Peter Runyon graduated from one of those snobby east coast boarding schools in 1964 and decided to postpone college for a
year to take advantage of an opportunity to spend ten months teaching Polio children to walk in Uganda in East Africa.
Peter commented that this was: "probably the most rewarding year of my entire life"
Returning to America he received a degree in American History with a minor in Pre-med from the University of Pennsylvania.
Peter Runyon then traveled to Eagle County for one year of skiing. Instead of just one year, he fell in love with our
mountain lifestyle and invested a lifetime.
For a young man with a brand new degree, Peter landed the job of a lifetime Vail Associates hired him as their full time
staff commercial photographer. For the next ten years his iconic images appeared on the covers of dozens of magazines, ads,
brochures and posters. His love for our mountains shone through his images and helped to secure the new ski resort, "Vail"
in the public's imagination. During that time he founded "Runyon Postcards, Inc.", which soon became the principal card
company in Eagle County.
Ever searching for the unusual, Runyon converted some successful Vail real estate investments and acquired a 40-foot sailboat
and went sailing. For six years he sailed over 40,000 miles in the open ocean often bringing clothing to remote islanders.
Dissatisfied with his production boat, Runyon decided that he could design and build a better world cruiser, so for the next
three years he led a team of boat builders in New Zealand and built a 52-foot cutter. His photo of his boat was featured on
the cover of Cruising World magazine.
After another year of cruising on his new boat, running low on money, he sold his creation, and returned to his beloved Eagle
County. Runyon embraced the new world of computers and taught himself the new image manipulation software, Photoshop. Using
this new creative advantage he successfully expanded his postcard business throughout the state of Colorado. Over the next
ten years his business grew both in customers and product line. Today his companies have over 300 wholesale customers and
boasts a complete line of tourist "necessities" from Snow-globes to coffee mugs.
As time went by, Runyon watched with growing concern as Eagle County transformed from about 2000 homes to over 28,000. So
great was his dismay over the minimally managed rate of growth in the County that he voluntarily entered the shark tank of
politics and ran successfully for County Commissioner in 2004. He continues to serve in that position.
Peter is happily married to his wife; Beth who holds masters degree in public administration and is currently managing their
souvenir business.
Peter in Vail, 1971.
Beth & Peter, 2008
