The Campground Association for Management Professionals (CAMP) convened at the Hilton Branson Convention Center in Branson, Missouri, on December 3-4 to address the future of campground associations following the upcoming disaffiliation of some state associations from OHI on January 1.
The meeting, held just before the Campground Owners Expo, marked a pivotal moment as state associations strategized to enhance their support for campground and RV park members nationwide.
Michael Moore, assistant executive director of the Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) and former OHI board member, was elected CAMP president for the coming year.
Speaking on the significance of the meeting, Moore stated, “Since some states are not going to be affiliated with OHI anymore, it is important that all of us as state association executives come together to see what we can do, both individually and collectively, to improve our programs and services for our respective campground and RV park members.”
Mary Arlington, executive director of Rivers and Rockies Outdoor Lodging Coalition, emphasized the role of state associations, saying, “State associations are strong and benefit-packed, and they have their finger on the barometers of the industry when it comes to trends and statistics. They are well positioned to help campgrounds in their respective states.” Arlington represents campground industry associations in Colorado and South Dakota and was elected an at-large member of the CAMP board.
The meeting also served as an occasion to honor Jeff Sims, OHI’s director of state relations and program advocacy, who will retire on January 15 after 14 years in the role. Sims was recognized for his decades of dedication to representing private parks in Missouri and across the nation. CAMP members presented him with a collective gift and expressed gratitude for his contributions to the private park industry.
In addition to Moore, CAMP members elected new officers for one-year terms, including Vice President Lori Severson of the Wisconsin Association of Campground Owners (WACO), Treasurer Lisa Thibodaux of the Louisiana Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (LARVC), and Secretary Susan L. Brenton of the Arizona Outdoor Hospitality Association.
Representatives from various state associations participated in the meeting, including the Carolinas Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (CARVC), the Florida and Alabama RV Park and Campground Association, the Illinois Campground Association (ICA), Campground Owners of New York (CONY), the Maine Campground Owners Association, the Missouri Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (MOARC), the New Jersey Campground Owners and Outdoor Lodging Association (NJCOA), and the Pennsylvania Campground Owners Association (PCOA).
