Ten Top Industry Experts Join Lineup for Industry’s Premier Virtual Event

In preparation for the virtual 2020 Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo (OHCE), the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) is announcing its second slate of speakers and education sessions, adding to an already robust lineup of industry experts and leaders prepared to help campground owners and operators succeed in 2021.  

ARVC is building off the educational innovations introduced last year and expanding to meet the virtual platform for OHCE2020. Continued conversations with members and attendees of past OHCEs has guided the direction for this year’s education sessions. 

Speakers added to this year’s lineup are: Jim Button, OHE, owner of ARVC member-park Evergreen Campsites and Resort; Terry Broussard, CEO/co-found of Spot2Nite, Inc.; Michele Gustine, owner of ARVC member-park Nelson’s Family Campground and Resort; Patrick Hardy, CEO of Hytropy Disaster Management; Irene Jones, project manager with Marshall & Sterling Insurance; David Mayfield, red carpet professional with ResNexus; Katie Maynard, owner/photographer at Katie Maynard Photography; Joe Moore, CPO/OHC, owner/operator of Moore’s Campground Consulting; Nichole Poisson, OHP, franchise development manager with Kampgrounds of America (KOA); and Patrick Spellman, account executive with Astra. 

OHCE2020 will be the most accessible ever, as attendees can tune in to all sessions and event via any internet capable device, including computers, tablets and mobile phones. All sessions will be available live and will be recorded for viewing in the ARVC portal following the event, so attendees won’t have to miss a moment even if other commitments arise. 

To register for OHCE2020 before early bird pricing expires on October 12, visit www.arvc.org/OHCE. 

“While there will be a set schedule and multiple sessions at once, attendees will have access to recordings of all sessions for the life of their ARVC membership, so they can watch every sessions, and watch replays if they wish to return to a compelling session,” says Horwitz. “You’re completely in control of how and where you tune in – you aren’t tied to a computer all day. You can start the day watching at your computer in your office, pause to go take care of some business at your park, then catch back up on your phone or tablet afterwards in your house.”  

The association’s annual conference will again be highlighted by its five core educational learning tracks taught in innovative formats by new and familiar expert voices. The five learning tracks are: Brand Management; Business Management and Practices; Human Resources; Professionalism and Leadership; and Site and Facility Management. By organizing sessions into these tracks, ARVC has created the opportunity for attendees to streamline their learning experience to meet their unique needs.  

“Last year our members told us they enjoyed the new voices and content, so this year, we are building on that foundation, retaining speakers and sessions that knocked it out of the park while finding brand new voices that will take attendee learning to the next level,” says Paula Horwitz, ARVC’s executive director of education and events.” 

More than three quarters (75%) of the session topics this year will again be completely new and will be taught by a cast of new and familiar experts from inside and outside the outdoor hospitality industry. This first group of OHCE2020 education sessions feature topics ranging from marketing insights to insurance tips and legal issues to how COVID has and will continue to impact our industry.  

Each registered attendee will be able to secure Continuing Educational Units (CEUs) by completing post session assessments.  

The five educational tracks allow attendees to focus on their preferred sessions depending on their career path and interests, but due to the virtual nature of this year’s OHCE, attendees can easily tune in on-demand to sessions they missed during or after OHCE. 

“We reimagined this year’s education tracks to allow our attendees to easily customize their learning path during the conference, and after, by attending the sessions that best fit their needs, whether that is sticking with one track or picking a variety of sessions to attend across the board,” says Horwitz. 

There will be more than 25 sessions in total this year and each will be recorded and available through ARVC’s virtual platform during the event and for 30 days after, at which point all ARVC members will be able to access the event content through their ARVC member profiles for the life of their membership. Learn more about this second slate of speakers and sessions, including session details, speaker biographies, schedule of events and learning tracks here: OHCE Sessions and Speaker Information 

OHCE2020 is November 2-5, 2020 and registration is open. Full conference registration is currently $199 (and $49 each for add-on registration for additional park employees), but the rates will go up to $299 ($59 for add-ons) on October 13.  

Are you a decision maker who plans on meeting with exhibitors at the OHCE2020 Expo? You can apply to attend the event for FREE! Just visit www.arvc.org/OHCE and register as a “Hosted Buyer”. No purchase is required to participate. 

ARVC also recently announced it will be continuing its popular Takeaway Tours in the virtual format at OHCE2020. Hosted by longtime ARVC member and four-time ARVC Park of the Year Award winner Gary Quigley of Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest, attendees will enjoy tours of three parks followed by an interactive Q+A with the park owners. For more information on this year’s Takeaway Tours, visit www.arvc.org/OHCE.