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2015 Issue 2 - KOA Owners Association
Owners News OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE KAMPGROUND OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. Volume 35 Issue 2 April, May, June 2015 • Contents • Presidents Message..................................................................... 2 2015 OA Board............................................................................. 4 2015 State/Provincial Presidents................................................. 7 State Meeting Minutes.................................................................. 8 When You Decide To Sell Your Campground-Don’t Hide It! Tell Your Friends And Fellow Franchisees by Loren Smith....... 11 OA Associate Members.............................................................. 14 Jokes.......................................................................................... 19 Outdoor Insurance Group: Keeping Your Insurance Relevant.............................................. 21 www.koaowners.org www.koaowners.org 1 Volume 35, Issue 2 President’s Message Newsletter Issue 2, 2015 | June 15, 2015 Dear KOA Owner, It’s hard to believe that it has been six months since the convention and the swearing in of a new Board of Directors for the Kampground Owners Association. I’m sure you all have heard the story of the duck that looked very serene floating around on the lake while in reality, under the water, his feet were paddling like crazy. That sort of sums up the work your Board of Directors has been doing. While much of our activity has not been visible yet, there has been a lot of activity. The key was modifying the program of work in order to create a few very active committees to continue to work with KOA, Inc. in order to improve the system and to try to generate more camper nights for all of us. Working with Inc. we have created brand committees composed of six franchisees and one corporate staff person to oversee any changes to the criteria for each new brand. These committees are now fully staffed and ready to go to work. Another committee that has been very active is the Peer to Peer committee. This small but effective group is working very closely with corporate to try to help franchisees who are in danger of losing their franchise, improve their parks so they can remain part of our system. Another very important committee is the Quality Assurance committee. Each of our franchise agreements give KOA, Inc. the authority to modify the Quality Assurance manual any way they wish and we are obligated to comply with anything 2 in the manual. The Owners Association has created a committee to work with corporate staff to monitor changes to his critical manual and to offer suggestions on what is needed to strength and improve the entire system. While we are all busy during the summer, this committee has a target of October first to provide input to KOA, Inc. Any franchisee who sees anything that they feel needs to be changed in the Quality Assurance procedure for next year should send your comments to Hans Wagner, Chairperson at: [email protected]. Because of the suggestions of the Board, KOA, Inc. has now started an e-mail reminder for all of us called Update from the KOA Newsroom. In addition the communication committee is also mailing an occasional message to all of us with short quick updates. Joe Long has accepted the challenge to work with corporate to improve this year’s convention content and that committee is working closely with corporate to be sure that there is enough meaningful information at the convention to make attendance worthwhile for all of us. I have listed below my message of all the OA Committees and the chairs of each of the committees. Of course one of the biggest challenges for the Board is to work with Corporate to implement the new Brand concept. Following a lengthy meeting of the Board, Pat Hittmeier, and Jef Sutherland a couple of years ago, KOA, Inc. promised to give the Owners Association a two year warning prior to making the campground branding mandatory. The Board has endorsed this concept and it is now up to each of us to work towards making this happen at our own park. Many franchisees have already converted to a specific brand while others are still working toward accomplishing Owners News the necessary improvements. The Whitefish Montana KOA, owned by me and my family falls into this category. While I strongly support the brand concept, we have not been able to invest the entire amount we will need to spend on it yet. Even so, we have accomplished most of the new requirements for a Holiday brand and know what we need to do to complete the transformation. I hope each of you has also identified what needs to be done on your KOA and even if you cannot afford to make all of the improvements this year, please make as many as you can and have a plan in place to make the rest of the changes over the next several years. Best wishes to the summer KOAs for a great season and if you are a winter location, enjoy the summer. Homer Staves President, KOA OWNERS ASSOCIATION ▪▪ Awards - Chair, Dave Barton [email protected] ▪▪ Peer-to-Peer - Chair, Mark Manning [email protected]. This committee will be responsible to assist any franchisee who needs help in the operation of his park in order to improve their NPS score, comply with branding criteria or any other help. This committee’s job is not to represent an individual franchisee who has problems with corporate, but rather to help improve and build the entire system. ▪▪ Communication - Chairs, Diane King [email protected] and Iris Shupe [email protected]. These two will work on things like better communications to all franchisees through the newsletter as well as by e-mail. They also have responsibility for working to improve the KOA work camper program ▪▪ Membership - Chair, Barb Kuder [email protected]. This group will work to increase the membership in the International Kampground Owners Association as well as work with the state, provincial and regional groups to improve and strengthen their membership and activities. ▪▪ Convention - Chair, Joe Long [email protected]. This committee is working closely with the KOA, Inc. staff to plan next year’s convention, not only for our own OA meetings but also on content. The OA is trying to help develop several workshops that will feature other franchisees as panel members. ▪▪ Quality Assurance - Chair, Hans Wagner [email protected]. Rather than waiting for KOA staff to tell us what they plan to change in next year’s standards, this committee will work during the year to review the present standards and make recommendations on how to improve them and the system prior the 2015 convention. ▪▪ Branding - This subject is so important that the entire board of Directors will continue to serve as committee of the whole to work with KOA in order to facilitate the growth of branding throughout the entire system. www.koaowners.org April, May, June 2015 2015 OA COMMITTEES 3 Volume 35, Issue 2 KOA OWNERS ASSOCIATION BO Area 1 TENNESSEE, NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, ALABAMA, GEORGIA, FLORIDA, KENTUCKY, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA GREG BATTS, VICE PRESIDENT KENTUCK LAKES/PRIZER POINT KOA 17146 1777 PRIZER POINT RD CADIZ, KY 42211 Phone: (270) 522-3762 Email: [email protected] Cell: (270) 350-2027 MARK MANNING FANCY GAP/BLUE RIDGEPKWY KOA 46183 47 FOX TRAIL LOOP FANCY GAP, VA 24328 Phone: (276) 728-7776 Fax: (276) 728-1014 Email: [email protected] Cell: (480)-390-6782 Area 2 OHIO, DELAWARE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, MAINE, VERMONT, MASSACHUSETTS, NEW HAMPSHIRE, MARYLAND, CONNECTICUT, RHODE ISLAND VICKI COLE SHELBY/MANSFIELD KOA 35164 6787 BAKER 47 SHELBY, OH 44875-9103 Phone: (419) 347-1392 Fax: (419) 342-5353 Email: [email protected] Cell: (419) 564-3495 H (419) 347-2299 BARBARA KUDER SALEM/LISBON OH KOA 35169 33815 WINONA ROAD SALEM, OH 44460 Phone: (234) 567-5608 Fax: (330) 222-7017 Email: [email protected] Cell: (330) 831-8628 Area 3 MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, NEBRASKA, MINNESOTA, WISCONSIN, IOWA JOE LONG LENA KOA 10982 US HIGHWAY 20 WEST LENA, IL 61048 Phone: (815) 369-2612 Fax: (815) 369-2018 Email: [email protected] Cell: (630) 991-6690 HOPE PERKINS Elkhart/Middlebury KOA 14133 52867 State Rd. Middlebury, IN 46540 Phone: (574) 825-5932 Fax: (574) 825-1080 Email: [email protected] Cell: (574) 849-7706 Area 4 LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, KANSAS, MISSOURI, OKLAHOMA, TEXAS, ARKANSAS TINA HAITH OKLAHOMA CITY KOA 36133 6200 SOUTH CHOCTAW ROAD CHOCTAW, OK 73020 Phone: (405) 391-5000 Email: [email protected] Cell: (405) 249-7801 4 DIANE KING, SECRETARY SPRINGFIELD/RT 66 KOA 25137 5775 WEST FARM ROAD 140 SPRINGFIELD, MO 65802 Phone: (417) 831-3645 Fax: (417) 863-0295 Email: [email protected] Cell: (417) 209-4845 Owners News N BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015 Area 5 ALASKA, WASHINGTON, OREGON, IDAHO, MONTANA, WYOMING IRIS SHUPE BAY CENTER/WILLAPA BAY KOA 47121 PO BOX 376, 457 BAY CENTER ROAD BAY CENTER, WA 98527 Phone: (719) 313-0021 Fax: (360) 875-6344 Email: [email protected] Cell: (719) 313-0021 HOMER STAVES, PRESIDENT WHITEFISH/KALISPELL KOA 26161 3191 PARKHILL BILLINGS, MT 59102 Phone: (406) 656-7086 Fax: (406) 656-7086 Email: [email protected] Cell: (406) 672-2383 Area 6 HAWAII, CALIFORNIA, NEVADA, UTAH, COLORADO, ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO PAMELA MENDALA CRAIG SISCO, TREASURER CLOVERDALE KOA 5275 FORT COLLINS/LAKESIDE KOA 1166 ASTI RIDGE RD, PO BOX 600 1910 LAKESIDE RESORT LANE CLOVERDALE, CA 95425 FORT COLLINS, CO 80524 Phone: (707) 894-3337 Phone: (970) 484-9880 Fax: (707) 894-9206 Fax: (970) 493-8900 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Cell: (707) 849-4697 Cell: (970) 213-4081 Area 7 CENTRAL & EASTERN CANADA HANS WAGNER 1000 ISLANDS/KINGSTON KOA 2039 CORDUKES RD. KINGSTON, ON, K7L4V4 Phone: (613) 546-6140 Fax: (613) 546-6178 Email: [email protected] Cell: (613) 329-4569 DAVE BARTON, PAST PRESIDENT 1000 ISLAND/IVY LEA KOA 55203 514 1000 ISLANDS PKWY LANSDOWNE, ON K0E 1L0 Phone: (613) 659-2817 Fax: (613) 659-2992 Email: [email protected] Cell: (613) 539-2018 (winter #) Area 8KOA Inc. Liaison Executive Director JIM BROWN JEF SUTHERLAND HINTON/JASPER KOA 51124 VP OF FRANCHISEE SERVICE 50409 B HIGHWAY 16; Box 5052 PO BOX 3055 HINTON, AB T7V 1X3 BILLINGS, MT 59114 Phone: (780) 865-5061 Phone: (800) 548-7104 Email: [email protected] Email:[email protected] Cell: (403) 815-4833; Winter (403) 288-8351 www.koaowners.org WILLIAM RANIERI 3416 PRIMM LANE BIRMINGHAM, AL 35216 (800) 678-9976, (888) 461-2062 FAX: (205) 823-2760 Email: [email protected] Cell: (205) 587-5309 April, May, June 2015 WESTERN CANADA 5 Volume 35, Issue 2 KOA OWNERS ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015 Simple Truths on Campground Financing • Few financial institutions understand a campground’s seasonal, cyclic, and cash flow needs • Even fewer banks create programs to cater to those needs • One bank has created specific programs to serve KOA campground owners Independence Bank has been serving KOA campground owners for 12 years, and we understand your needs. Our hugely popular KOA-exclusive loan programs include: • Go with the Flow Financing is for developing and improving your campground. The easy one-page application and no down payment means your campground improvement project can begin immediately. Payment is structured around your campground's unique cash flow. • KOA Real Estate Term Financing is specifically for campground purchase or refinance and is very competitive with rates, terms and conditions. Gwen • Debbie • Chuck • Nate • Carol 6 Thank you for trusting us to be your campground bank. Owners News 2015 State & Provincial Presidents CALIFORNIA/NEVADA Brian Cushman Lake Isabella/Kern River KOA 5106 15627 Highway 178 Weldon, CA 93283 (760) 378-4669 [email protected] NEW ENGLAND John Kelsey Northampton/Springfield MA KOA 21137 139 South Road Westhampton, MA 01027 (413) 527-9862 [email protected] TENNESSEE/KENTUCKY Charles Dameron Ashland/Huntington West KOA 17144 80 KOA Lane Argillite, KY 41121 (606) 929-5504 [email protected] COLORADO Deborah Brunovsky Ouray KOA 6158 PO Box J Ouray, CO 81427 (970) 325-4736 [email protected] NEW MEXICO Larry Pasekoff Santa Fe KOA 31159 934 Old Las Vegas Hwy Santa Fe, NM 87505 (505) 466-1419 [email protected] TEXAS Marshal Gray Concho Valley KOA 43111 6699 Knickerbocker Rd San Angelo, TX 76904 (325) 656-6446 [email protected] FLORIDA Elliott Smith St. Augustine Beach KOA 9205 525 W. Pope Rd St. Augustine, FL 32080 (904) 806-1431 [email protected] NEW YORK Anita Perry Chautauqua Lake KOA 32233 5652 Thumb Road DeWittville, NY 14738 (716) 386-3804 [email protected] UTAH/IDAHO Oscar Carranza Twin Falls/Jerome KOA 12109 5431 US Hwy 93 Jerome, ID 83338 (208) 324-4169 [email protected] Heartland-AR, OK, KS, MO Jodie Bartelson Wellington KOA 16107 100 South KOA Drive Wellington, KS 67152 (620) 326-8300 [email protected] OHIO Garry Cole Shelby/Mansfield KOA 35164 6787 Baker 47 Shelby, OH 44875-9103 (419) 347-1392 [email protected] VIRGINIA Susan Hart Fredericksburg KOA 46105 7400 Brookside Lane Fredericksburg, VA 22408 (540) 898-7252 [email protected] ILLINOIS John Downing Rock Island KOA 13156 2311 78th Avenue West Rock Island, IL 61201 (309) 787-0665 [email protected] OREGON Michael Greig Corvallis/Albany KOA 37176 33775 Oakville Rd. SW Albany, OR 37321 (541) 967-8521 [email protected] WASHINGTON Karen Rosier Seattle/Tacoma KOA 47161 5801 S 212th Street Kent, WA 98032 (253) 569-9532 [email protected] INDIANA Hope Perkins Elkhart/Middlebury KOA 14133 52867 State Rd. 13 Middlebury, IN 46540 (574) 825-5932 [email protected] PA CENTRAL John Dillon Bellefonte/State College KOA 38117 2481 Jacksonville Rd Bellefonte, PA 16823 (814) 355-7912 [email protected] WISCONSIN Jeff Irwin Madison KOA 49106 4859 Cty Rd V DeForest, WI 53532 (608) 846-4528 [email protected] MICHIGAN Cathleen Kuebler Traverse City KOA 22225 9700 M37 Buckley, MI 49620 (231) 269-3203 [email protected] PA-WEST Gary Levesque Philadelphia/West Chester KOA 38104 PO Box 920 Unionville, PA 19375 (610) 486-0447 [email protected] WESTERN CANADA James Brown Hinton Jasper KOA 51124 4720 Vegas Rd NW Calgary, AB T3A 1W3 CANADA (780) 865-5062 [email protected] MINNESOTA Carissa Vannoy Bemidji MN KOA 23125 510 Brightstar Road NW Bemidji, MN 56601 (218) 444-7562 [email protected] SOUTH CAROLINA Bill Olendorf Point South KOA 40113 14 Kampground Rd Yemassee, SC 29945 (843) 726-5733 [email protected] EASTERN CANADA Richard Marcoux 1000 Island/Mallorytown KOA 55208 1477 CR 2 PO Box 29 Mallorytown, ON K0E 1R0 CANADA (613) 923-5339 [email protected] MONTANA/WYOMING Homer Staves Whitefish/Kalispell KOA 26161 5121 Highway 935 Whitefish, MT 59937 (406) 862-4242 [email protected] SOUTH DAKOTA John Adler Hot Springs KOA 41114 27585 SD Highway 79 Hot Springs, SD 57747 (605) 745-6449 [email protected] www.koaowners.org April, May, June 2015 If you have any news from your state that you would like to share with other members please send to [email protected] 7 Volume 35, Issue 2 ILLINOIS KOA OWNERS MEETING MARCH 30 & 31, 2015 SPRINGFIELD KOA HOSTS: LINDA & STAN March 31st · Arrive, chat, coffee and food. 8:00AM Thank you Linda for the great breakfast and finding a restaurant on Monday night. · Represented at the meeting were the following parks. Springfield, Casey, Benton, Chicago NW, Lena, Granite City, and Rock Island. It was especially nice to see Cathy and Linda who normally cannot attend. · Financial Report was provided by John showing we have a few hundred dollars in the treasury. When asked about the rebate check from the OA John said a check had not arrived and he would follow up with Bill as to the status. · Minutes of October meeting accepted. · In old business we discussed: o Joint marketing efforts that included: · The newly designed Tri-fold brochures redesign and printing with Sylvia taking the lead with support from Joe. We printed 10,000 most of which went to the RV camping shows and the remainder to be used at the member parks and the tourist information centers. There are about 3,000 left and it is anticipated that a new printing will need to be done for next season’s shows. All members will be asked to update their information at the fall meeting and Sylvia has agreed to again contact the printer and secure another batch of tri-folds. · Tri-fold distribution was discussed and so far our informal allocation of forms has worked. The Chicago show went thru the majority of those used. Rock Island, Peoria, and Bellville used about 3,000 totals. The Springfield show was less productive. · Discussion was held on the KOA special weekends for 2015 and who would participate and reasons that a park might not. o For the Big Weekend it appears all parks are on board and very pleased with the new plan to collect from the campers the non-refundable $10 fee to go to Care Camps. It has been clear that many guests just took the free night and never responded with any support for Care Camps this change assures a level of support. o For Father’s Day it appears that most parks are participating. The free child thing is a nice bonus for a family event and attendance is good. o For the VKR weekend several parks are not involved because they have other promotions, one park has combined his past promotion to run in conjunction with the VKR weekend. One park raised the issue of timing wondering why September when it is October that would best benefit their park. o The discussion on social media revolved around the use of Brian to provide an allaround social media presence. In general the parks felt that they were receiving good 8 Owners News service and would continue to have him handle their social media. One park had a concern that his video had not been completed but the remaining parks assured him that the videos were schedule in Illinois for late spring. One park present has chosen to not use the services at this time but rather observe the value received if any by the other parks. · With the RV Camping shows just ending a discussion was held concerning the effectiveness of each show: o Stan and Glen reported that the Springfield show was not good and has been going downhill because of the move to the downtown location and because there are shows north and south that are more popular. They recommend that we drop this show especially if there is a better show as a replacement. o Rob was not able to attend so Joe provided a report on Rosemont. Rob told Joe that attendance was around 24,000 for the 5 days. As always supplies are an issue but the use of unused materials from the prior year helped the Rosemont show, first each season, meet demands of the visitors. Michigan park participation was again used so our total of working parks at the show was adequate resulting in no one park having to work long hours. Rosemont again is a most for 2016. o John reported on the Quad Cities & Peoria shows that he and Carole cover for the group. John reported that Quad Cities was up again this time by 8%. This makes 5 years in a row of growth. As for the Peoria show the growth was even better at 20% getting the numbers back to pre-2008 numbers. Contributing to that growth is the fact that Caterpillar Corporation announced it would stay in Peoria, and the fact that the Illinois High School cheerleader completion is no longer in Peoria. That completion literally dominated the use of parking and interior space to the point that visitors to the RV show would not chose to fight the crowds to attend. John is very optimistic that the show will continue to do good numbers. o In 2014 and 2015 the Rockford RV was attended by Chicago NW at their expense. Sylvia said this show has a great attendance late in March in spite of the fact that Rockford is only about an hour’s drive from Rosemont. This show attracts potential guest from Wisconsin and Illinois. The show moved from its downtown location a few years ago and that seems to have rejuvenated attendance. It was recommended that this show replace Springfield as our 5th state show. Sylvia will contact Louie Mann and let her know of the change. · John addressed the issue of the ICA directory in which currently 7 parks participate. The directory is produced by the Illinois Campground Association. AGS of Texas this year took over the production and sales of ads. The Illinois owners have had a full page ad across from eh yogi ad for the last several years. Discussion of our ad lead to Sylvia volunteering to have the designer she uses for the Tri-fold to give us an ad that looks more professional. All attending www.koaowners.org April, May, June 2015 o Walter reported on the Belville as a new sponsored show. He stated that even though the show is across from St. Louis it is a low cost well attended show that attracts many potential campers from the southern part of Illinois. He recommended that we continue doing the show. Next year, Benton, Springfield and Casey will allocate resources to work the show. 9 Volume 35, Issue 2 parks except Casey agreed to participate again in 2016 with Granite City our number of parks should be 8, provided LaSalle and Kankakee renew. John also explained that the ICA web site had been redone making it more attractive but that the real value in the ICA web site was the number or referrals that came from that site to his independent site. Fact is the ICA site is the number one referral site. Others including Thomas concurred that ICA was their number one referral site. John also noted that the coupon in the directory has been very much used for several years, indicating to him the value of the directory. o Joe gave the owners and update on the happenings from the OA. · After a great lunch, Linda and Stan gave everyone a tour of the park. Over the last 12 years they have made a number of improvements on this least property park. Stan talked about future improvements or even purchasing new land and leaving the leased property. o A discussion was held concerning branding and as Benton is the only Illinois park that was branded in 2014 questions were asked about results or other issues that our guests have raised. He noted that many guests are confused by the change. He had one guest think that journey was the last name of the owner of the park. He also said the local chamber of commerce and many guests have asked if he is still a campground as campground does not appear anywhere on the new signs, something the group thought very odd and wondered if Inc. had any idea about this confusion. Walt could not say that he has anyone of noticing a change in business because of his branding. At least one other park will be branded this year while others sit and watch looking for the positive or negatives from this marketing effort. · General discussion items by owners included the gift card program with few of the parks seeming to sell or redeem many of the cards. Everyone did seem pleased with the program and expect that more customers in the future will partake. · A short discussion was held concerning Kampsight 2.0 with most taking a very positive wait and see. Walt encouraged everyone to visit the forum to provide comments and read comments by fellow owners and the developers. · Reserve America was discussed with John presenting the ekamp notice. It appears to be a consensus that the past Reserve America effort produced few if any reservations and that to invest $500 for a very limited number of reservations did not make sense. It was also noted that the Reserve America fee comes off the top and the KOA royalty fee is based on the gross reservation thus increasing the cost related to the Reserve America system of reservation. No park indicated they were going to participate in the program as structured. · John also brought up the issue of analog to digital TV conversion. He noted that on ekamp it would appear that KOA, Inc. is telling park owners that they must change their cable system to comply with FCC rules. John did some checking and could not find and FCC rule that required this change. John called Olivia and KOA who explained that the ekamp article was not quite right, that cable providers to our parks were required to provide digital service by September 1 of this year. The change could cause the park to invest in new equipment and the owners needed to know it was coming. Parks using satellite service such as Dish or DIRECTV were not required to make any change. John did say that he was looking into changing his DirecTV system from analog to digital just to give his guest a better viewing experience, however, the change would not come cheap, his current best proposal is about $10K. · Next Meeting location and date o Granite City KOA, October 26th and 27th, 2015 · Adjourn 3:00pm 10 Owners News All of us arrive at a point where we either willingly decide to sell our campground or under circumstances (health issues) are forced to sell it. We (including Loren) have been involved both on the side lines and up close and in detail on many campground sales. Over the years I, Loren, have observed one common and prevalent theme and that is secrecy. Experience has shown this to be a bad policy-don’t do it. There’s a general saying that goes like this: “Most small businesses get sold at the worst time of the life of the business and never when it should have been sold.” By way of example, the business has started to lose money, needs revitalization, or there has been a medical issue, death of a spouse, etc. and that is the reason for the sale. It has been Loren’s experience that although that statement may www.koaowners.org be true, it is pretty much unavoidable. It’s somewhat the nature of small businesses. In the camping business, the most common reason (for selling) is that “Mom and Pop” have finally gotten old enough and are tired of the day to day operation. Often times the “decision to sell” goes unacted upon for 1 or more years and of course during that time they become more and more unhappy with the business. So now, when they finally list the business for sale they have already mentally sold the business and are planning, and sometimes living, the retirement or whatever they are going to do next. It has been Loren’s experience that these folks often enter into a deal or an agreement that is not in their best interest and usually becomes adversarial. It doesn’t need to be that way. April, May, June 2015 WHEN YOU DECIDE TO SELL YOUR CAMPGROUND-DON’T HIDE IT! TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND FELLOW FRANCHISEES 11 Volume 35, Issue 2 12 The next most common phenomena, when actually putting the campground up for sale, after “Mom and Pop” are really burnt out, is secrecy. For some unknown reason, a large number of those selling their campground don’t want any of their fellow franchisees or friends to know that they are selling their campground! The reasons vary but none of them make sense when looked at from a rational standpoint. It’s almost as if they feel guilty or are going through a divorce. A large number of their friends/acquaintances are fellow campground owners and they are part of the “KOA Franchise Family.” So, they have chosen to leave and for some reason they are embarrassed to talk about it and keep it a secret. Loren’s experience says that if you are even thinking about selling your campground or are even considering it, start talking to everyone you know including your fellow franchisees. After all, they are your friends; not your enemies. There’s no reason to be embarrassed that you are thinking about “leaving the family” because every one of us are going to do the same thing at some point in time. For most of us, the campground represents our life’s investment. It’s our retirement or whatever we may be planning to do later in life. Perhaps it’s helping to finance the kids’ college education, etc. In other words selling your campground is a big deal so listen and get all the advice you can from everyone you know; especially your friends. It’s been my experience that everyone who sells their campground (now it becomes public knowledge) states “We’re still going to stick around” or “We’ll be working/helping out at other campgrounds” etc., etc. and they truly plan to do that. However, in a couple of years they are gone, enjoying something new or different whether it be retiring or something else. Candidly you never hear from them again. That’s not a bad thing. After all, they have accomplished one of their goals in life and that’s great. When the campground finally gets “listed” with Realtors, Campground Brokers, KOA, Sales Department, etc. the owner(s) have mentally already sold the campground and moved on. This creates a real desire to get the campground sold and often is accompanied by what many of us outsiders would term “stupid stuff”. In short, they sell the campground to someone that they shouldn’t sell it to. Remember, you are selling your baby. Your baby may be grown up and ready to move on in life (move out of the house) but it has still been your life for a long time. It is my opinion that character of the new buyer, and an ability for you to be friends with the new buyer over a long period of time considerably outweigh cash sale, 1031 exchange, etc., etc. When you find yourself thinking about selling your campground do it right away and don’t wait until you are desperate to get out. Do it publically, openly and enlist the help of all of your friends, franchisees, etc. Some of them may be able to locate a buyer for you. At Prairie Kraft Loren has a business motto that states, “We choose whom we do business with”. Choosing “whom we do business with” is more important to Loren than how much money they have. In short, quality of character is what you are looking for. It beats cash every day of the week. Many of you reading this know friends/acquaintances who have sold their campground and a common theme is: the new owner and the old owner have become adversarial with each other and this often happens in less than 30 days from the time the new owners take over the campground. When I, Loren, decide to sell the Great Falls KOA (No, it’s not for sale right now, nor will it be in the next few years) am going to be way more interested in the character of the buyer than I am in how much money they have or what kind of deal I can get. One of the great things about living in America is that we get to buy and sell products and property between each other on terms we decide upon. Yes, it is true that Uncle Sam comes in and wants taxes, whether it’s capital gains, income tax, etc. This of course plays into the picture, however, the terms that we figure out between a buyer and a seller are terms that we decide and there are 10,000 different ways to make a deal. In short, none of them are the same. When you get the “rough framework” of a deal you should, at that point, start consulting with your friends. Your friends being people you bank with, other campground owners, possibly other campground brokers, etc. Ask them what they think of the “deal”. Remember, you don’t have to take their advice. You can nod in agreement, but at the end of the day you are the one that is going to decide on what you do. However, it doesn’t hurt to listen to other people’s view point. After all, this is a momentous decision and event in your life. Owners News add something of substance, in my opinion, if you sell your campground and retain some portion of ownership (remember you have sold to someone with good character) and then receive payments over a period of time usually works out to be the best deal. After all, you are going to need money over the next several years to pursue your retirement, your dreams, hobbies, or that new business that you always wanted to get in to. If you have chosen a new owner carefully (think good credit, hasn’t been in lawsuits, etc.) you’ll receive your payments. You can also borrow money against those payments (again if the quality of the person paying you is good) and they have good credit. At the time this is being written summer is just starting at the Great Falls KOA. It appears that we are going to be busy, although perhaps not as busy as we had hoped through the winter. On the other hand, experience has taught me that you can never tell what a camping season will be like until it’s over. The next newsletter will be written at the end of the camping season and at that point I will tell you how the Great Falls KOA did. In the meantime have a good summer and above all have fun. Keep in mind that we are all working towards the day we sell our campgrounds. Your friends, Loren, Jane, Beth, Sara, and all the folks at Prairie Kraft. PS. For those of you who know Beth she had a little boy on May 26th. His name is Trek and mom and baby are doing fine. April, May, June 2015 Your Banker or Lending Institution is often in an awkward position but on the other hand can often be the best source of advice. The lending institution very likely is now, or soon will be, perhaps loaning money to the new buyer of your campground. As such, that new buyer is their customer and they are bound to protect their confidentiality, etc. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get good information from them. Once you have the rough outline of a possible deal, remember you haven’t yet made a deal, you are just simply carrying on conversation with the new buyer. Loren refers to this as a “pizza and beer conversation.” Take that rough framework of an idea and run it by your Accountant, Banker, and other friends and listen to what they say. It’s been my experience that sometimes the worst advice sellers like yourself get, is from their Accountant. The Accountant truly has the interest of their client (you) in mind and of course they are looking at the tax consequences. Consequently, the Accountant often says “You are going to pay a ton in taxes” or something similar. That of course discourages the seller from actually selling their campground, at least under those circumstances. In short, use the information your Accountant gives you but balance it with information from others that are “more entrepreneurial” that your Accountant. At the end of the day it would be really good if you and the new owner remained friends and worked together to make the campground even more successful from when you had it. As you know, Loren likes to put substance to his articles and this one hasn’t had much of it. Of course, every sale is a “different deal.” However, to www.koaowners.org 13 Volume 35, Issue 2 Owners Association Associate Members Call them first! THE FOLLOWING ARE ASSOCIATE MEMBERS OF THE KOA OWNERS ASSOCIATION. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THESE VENDORS PAY DUES TO SUPPORT THE OWNERS ASSOCIATION: A.T. Storrs Ltd. IAN STORRS 1363 EAST PENDER STREET VANCOUVER, BC V5L 1V7 800-561-5800 [email protected] http://www.atstorrs.com Specializing in jewelry and souvenirs for the campground and travel market AGS BRIAN SCHAEFFER 910 S CROWLEY ROAD SUITE 9-504 CROWLEY, TX 76036 877-518-1989 [email protected] http://www.ags-txad.com AGS, owned by Texas Advertising Inc (TXAD), offers high quality marketing services to the RV Park and Campground sector, specifically guest directories and website design to marketing consulting. VCA News and Notes: Texas Advertising Inc. (TXAD) has recently purchased the guest guides and hosted websites operations from AGS, a subsidiary of Good Sam Enterprises LLC. The switch occurred June 1 with no discontinuation of services, according to a news release.“We’re excited by the opportunity to provide quality guest guides and website services to our new clients,” said Brian Schaeffer, president of Texas Advertising. Texas Advertising produces high-quality guest guides for RV parks and campgrounds around the country and Canada and website services for various types of small businesses. According to Marcus Lemonis, CEO of AGS, “This is the best possible situation for our guest guide and hosted website customers. Texas Advertising is a recognized market leader in the guest guide and hosted website market and will service our customers well. We will continue to focus more completely on expanding our leadership position in the RV market.” Amphibious Outfitters SCOTT GARBUTT 4433 MAIN STREET PO BOX 484 GASPORT, NY 14067 716-772-5445 [email protected] http://www.aoshirts.com 14 Amphibious Outfitters introduces CAMP: Catching A Moments Peace; a true Camping Experience T-shirt Brand. Established in 1993 A/O’s reputation is known for worldwide shipping to over 80 countries. Anderson’s Brochure Distribution Svc. JOE TICE 3625 FOX HILL ROAD CHAMBERSBURG, PA 17202 866-645-1897 [email protected] http://www.campwithandersons.com Distribution of brochures and other literature for campgrounds, RV parks, state associations and tourism agencies at over 25 camping and RV shows in the USA and Canada BERG USA, LLC ANNE MONROE 45 NORTH BROAD STREET SUITE 100 LILITZ, PA 17543 717-625-2374 [email protected] http://www,bergtoys-usa.com 15 years in the U.S. commercial market and more than an additional 12 years in the European market give BERG toys over 27 years of commercial kart and toy building experience! When you choose BERG you choose the best! All commercial BERG pedal go-karts are made in Holland and held to the highest quality standards, just as they’ve always been. The karts are unique enough that your customers will be intrigued with the construction and idea of a pedal powered go-kart and simple and smooth enough that they’ll have no problem riding them around! Chadwick Manufacturing, Ltd. ALLEN SMITH PO BOX 85 CHADWICK, IL 61014 815-684-5152 [email protected] http://www.chadwickmfg.com Chadwick Manufacturing has been a leading manufacturer of high quality picnic table frames, park benches, grills, and fire rings to parks and campgrounds for over fifty years. Commercial Recreation Specialists SHANNON BROWER 415 INVESTMENT COURT VERONA, WI 53593 877-896-8442 [email protected] http://www.crs4rec.com Commercial Recreation Specialists (CRS) is headquartered near Madison, Wisconsin, with a Sales Office in New Jersey, and serves customers around the world. CRS specializes in recreation products and services designed specifically for commercial clients. Founded in 1999 by Ron Romens and Rich Wills, CRS performs a careful analysis of each client’s location and business goals to provide recreation solutions based on the unique needs of each client. With over 50 years of combined industry experience, CRS is not only an equipment supplier for select vendors, but also offers planning, design, installation, training and operational services. CRS delivers unparalleled industry knowledge, with a track record of proven success in the commercial recreation market. Satisfied clients include hundreds of resorts, camps, campgrounds & RV parks, municipalities, schools & daycares, YMCAs & JCCs, aquatics & fitness centers, MWR facilities, cruise lines, zoos and other recreation settings around the world. Conestoga Log Cabins DOLORES PRICE 246 NORTH LINCOLN AVENUE LEBANON, PA 17046 800-914-4606 [email protected] http://www.conestogalogcabins.com Conestoga is the largest supplier of log cabin kits to the camping and resort industries in the US and have earned the hard-won trust and respect of campground owners and resort purchasing and property managers. Conestoga Log Cabins has provided cabins, bathhouses, bunkhouses and commercial buildings for KOA for over 15 years, with over 3,000 cabins sold. We now offer Timberframe cabins along with many other floor plans that are suited for just about every need. Yogi Campground has said, “these cabins rent between 95 and 120 times per year, and there is often a waiting list. In our first year renting these cabins, our return on investment was 40%-50%. We cover the Owners News Darrell Hess & Assocates DARRELL HESS 367 DELLWOOD ROAD BUILDING E-2 WAYNESVILLE, NC 28786 828-452-1535 [email protected] http://www.campgroundsforsale.com Campground sales Foamula Products Inc. RITA CASTEEL 3020 GRAND PRIX FARMS ROAD WELLINGTON, FL 33414-6835 561-818-4206 [email protected] http://www.vizers.com VIZERS are fun, colorful, one size fits all, never stain or smell. Custom interchangeable logos and snap on charms! Best of all - they FLOAT! Gerber Tables (a division of Nexgen LLC) JEFF URSO 2917 LATHAM DRIVE MADISON, WI 53713 800-393-9923 [email protected] http://www.gerbertables.com Manufacturing since 1969: Picnic Tables, Park Benches, Bike Racks, Park Grills, Fire Rings, Trash containers and Fire Starter Products. Independence Bank DEBBIE CALLAHAN PO BOX 2900 HAVRE, MT 59501 406-265-1241 [email protected] http://www.ibyourbank.com Independence Bank is a premier lender for campground purchases, refinances, cabin/lodges financing and improvement loans www.koaowners.org Jamestown Advanced Corporation ELIZABETH CALDWELL 2855 GIRTS ROAD JAMESTOWN, NY 14701 800-452-0639 [email protected] http://www.jamestownadvanced.com Jamestown Advanced Products is a manufacturer of commercial site amenities for campgrounds, parks and recreational areas. Product line consists of RV power outlets, campfire rings, grills, dog park equipment, picnic tables and more! King Supply Company PAUL BOUTIETTE 9 MAIN STREET SUITE 1F MANCHAUG, MA 01526 888-852-5340 [email protected] http://www.kingsupply.com Our roots began as a family campground in 1986 operated until 2008, accompanied by a strong maintenance background for 15 years prior to our entry into the campground industry. Our foundation gave us a full understanding of the maintenance needs of campgrounds, camps, parks & playgrounds. Over the years we have grown to include products for general building restroom facilities and general maintenance. We carry quality products at deep discount pricing. We buy factory direct when possible and pass those savings on to you. No order is too large or too small! We are innovative and always looking for new products to carry. Leavitt Recreation & Hospitality Insurance CHRIS HIPPLE 942 14TH STREET STURGIS, SD 57785 800-525-2060 [email protected] http://www.lrhinsurance.com We specialize in resort, campground and hospitality business throught the nations. Coverage designed exclusively for your industry coupled with exceptional customer service. McNeil and Company, Inc. STEPHANIE ROTHERY PO BOX 5670 CORTLAND, NY 13045 800-822-3747 [email protected] http://www.mcneilandcompany.com McNeil & Company provides quality outdoor and recreation insurance for guides, outfitters, resorts, lodges, RV parks and campgrounds. The AdvenSure Insurance Program provides coverage plans for the outdoor recreation and hospitality industry, insuring a wide variety of business sectors including: archery ranges/pro shops, bed and breakfast, dog trails, dude ranches, freshwater marinas, hunting and fishing lodges, hunting leases and hunting clubs, RV parks and campgrounds. Nextiva MARY MILLER 8800 EAST CHAPARRAL ROAD SUITE 300 SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85250 480-499-4686 [email protected] http://www.nextiva.com Nextiva is the fastest growing cloud communications provider in the U.S. We deliver voice, video, mobility, IM, and presence on any device. Outdoor Insurance Group GLENN SUDOL 1371 HECLA DRIVE SUITE E LOUISVILLE, CO 80027 303-951-5050 [email protected] http://www.oigcorp.com Outdoor Insurance Group is a specialty insurance agency for the outdoor hospitality and recreation market. Pelland Advertising PETER PELLAND 25 DEPOT ROAD HAYDENVILLE, MA 01039 800-848-0501 [email protected] http://pelland.com Longer than any other company in the industry, Pelland Advertising has been committed to serving the marketing April, May, June 2015 cost of our cabins in less than 3 years. Conestoga Log Cabins have dramatically increased our customer base. That in turn has increased our ancillary revenues dramatically. When it comes to return on investment, you can’t go wrong with Conestoga Log Cabins.” 15 Volume 35, Issue 2 needs of family campgrounds. Turn to us for the best in responsive Web technology, brochures, rack cards, site maps, and social media content. Essentially, our business involves generating new business for you through a consumer-friendly mix of technical expertise, extensive graphic design skills, and an intuitive approach to marketing Phelps Honey Wagon JAYLENE SHANNON 158 WHISKEY SPRING ROAD DILLSBURG, PA 17019 800-463-3707 [email protected] http://www.phelpshoneywagon.com Since 1970 our product line offers RV parks and campgrounds the most efficient and economical method of providing full hookups to all your sites. Philadelphia Insurance Companies MARY KATE CORNELL ONE BALA PLAZA SUITE 100 BALA CYNWYD, PA 19004 800-873-4552 [email protected] http://www.phylins.com Philadelphia Insurance Companies designs, markets and underwrites stand-alone Campground and RV park operators, incorporating value-added coverages and services. PHLY is rated A+ by A.M. Best Company Poochie Pets CHERYL PETERSEN 1280 HOPMEADOW STREET SUITE A SIMSBURY, CT 06070 860-408-9003 [email protected] http://www.poochie-pets.net Poochie-Pets manufactures and distributes practical and innovative pet products for active families and their pets. Southeast Publications BRIAN MCGUINN 7676 B PETERS ROAD PLANTATION, FL 33324 800-832-3292 [email protected] http://www.southeastpublications.com Since 1986 we have been providing the BEST full color Guest Guide Directories, rack cards, specialty advertising promotional products and commercial printing. All RV resorts that use our Guest Guide services get a free large format banner and a listing on our MobileRVing search engine. Steradian Technologies KASSIE RICHARDSON 643 FERRY STREET LAFAYETTE, IN 47901 765-420-9201 [email protected] http://www.steradiantech.com Let Steradian Technologies help you set up your laser tag field. We have more than a decade of experience in the laser tag industry, and can help you navigate the technical, marketing, and logistical challenges of starting a laser tag business or adding laser tag to your existing entertainment offerings. Our goal is to provide your field with the top-notch gear and product support you need, without pushing restrictive contracts or unnecessary purchases. Your success is our success. Telamode, Inc. ALLAN & SUSAN MILLWARD PO BOX 5298 MASSENA, NY 13662 800-263-2951 [email protected] http://www.telamode.com Telamode manufactures, formulates and distributes Eco-Logo Certified products. They deodorize, clean and digest fat, oil and grease found in RV/Septic tanks and grease traps. Telamode distributes water-free urinals. Get A Head Start on Spring Improvements Summer's on its way! off freight on orders of $3,500 or more! OFFER VALID APRIL 1ST - MAY 15TH VALID IN CONTINENTAL U.S. ONLY Call our sales department today! 1-800-452-0639 You can now order online! www.JamestownAdvanced.com 16 Owners News TengoInternet, Inc. CATHERINE DESTASIO 1717 WEST 6TH STREET SUITE 215 AUSTIN, TX 78703 [email protected] http://www.tengointernet.com TengoInternet is the largest provider of commercial-grade wireless network solutions to the outdoor hospitality industry, serving more than 850 locations and a million users throughout North America. Your Electrical Solutions KATHY GROZENSKI 2737 BROWNING DRIVE LAKE ORION, MI 48360 248-391-2400 [email protected] http://www.yourelectricalsolutions.net Your Electrical Solutions focuses on the electrical needs of RV Travel Parks and Manufactured Home Communities. Through this dedication and experience, we have developed an in-depth knowledge of what our customers need to know as they make purchase decisions. Our expertise offers ideas and solutions that allow you to effectively plan for the future as you maintain and upgrade your facilities. As electrical specialists, we can help you get exactly what you need without overspending. Specific needs obviously vary throughout the country. Our staff of specialists are trained and experienced in local utility requirements and electrical inspection standards. Property managers and park owners throughout North America rely on us for sound advice and specifications. As a master distributor for many respected manufacturers, we can determine the best solutions from a wide variety of quality products. www.koaowners.org April, May, June 2015 Utility Supply Group WADE ELLIOTT 26519 BOND RD NE KINGSTON, WA 98346-8476 800-800-2811 [email protected] http://www.go-usg.com National provider of RV pedestals and boxes. Electric meters, wire and distribution load centers are also available. USG sells the Xlerator hand dryer in KOA yellow. The Xlerator not only dries your hands, but will save you about 90% over paper towels. 17 Volume 35, Issue 2 . . . y n a p E! om M c I T g n N i t O e s k e r d i a u g m t s r e o u i g r g e n p i r u e As deliv s u k s r A ut ou … abo y bonus! yalt h y h w k us As 9 8 9 1 8- b.com 1 5 877.agspu counting! www27 years & . AGS .. Lo 18 s rk a p f o s d e r d un ed h c t i sw ! e v a h 1 1 0 2 e sinc Owners News JOKEs E! April, May, June 2015 d www.koaowners.org 19 20 Owners News Volume 35, Issue 2 Keeping Your Insurance Relevant Taking time to review your insurance policies can save you a chunk of change. Your insurance needs change over time; make sure the policy reflects your current needs. As your business grows or shrinks, so do your insurance needs. Smart business owners review their coverage annually to make sure it is adequate. Start your review by looking at your insurance file. If you don’t have a file, now, is a good time to start one. Make sure that you have copies of all policies in your file and readily accessible when needed. You will want to create a separate off-site location for a copy of your policies and forms in case this file is destroyed. Another good place to start with your insurance review is an analysis of your property (buildings and contents), equipment, and auto schedules. Have you built new buildings? Does your business still own the vehicles listed? I know of a business that insured a tractor for ten years after it was sold. Often autos are bought and sold and the insurance companies are not properly notified. If you’re taking time to look over your insurance policies, make sure you’ve properly documented the items you’re insuring and the information on the policy is detailed enough so there are no questions when a claim is being adjusted. If your campground has added new activities or dropped old ones, it may be time to adjust your general liability insurance. Have you added a jumping pillow or swimming pool? Have you added boats or canoes? If so, you need to notify your agent. By reviewing and appropriately changing the types of coverage to meet your present situation and tweaking the amounts of your coverage and deductibles you may be able to lower your insurance bills or at least reduce any redundancy in coverage. But, more importantly, you will be more satisfied with your coverage at the time of a claim. Too much focus is on reducing coverage or cutting insurance costs and not enough effort is put into buying the appropriate amount of insurance. This is especially true with the amount limits of insurance purchased on campground buildings. Reviewing your policy limits on your buildings replacement costs is the number one place people make mistakes. Outdoor Insurance Group is the author of this article, Endorsed Insurance Agency of the KOA Owners association. Leana DeFurio, CISR 303-951-5052 or email [email protected] www.koaowners.org April, May, June 2015 Have annual sales increased? If so, you’ll need more business interruption coverage to replace any sales you would lose if a major disaster left you unable to conduct business. If you have added many workers, you should reassess your worker’s compensation insurance. Also, if you’ve established a track record of workplace safety that exceeds your industry average, you may be able to lower your rate. 21 Volume 35, Issue 2 Get the Best! Say YES to… n Extraordinary Service n Knowledgeable Solutions n Competitive Prices Call o Mag wner Linn gie toda ell y ! Electric Pedestals • Surface Boxes • Conversion Kits Electric Meters • Water & Gas Meters Power Distribution Equipment • Lighting • Wire Replacement Parts • Accessories Toll free 855.644.2400 | www.YourElectricalSolutions.net | [email protected] Chadwick_AD_122810:Layout 1 12/28/10 12:41 PM Page 1 Heavy Duty American Made Campground Equipment Picnic table frames, fire rings & grills at competitive prices. P.O. Box 85 • Chadwick, IL 61014 [email protected] Call toll free or visit our website to receive a free catalog. 800.732.4602 • www.Chadwickmfg.com 22 Owners News April, May, June 2015 SE Publications ad www.koaowners.org 23 Volume 35, Issue 2 KOA Owners Association 3416 Primm Lane Birmingham, AL 35216 KOA Owners Association Owners News 3416 Primm Lane Birmingham, AL 35216 To submit articles or request advertising information, write to the above address or use the following contact information: c/o Jim Ranieri Telephone: 800-678-9976 or 205-824-0022 Fax: 205-823-2760 Email:[email protected] Publication: Owners News is published four times per year by the KOA Owners Association. Printing services are donated by Southeast Publications USA, Inc. Telephone: 800-832-3292 24 Owners News
