Jarkko Ruhanen appointed as Ruka Nordic's event manager, general secretary Marika Paananen moves on to new tasks - "We will keep on implementing big things, without forgetting the local aspect"

The operational activities of the northern top event are now transferred to new hands. Ruhanen plans to especially develop new cooperation models and increase the visibility of Ruka Nordic.

For over 20 years Ruka Nordic has been unique event full of top sports, wonderful experiences and entertainment. These three days of festivities and Nordic skiing don’t come about by itself, it’s all thanks to hard work by local organizing committee.

This year there has been changes and roles being added in the organizing commettee, as Jarkko Ruhanen has been appointed as the Event Manager of Ruka Nordic. This role is a new one in the LOC. As the Event Manager, Ruhanen will be responsible for Ruka Nordic’s operational activities. He will also act as the immediate supervisor of the event.

“I find this really cool,” Ruhanen says.

“We have a good team full of people who share the passion for this event. I hope to bring in a new kind of conversational management and in the future to increase especially Ruka Nordic’s local visibility and cooperation with local actors,” says Ruhanen.

Ruka Nordic is already familiar to Ruhanen, as he has been involved in the organization’s operations in varying roles since the year 2013. In recent years, he has assisted general secretary Marika Paananen, who is now moving on to new tasks outside the organization.

Matti Heikkilä, the chairman of the sports club and event organizer Kuusamon Erä-Veikot, currently serves as the general secretary. Tasks have been redistributed: operational activities that were previously on general secretary’s responsibility, are now taken care of by Ruhanen, as Heikkilä accounts for background contract negotiations, for example.

“The organization is constantly developing. Marika has done a great job and I will continue her work. We will keep on implementing big things such as Ruka Nordic’s sustainability project, but at the same time also finding new paths to take Ruka Nordic even further,” concludes Ruhanen.

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