On his last official day this week as CEO of the Steamboat Springs Board of Realtors, Ulrich Salzgeber was his usual positive and personable self, looking at life with his “glass half full” mentality.

After moving to Steamboat in 1977, Salzgeber has operated two successful local businesses, worked as a real estate buyer’s agent for 12 years and served as CEO of the Realtor association for the past eight years.

Now he is looking forward to his retirement bucket list of travel to state capitals and minor league baseball games with his wife of 47 years, Janet. He also plans to continue to volunteer and contribute, especially through Steamboat Digs Dogs and the Steamboat Springs Chamber board, something he has done for decades.

Association board members and longtime friends say Salzgeber, 70, will be missed professionally for his smart leadership and strong communication skills. They say his quarterbacking skills kept the association on track during the COVID-19 pandemic and during the past year of changes at the association. In early February, the Summit and Steamboat Springs associations announced a merger to form Altitude Realtors.

Longtime Realtor and friend Doug Labor said the years Salzgeber worked as a buyer’s agent helped him become a compassionate, creative and empathetic association CEO. Labor said Salzgeber’s leadership during the pandemic was “phenomenal” during a time that “turned our real estate world upside down” when no showings or open houses were allowed, safety regulations were often changing and some properties were purchased sight unseen.

“The amount of effort and time it took to coordinate anything from health and safety issues, to real estate laws, to trying to support this organization and our 350 brokers trying to make a living through that time period was phenomenal,” Labor said. “He stayed in communication with everybody, was on top on things and really did a good job supporting our needs and keeping us updated on all the changes.”

“Throughout the years he made sure we were a very healthy organization, and all of his members were very informed,” said Niffy Bube, immediate past president of the Steamboat board.

Salzgeber said he is proud of the work the association continues to give the community such as offering the annual Community Christmas Dinner and organizing the Community Utility Support Program that provides residents in need with utility bill funds via social service agencies. He can recall hundreds of stories of philanthropy and kindness of local Realtors, everything from helping clean houses and move families to changing out a garbage disposal.

“The Realtors in this community have a passion for the community — that was one thing that really became evident,” Salzgeber said of his CEO tenure. “I’m proud that people in this town understand and appreciate a little more what Realtors do.”

From 1988 to 2004, Salzgeber was the general manager of Alpine Taxi and grew the business from six vehicles to 80. His first business venture in town was co-ownership with his wife of the KOA campground until 1988, where he honed his skills as a positive voice for Steamboat.

“He cares about the people of the community and the membership of SSBR, and his heart is as big as his smile. It’s huge,” Bube said. “He has an amazing sense of humor and that, combined with his positivity, level of integrity and great intellect, he always brings people to that next level.”

On his way out of the Realtor association, Salzgeber continued his positivity about home ownership possibilities in Routt County, but he said that does not come without sacrifices. New vehicles, fancy bikes and other expensive toys are not in the cards for people saving for a home down payment, he said. He advises potential buyers to be patient, pay careful attention to their credit ratings, establish a professional relationship with a mortgage broker and Realtor, and be ready to jump on the right home opportunity.

Salzgeber, who retains dual American and Swiss citizenship, attributes his upbeat but straight-shooter attitude to the positive environment of Steamboat, a great marriage and good friends.

“I can’t think of more than a handful of bad days that I’ve had in my life. My glass is always half full,” Salzgeber said.