Official Operator Spotlight: Todd Gabrielson
Snowmobile Club groomers are a huge part of the fabric of the PistenBully community, and Todd Gabrielson embodies the best qualities of this devoted group.
Tell us about your career and what helped you get to this point.
I ran a John Deere/Arctic Cat dealership for over 30 years, operating a lot of different equipment, knowing one day I would love to operate a trail groomer for the local snowmobile club. After selling the dealership, I climbed into my first PistenBully Trail… fell in love with grooming trails, and can’t get enough!
If you had to pick just one thing, what would you say has been the highlight of your career so far?
I’ve always loved making people happy… and hearing all the positive experiences from snowmobilers riding our freshly groomed trails is most rewarding!
What feature or capability of PistenBully machines/products do you find most critical for your work?
I would say my favorite feature of our newest PistenBully is the joystick. It’s a game-changer for sure!
What is your best advice for mentoring/training?
Patience…this is not something you learn overnight. And it’s nothing like driving a bus
What's something you want others -- especially those who are not familiar with your line of work -- to know about snow grooming?
It’s certainly not boring. A lot of people associate grooming with hopping in a car and driving for hours. Couldn’t be further from the truth. And I love it when a ride-along experiences that for the first time. They figure out in a short time whether it’s something they’re interested in or OMG… no, thank you!! Too much work!
What do you do in the summer?
Spend a lot of time in the boat chasing fish, cruising in the Vette, working in the yard, and at hunting camp.
