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1122 12th street
Cody, WY 82414
Phone: 307-587-2339
Fax: 307-587-2776
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Chairman
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Peter Hollatz
Peter Hollatz was raised on his family's guest ranch, The Circle Bar. He has been the manager of the ranch in Utica, Montana for the past five years. He met his wife Sabine at the ranch and has been married for three years. Sabine and Peter plan on opening a small guest ranch on part of the land he grew up on. He and his wife are adamant about stewardship and preservation of land as well as the western lifestyle. Peter received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from Santa Clara University and continued his studies at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
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President - DRA
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Russell True
I picked my parents very well as they bought our ranch The White Stallion when I was 5 years old and I have never had another job. Now I have the high privilege of raising our two sons, Steven and David on the ranch where I grew up. I am currently the President of The Dude Ranchers' Association.
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Vice President
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Randy George
Randy George and his wife Lisa have 3 children, David, Spencer, and Hannah. They have been co-owners and operators of Latigo Ranch in Kremmling, Colorado with Jim & Kathie Yost since 1987. Randy was the general manager of the C Lazy U Ranch, Granby, CO from 1981-1987. Randy has been in the West for over 35 years, and involved in dude ranching for over 25 years. This was not always the case. He grew up in New Jersey, and graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder where he received a BS in chemical engineering and later an MBA. Randy is not new to recreationally oriented trade associations. He has served on the Colorado Dude & Guest Ranch Assoc. board of directors for many years serving as President of the CDGRA in 1992. In addition, he was instrumental in the founding of the Colorado Cross Country Ski Association about 22 years ago, and has also been on the board of the Cross Country Ski Areas of America. Randy is has been serving as the DRA Treasurer for 3 years.
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Treasurer
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Clay Miller
Owner and operator of the Paradise Guest Ranch, Buffalo, Wyoming.
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Board Member
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Jessica Garnick O'Neal
I was raised in Buffalo Valley Moran at Heart Six ranch. Growing up, I spent my days riding the backwoods of Bridger Teton national forest, my nights performing broadway musicals on the stage since the age of 4. A very eclectic and broad lifestyle from ranching to performing, but a wonderful one that brought many opportunities to meet a vast array of people from all walks of life.
At the age of 14, my family "the Garnicks" bought Triangle C Ranch in Dubois Wyoming. I worked as a wrangler, dishwasher, children's counselor, cabin girl, all of the above and when turned 19 became the head Wrangler. I understand the magic and romance of the dude business.
I am very excited about being on the board of education mostly because I'm concerned about the preservation and "face" of The Dude Ranching business, all of these things are easily fixed with knowledge and exposure of dude ranches. We have a wonderful way of life, it is slowly being changed and transformed. So now is the time to take action and get a stronghold on where we see ousrselves as an industry and as individuals.
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Board Member
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Gary Grenzke
I have never owned a ranch but my firm, Insurance Associates has been a DRA associate member for over twenty seven years. I consider it a privilage to serve on the Educational Trust Board.
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Board Member
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Kerry Gunther
The cowboy has always been important in my life as my Texan grandfather is the classic American Cowboy. He bought me my first horse at age 3 & taught me about horses and ranching. My dude ranching life began at age 18 when my family gave me my "dream vacation" for graduation. I was fortunate to be offered a job when I was a guest. I spent three summers in college working at a DRA ranch as a housekeeper/server, kid's counselor and wrangler. I met my husband while working at that ranch. We have managed three DRA dude ranches with pride and are happy to be managing the 7D Ranch just outside of Cody, Wyoming. Dude ranching has had such an impact on our lives and we pride ourselves as being among the few that get the opportunity to share this lifestyle with our guests & staff members. Having both been children that vacationed on dude ranches, we understand the effect the experience has on families & children. The preservation of dude ranching is so vital to our country's heritage and I am honored to be a part of an organization that is focused on preserving and protecting dude ranching!
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Board Member
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Judy McMullin
My association with the DRA started in the summer of 1992 after visiting Lost Creek Ranch outside of Jackson Hole, WY. I was a dinner guest there and I observed that the gift shop did not have any items with their name or brand on it.
I taught jewelry making at the high school and college so I started designing jewelry with the ranch name and brand on it. My first customer was Lost Creek Ranch, and then the ranch next door Triangle X and then Heart Six wanted the jewelry. My mission was to personally visit as many ranches as possible to get to know the people I wanted to build my business around. After visiting 57 dude ranches and driving hundreds of miles on washboard roads, I experienced so many sightings of wildlife, I put a Deer grill and sonic deer whistle to my Chevrolet SUV but my customer base was now built.
Now for the financial hurdle we all go through when starting a business, it is called "sacrifice." I had to sell my beloved 1939 Chevrolet coupe that had taken me 15 years and a second job to afford to restore. (I thought I would add that in to let you know there was NO Government loan or grant that helped me.) I retired 8 years ago after teaching 31 years and was just in time for my business to quadruple. I now had time to hit the road and do trunk shows at the ranches selling world wide jewelry to the guests of the ranches. I drove 1,300 miles a week, once getting stuck in the mud at midnight on a dark ranch road far from anyone, and so many flat tires..ahhh! The good old days when gas was $1.25 a gallon.
The next leap in my business was when I started cutting detailed brands with the ranch names and branding deer skin and elk gloves. I now brand gloves for 78 dude ranches plus saddle shops, veterinarians and private ranches you've referred to me. I have designed jewelry or belt buckles for 68 ranches. I have made a lot of friends along the way and acquired several nick names. Ken Neal of T-Cross Ranch calls me "The Peddler" but most of you know me as Jewelry Judy. Harold Turner of X2 Ranch calls me “Young Lady," and since I just turned 61, I will always love him for that.
In any business there are bumps along the way but the friendships are so valuable to me, I cannot think of better people to be around. I have been participating in the DRA conventions since 1994 and always look forward to seeing my friends. I am honored and thrilled to be asked to be a part of the scholarship advisory board. I hope my educational background and years of learning the dude ranch business, help me with making good decisions.
I want to thank you for sharing your wonderful way of life with me.
Judy McMullin (AKA) Jewelry Judy!
Also a proud member of the: NRA, PARAGON Foundation, Minute Men, (protect the borders) and politically conservative.
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Authorized Agent
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Colleen Hodson
I am the Executive Director of The Dude Ranchers' Association along with being the Authorized Agent of The Dude Ranchers' Educational Trust. I have worked for the assocition for 8 years. I love the dude ranch industry and feel it is extremely important to protect and preserve its heritage. If you have any questions please, do not hesitate to contact me.
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