KOA Leaders Named Winners of American Business Awards – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
Leaders at Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA) were awarded two “Stevies” from the 23rd Annual American Business Awards. Toby O’Rourke, KOA’s president and CEO, was honored as the Gold recipient for “Thought Leader of the Year” in consumer products, while KOA’s workforce development manager, Ericka Garcia Travis, was recognized as a Bronze winner for “Support Staffer of the Year,” according to a press release.
The American Business Awards are the premier business awards program in the U.S. All organizations operating in the U.S. are eligible to submit nominations — public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. More than 3,600 nominations from organizations of all sizes and industries were submitted this year.
Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning “crowned,” the awards will be presented to winners at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on June 10. Tickets are now on sale.
O’Rourke was awarded GOLD for the 2025 Thought Leader of the Year in consumer products for driving innovation and transformation. A judge of the Stevie Awards mentioned O’Rourke’s exemplary leadership in elevating KOA through data-driven strategies, sustainable leadership and inclusive innovation, demonstrating how a visionary leader can redefine an entire industry.
“Toby is a leader who combines innovation with an unwavering work ethic,” said Chris Fairlee, CAO of KOA. “She works tirelessly and is deeply committed to excellence in everything she does. Her leadership goes beyond business goals — she constantly pushes us to grow as individuals and as a team, inspiring us to become better people and build a stronger, more purpose-driven company. Toby exemplifies KOA’s vision as the world leader in outdoor hospitality. It has been an honor to work alongside her these past 12 years.”
In addition to O’Rourke’s Gold award, Garcia Travis was recognized for her work to redefine KOA’s workforce program, lead KOA’s Change Agent teams and manage the company’s internship program. She was awarded the Bronze in the Support Staffer of the Year category. This award goes to individuals who go above and beyond their roles to support and grow their organization.
More than 250 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year’s Stevie Award winners.
“Organizations across the United States continue to demonstrate resilience and innovation,” said Stevie Awards President Maggie Miller. “The 2025 Stevie winners have helped drive that success through their innovation, persistence and hard work. We congratulate all of the winners in the 2025 ABAs and look forward to celebrating their achievements.”
Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2025 Stevie winners are available at www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.
