KOA’s Whitney Scott Named ‘Gamechanger,’ Ted Bell Honored

Whitney Scott

BILLINGS, Mont. (Nov. 30, 2022) – Entrepreneur chose Whitney Scott, CMO of Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA), as one of the media company’s first-ever Top 50 Franchise CMO Gamechangers. Scott was nominated by her peers for her innovative marketing contributions that have led to success for both KOA and the company’s vast network of North American franchisees.

KOA also announced Ted Bell, founder of Kampgrounds Enterprises, Inc. (KEI), was honored with the Darrell Booth Lifetime Achievement Award at Kampgrounds of America, Inc.’s (KOA) annual International Convention held in Orlando, Fla. Bell is the eighth recipient of the award since its creation in 2011.

Scott’s release noted that during a time when outdoor travel and camping have witnessed explosive growth and increased competition, Scott implemented data-driven marketing strategies to help the company make business decisions and better serve the millions of Americans who camp each year. In addition to helping lead the world’s largest system of privately owned campgrounds, Scott established Terramor Outdoor Resort as a secondary brand under the KOA umbrella.

Within the nomination, Scott is described as “a passionate, innovative leader dedicated to her mission of connecting people to the outdoors and each other. Her work speaks for itself after being promoted to two chief officer roles before turning 35. In her role as chief marketing officer, Whitney has ushered KOA into an era of industry-leading digital and data-driven marketing. She’s also spearheaded initiatives that connect directly with the public like the KOA Get Out There Grant, which provides funds for recipients to live their outdoor dreams. Since being promoted to her CMO role, KOA has celebrated record years (notably, in 2021, KOA broke the previous revenue record by 33.1%) and maintained an impressive digital ROI of over 40-to-1.”

Scott also sits at the helm of the team that develops KOA’s annual North American Camping Report, which provides the broader industry with information on camper trends, and spearheads the brand’s monthly research report to share the latest camping data.

“I am honored and appreciative to be included among such incredible industry disruptors,” said Scott. “We work hard to connect people to the outdoors, and to do this we have to be innovative on every level. I look forward to continuing my journey of leading KOA through this exciting time of industry growth and evolution.”

The full list of Entrepreneur’s Top 50 Franchise CMO Gamechangers can be found here.

The award granted to Bell was named after Darrell Booth, Kampgrounds of America, Inc.’s first president. The achievement award was presented to Bell after nearly 55 years of leadership in the camping and outdoor hospitality industries. Since breaking ground on their first campground in 1968, KEI now operates six award-winning KOA franchise campgrounds.

Ted Bell

Bell entered the camping business in 1968 while working as a detective for the Chula Vista Police Department. Seeing the need for improvements to public campgrounds, Bell and his wife, Carol, purchased land to build the San Diego Metro KOA Resort. The company has since grown into a powerful family business with locations across the western United States.

The Darrell Booth Lifetime Achievement Award was created to honor those who dedicate a significant part of their lives to advancing the KOA system and camping lifestyle in North America. Booth, KOA’s first president, was hand-selected by company founder Dave Drum to guide the company and oversaw the rapid growth of the KOA campground system during the 1960s and 1970s. His leadership and foresight allowed Kampgrounds of America, Inc. to grow and prosper even during harsh economic times.

“Much like Darrell Booth saw the opportunity in building the first KOA, Ted’s innovative spirit has made an indelible mark on our industry,” said Toby O’Rourke, president and CEO of Kampgrounds of America, Inc. “Ever since breaking ground on his first campground, Ted’s unique vision, foresight and commitment to the mission of connecting people to the outdoors and each other have elevated and refined camping for decades. Our system and the camping industry at large have been made better by Ted and his family.”

What began as one KOA campground in San Diego, Ted’s third-generation family business owns and operates some of the brand’s most successful campgrounds: San Diego Metro KOA Resort, Palm Springs/Joshua Tree KOA Holiday, Grand Canyon KOA Journey, Williams/Circle Pines KOA Holiday, Flagstaff KOA Holiday and St. Louis West KOA Holiday.

A progressive industry leader passionate about the great outdoors, Bell was an early proponent and visionary of the KOA Owners Association, strengthening the relationship between the KOA brand and franchisees. Additionally, Bell and his family have revolutionized campground lodging, introducing new ways to camp, including Eco Structures glamping tents. Bell is also recognized for his passion and support for Care Camps, a non-profit that supports pediatric oncology summer camps across North America.

Previous winners of the Darrell Booth Lifetime Achievement Award are Richard Cutler, founder of Recreational Adventures Co.; Don Lowe, KOA Holdings board member and CEO of Franchise Services, Inc.; Loren Smith, president of Prairie Kraft Specialties; Chuck Celania, president of Independence Bank; Jim Rogers, former KOA, Inc. president & CEO; Pat Hittmeier, former KOA, Inc. president & CEO; and J. Alan Johnson, executive vice president of Recreational Adventure Co.

Source: https://rvbusiness.com/koas-whitney-scott-named-gamechanger-ted-bell-honored/