b'Former CampCalNOW Exec. Debbie Sipe Joining Gorin+Cohen Consulting Group DebbieSipe,whobuiltafour-decadecareerwiththeCampCal-NOWRVParkandCampgroundAlliance(formerly known as the Cal-ifornia Association of RV Parks andCampgrounds),hasjoinedGorin+CohenConsultingGroupLLC, which is expanding its practiceinto western states as the firm expe-riences unprecedented demand forfeasibility studies for new and ex-pandingcampgroundsandRVparks, according to company offi-cials.Debbie spent most of her adultlifelearningaboutCaliforniasfa- Debbie Sipe Jayne Cohen David Gorinmously complicated regulations andpermitting processes, said Jayne L. opers and existing park owners to set of guidelines for campgrounds 2008. Camp-California! Marketing,Cohen, a partner with Gorin+Cohen. build new parks and expand existing and RV parks under Title 25 of Cali- the associations marketing arm, wasSheaddsconsiderablecamp- ones, wherever its feasible to do so. fornias code of regulations. formed in 2002 and Sipe became itsground and RV park industry knowl- In many areas of the U.S., there is Sipe started working for CTPA in CEO in 2004 at the same time she as-edgetoourfirm,notonlyaswe more demand for RV sites than there 1981 during her first year at Califor- sumed the leadership of CTPA. Sipeexpandourservicesintowestern is supply, Cohen said. Even mar- niaStateUniversity,Sacramento, also served on the CalTravelboard ofstates, but as we recruit additional ginal parks are seeing their occupan- where she earned a Bachelor of Arts directorsandgovernmentaffairsconsultants to help us keep up with cies go up. degree in English. She became inti- committeefor12yearsbetweenan unprecedented increase in de- The firm was founded by David mately familiar with her fathers gov- 2006 and 2019.mand for our consulting services. Gorin, a longtime lobbyist, camp- ernment affairs work along with the Sipe retired from the associationThe firm, which has a nationwide ground industry consultant and RV permitting and regulatory hurdles last year after it was renamed Cam-networkofnineconsultants,pro- and Manufactured Housing Hall of that new and existing park operators pCalNow RV Park and Campgroundduces independent feasibility stud- Fameinductee who helped establish face as they try to build new parks or Alliance.ies that current and aspiring park the National Association of RV Parks expand existing ones. Im excited to join David Gorinoperators often need to obtain fi- and Campgrounds (ARVC). Sipe was promoted to executive and Jayne Cohen as I enter this newnancing for their projects. The com- Sipe spent her whole life in the director of CTPA in 2004, which was phase of my career, Sipe said.panyisexperiencingasharp campground business. She grew up renamed the California Association For more information, please visitincrease in demand for its services as workingforherparents,Tug and ofRVParksandCampgroundsin www.gorincohenconsulting.comWCMa growing number of investors see Judy Miller, who built the AuburnRVparksandcampgroundsas KampgroundsofAmerica (KOA),worthwhile investment opportuni- which they sold in 1984. The Millersties. also helped run the association nowOurphoneisringingoffthe known as CampCalNow RV Park and CARVC Attracts Over 70 hook. I have never seen anything like Campground Alliance from its in-thegrowthweareseeingnowin ception, when it was known as the To Conference, Owners terms of new parks being built and California Travel Parks Associationexpansions of existing parks, Cohen (CTPA).said. adecadeofrecordand Tug Miller worked with other in- Upbeat About 20 SeasonNearlydustryconsultantstosuccessfullynear-record RV sales has dramati- persuadetheCaliforniaDepart- More than 70 individuals took part in Attendees toured Lakewood Campingcally increased demand for RV sites, ment of Housing and Communityshe said, which is prompting devel- Development to create an exclusive the Carolinas Association of RV Parks Resort, North Myrtle Beach RV Resort &andCampgrounds(CARVC)annual DryDockMarina,theMyrtleBeachspring conference, held Feb. 2-4 in Myr- Kampgrounds of America(KOA) Resort,tle Beach, S.C., according to Dee Wit- ate lunch at Carolina Pines RV Resortting,executivedirectorofthe andevensampledwineatCarroll-association. WoodsRVPark&GrapefullSistersHeldattheDoubletreeResortby Vineyard.Hilton,WittingtoldWoodallsCamp- The parks we toured varied in size,ground Management(WCM) that atten- so attendees were able to see a large-,dees were able to take in great views of medium- and small-sized park, WittingtheAtlanticOceanfromtheirhotel noted. There is always something parkrooms and enjoy the areas fantastic owners can take away from these toursweather during the duration of the con- that may help improve their own parks.ference. CARVCskeynotespeakerfortheMany of the park owners I was able conference was John Formica, an ex-to speak with are genuinely optimistic Disney employee who spoke on cus-about the upcoming season, she ex- tomerservice.Theconferencealsoplained. There havent been any nega- hosted numerous educational sessionstive remarks from anyone I have spoken and a trade show that attracted morewith and many have told me that their than 30 exhibitors.registration numbers are already ahead CARVCs growing young profession-for the season. als group also held an event during theInterest in the campground sector conference.has been at an all-time high in recent Wehavemembersthatarecur-years, and more associations have been rently working to grow that group andhosting prospective owners workshops make it stronger, said Witting.to give potential campground owners Next year, Witting said the associa-anddeveloperstheinformationthey tion may be looking to relocate the con-need to make smart business decisions. ference, but nothing has been finalized.CARVC was no exception, with its con- As far as our takeaway tours go, weference hosting a Buyers Workshop, have seen a lot of the parks in this area,whichWittingsaidwasattendedby she explained. We will be surveyingmore than 30 individuals. members and gauging if something elseCARVCalsohostedTakeaway will work better for us.Ben QuiggleTours to five different parks in the area. WCM4 -April 2020Woodalls Campground Management'