BW

Bernie first strapped on skis at the age of four, barreling down the slopes of Belleayre Mountain in the Catskills of New York. The son of immigrant parents, Weichsel was born, raised, and educated in New York City. Although Bernie's first love is skiing, his second has always been organizing and producing activities, events, and promotions. While attending college, he started working ski shows on weekends - selling T-shirts and posters at the nationwide International Ski and Winter Sports Shows founded by Harry Leonard & Jerry Simon. From that start Bernie, in 1983, started his own company -  BEWI Productions, Inc., which currently owns and produces nationally renowned Ski & Snowboard expos held in Denver, Minneapolis, and Boston each fall.

Aside from organizing BEWI's successful Ski & Snowboard expos, Bernie is also founder and president of SKIUSA. Created in 1979, the organization’s mission is to bring the American mountain experience to skiers and snowboarders around the world, representing the United States’ premier ski resorts in more than 18 foreign countries. He also , over the years, has involved himself in all aspects of winter sports marketing, including fundraising activities for the U.S. Ski Team, The International Skiing History Association, Youth Enrichment Services and organizing urban winter Festivals, cross-country ski and snowshoe events in New York's Central Park, Washington DC's Ellipise and on the Boston Common.

Searching for a balance to the ski industry business, Bernie was inspired with the idea of developing the New England Youth Sports Festival. In March of 2007, this first of the kind event featured all aspects from the world of youth sports including interactive skill zones, educational workshops, training clinics for coaches, referees and sports administrators, pro athlete participation, and a youth sports expo display area. Plans for the next NEYSF continue with the third festival planned for 2011.

In 2009 after serving on the board of directors since 2000, he took over the chairmanship of The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum is located in the City of Ishpeming in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the birthplace of organized skiing in the United States.