BIO: Cathie Carr
President At the age of 16, Cathie began traveling with her parents, Joe and Kay Peterson, founders of the Escapees RV Club.
In the early 1980s, the Petersons recruited Cathie to handle the administrative work for their fast-growing Escapees organization. Cathie's first major task was to develop a mail-forwarding service that would meet the needs of the full-time RVer.
Since its formation in 1985, the Escapees Mail Service has grown to be a world leader. It now assists some 22,000 members and processes nearly 10 million pieces of mail each year.
Escapees RV Club has approximately 100 employees who are responsible for a complete support network of services, which include a bimonthly magazine, educational Escapades, and RV park system, 50 chapters, specialized adventure events (HOPs), and many other benefits and services to assist every kind of RVer.
In addition to this multifaceted network, Cathie is reputed to be the voice of the Escapees RV Club, speaking on behalf of the 65,000-member organization on issues that deeply affect their lifestyle. Although Escapees claims no political alliances, it is known to be among the strongest consumer advocates in the industry.
Cathie relinquished her title as CEO in 2006 and became the acting president and chairman of the board. She and her husband, Bud Carr, Rainbow Parks president, now live in their RV full-time. “I was tired of being an armchair quarterback,” Cathie says. “It was time for Bud and me to get on the road and keep our finger on the pulse of fellow RVers, members, and the RV industry at large.”
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It's Not Just Business