The first Dude Ranchers Association Convention was held in 1926 with railroad and national park officials joining ranchers in attendance. Over 100 current member ranches and 150 associate members have been invited to attend this year. The 2013 Convention will include discussions and topics affecting the dude ranch industry ranging from national travel trends and what expect in 2013, to utilizing the different aspects of social media of various social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and TripAdvisor. InsideOut Solutions Patricia McCauley will discuss using Google analytics to track advertising dollars and CoolWorks will show how to find the perfect employee using job postings.
This year’s guest speakers will be David L. Brown, the Executive Director of America Outdoors, Patty Ceglio, the Director of Operations at Cool Works, Nancy Schretter, award-winning travel writer and Managing Editor of The Family Travel Network, Tracey Knutson from Knutson and Associates , and Eva Gill, an experienced online social media specialist. More information about each speaker can be found on the Dude Ranchers Association’s website at http://www.duderanch.org/our-convention.php.
Just like on the ranch there’s fun mixed in with the work. During free-time, convention-goers will enjoy a variety of activities including a golf tournament, horseback riding, trap/skeet shooting, Jeep tours, spa and ranch visits, and shopping downtown. Over two dozen vendors will be showcasing products and promotions from jewelry and apparel to insurance and photography throughout the convention.
The Dude Ranchers’ Educational Trust was started in 1988 by Mark and Amy Grubbs, former co-executive directors of the DRA and dude ranch owners. Funds from the trust are used to provide scholarships for students interested in pursuing degrees related to the dude ranching industry. In 2002 the Heritage Center was opened in Cody thanks to the efforts of DRA board members Sarah Stevenson and Russell True. The Heritage Center is an extension of the trust and furthers its mission of preserving and sharing the history of western dude ranching.
To learn more about the 2013 Dude Ranchers Association Convention or to register visit http://www.duderanch.org/our-convention.php or contact Dude Ranchers Association Executive Director Colleen Hodson at Colleen@duderanch.org.
