlands.

[edit] Odd Coincidences

Shortly after Whip's death, the Bold and the Beautiful Soap Opera added the character Whip Jones III (B&B) an employee of the fictional Forrester Creations. This character remained on the show for seven months in 2002. Whip Jones actually has a living grandson Whipple Jones III - a successful businessman in northern Florida. His store is called: My Favorite Things[1]. See Whip Jones (disambiguation). The real Whip Jones would have found this humorous, once when watching the hit TV show Dynasty Whip quiped "I love this show, it reminds me of reality".