Kimberly Ayn Snider passed away at her residence on Sunday, July 5, 2020 at the age of 57 due to complications from dementia. Passionate about the game of polo, Kim was the creative and innovative mind behind the PoloSkilz Network, a member of the United States Polo Association since 1992 and player at Wagener Polo Club in Wagener, South Carolina, near her farm in Aiken.
“Kim’s drive, fight and positive attitude, even while negotiating the terrible disease of dementia over the last several years, serve as a lesson to us all,” Adam Snow said. “I don’t think I’ve ever met someone more dedicated and passionate about the sport of polo. She was always looking to improve any way possible and I believe this is how she began with the PoloSkilz videos, something that will persist as one of her legacies in the sport. Kim pursued her passions, on her own terms, right up until the very end and she will be missed!”
Kim was an avid dog lover. ©Alex Tyrteos/Equestrian Living Magazine
Originally from Marshall, Texas, Kim went to Lake Forest High School in Illinois and graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1985. Devoting her career to the financial industry, Kim spent over 20 years as a serial entrepreneur, options trader, investment advisor, award winning U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registered financial advisor and engineer, author (How to be the Family CFO: 4 Simple Steps to Put Your Financial House in Order), speaker, educator, and financial radio talk show host.
Kim was known for living a purposeful-driven life, excelling and finding joy in the game of polo. Selling her investment firm Snider Advisors, Kim was able to retire in 2009 at age 47 and moved to Aiken with her husband Jim Hughes and their dogs to build a polo farm. Founding the Polo Skilz Network as a platform to help improve the skills of polo players, Kim began the process of selling the online instructional tool to the USPA in 2014. Deciding to come out of retirement with the rise of cryptocurrency, Kim was the founder and owner of SaneCrypto.com, leveraging her expertise to help others navigate crypto assets.
PoloSkilz Team (L to R) Lauren Biddle, Natasha Baecher, Kristy Waters-Outhier, Kim Snider.
In her own words, Kim expressed her perspective on polo and what the game had come to mean to her. “To the polo players that I love, polo can, and rightfully at times, make us so cynical,” Kim said. “At its best, it reminds us what a joy and gift it is to connect even for only a moment with such magnificent animal athletes and great people who share your passion.”
Kim will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered, impacting and mentoring many people along her path and planting seeds of growth and betterment. “Kim always sought knowledge and improvement, not only for herself but for everyone around her, emphasized in one of her favorite quotes from Zig Ziglar: ‘you can have everything you want in life if you will just help enough other people get what they want,’” said Robin Sanchez, USPA Governor-at-Large. “I learned so much from Kim, from how to be a better communicator to using tools like Mastermind. She was passionate about so many things including her animals, polo, and her husband Jim, and that passion gave her focus. We had so many engaging conversations just the two of us, but also with groups of friends and all the PoloSkilz contributors. Her friendship was truly inspiring and impossible to express in only a few sentences, but her loss is profound and she will be greatly missed.”
Kim is survived by her husband, James “Jim” Hughes; her mother, Annabelle (Melvyn) Goodman; siblings, Jill (James) Brewer, Robin (George) Simkins, and Allen (Stephanie) Goodman; aunts and uncles, Franklin “Bud” Holcomb, Henry (Laura) Holcomb, Bruce (Regina) Goodman, Harlan Goodman, and Ellin (Lewis) Blumenthal; as well as numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
A celebration of life in her honor is currently planned for the fall when polo returns to the Aiken area. In lieu of flowers, and in memory of what was so important to Kim in life, please consider a donation to Second Wind Dreams, the Hitchcock Woods Foundation, or your local animal shelter. Expressions of sympathy for the family may be left by visiting www.georgefuneralhomes.com.