International Groomer Operator of the Year

Sponsored By Arctic Cat

Each year at the three chapters of the International Snowmobile Congress choose a groomer operator to be the “Groomer Operator of the Year” and to be honored by Arctic Cat.

To carry this program one step further, the INTERNATIONAL GROOMER OPERATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD was developed with the cooperation of the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Arctic Cat to give credit to one of these groomer operators, that put so much time and energy into the sport and are seldom recognized for all they do for snowmobiling. This one individual will be introduced and recognized at the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame Induction weekend ceremonies.

This year's selection committee chose Frank Ellis from Redman, Oregon to receive the honor f being named the "International Groomer Operator of the year 2007."

Frank was nominated by the Oregon State Snowmobile Association (OSSA) along with his clubs, the Moon Country Sno-mobiles, the Sisters Sno-Go-Fers, and the La Pine Lodgepole Dodgers, of which Frank and his wife Mary Ann are charter members.

Much has changed in the last 37 years that Frank Ellis has been grooming trails. First he started out with a snowmobile pulling a large tire then to a bedspring to form a trail. Through those years Frank has progressed to trying out all kinds of equipment but the one thing that hasn't changed is that he is still a volunteer and grooming several times a week.

Frank Ellis has mapped, cleared, and marked most of the 1000 miles of trails in the central Oregon area. He was involved in the formation of the OSSA in 1972, and has held many offices including being the President from 1981-1983. He was a leader in the formation of the states grooming program allowing registration fees and gas money to be dedicated funds for maintaining and grooming snowmobile trails, and this program continues to the day and is administrated by OSSA.

When not out grooming, the young plus 70 year old Frank is busy helping out the clubs and assisting where he can. However, his first choice would be in the cab of the Bombardier - BR250 doing what he loves so much to do, grooming and maintaining trails for snowmobiles.