“Properties Never Stay the Same”

A Conversation with George Igualt

By Dale Dauten

We recently got to sit down with George Igualt for our annual review of plans for off-season updates to the park. But, first, we took the opportunity to get him to reminisce about his years as head of the parks’ management team. We started by inquiring about low points and high points and learned that his worst moments came early:

“It was 2018,” George recalled, “my first year taking over the management. I’d been working for the owners for years, but that year I got my broker’s license and Al LaCanne said, ‘Here you go’ — and my company was in charge of managing the properties, one hundred percent. And then, not long after, we had the storm that collapsed the roof at Silveridge. The fire department came and shut down most of the facilities. The residents’ homes were all okay, but we had no park offices. We had no internet. No power. My solution for that situation was to get us a portable building and put it in the parking lot. I was expecting something like a portable classroom. No. The insurance company sent a metal box. We pumped AC into it and we ran cables for internet. And the team rallied. Plus, the residents at The Resort welcomed Silveridge residents to their events and facilities and everyone made it work. Then, the next year, we had what I call the ‘mini-tornado’ at The Resort — it tore roofs off some park models and tossed around awnings and did damage around the park.”

So, in response to our asking about low points, here was the tally: two years on the job and two major weather-related crises. Thankfully, the weather has been kinder to the parks in this decade, but memories of turning around a long-running frustration led to George singling out this highpoint:

“For years we struggled to get internet access to everyone in the parks. The owners really wanted to provide that service for residents and we hired suppliers who said they could make it happen. But the internet just wasn’t reliable — problem after problem. So we changed suppliers. At the time, these internet systems were still rapidly evolving, and an RV park offered special challenges, so the problems didn’t end. Then, as luck would have it, one day I was in getting some pants tailored and I ran into my old t-ball coach’s son. I asked him what he’d been up to and he told me he was with a company that sold internet services. That’s how I met Jesse and Mickey. And they figured out how to solve the problems nobody else could solve. So, finding Jesse and Mickey — that’s a highlight.”

Speaking of highlights, we next asked George to fill us in on the major work that being is over the summer.

PLANS FOR THE OFFSEASON AT SILVERIDGE

As we got to our discussion of offseason projects, we learned that it’s time for resurfacing the asphalt, meaning that all the streets and parking areas will have cracks filled and then the entire surfaces seal coated, followed by restriping. George added, “It surprises people to learn that the biggest expense for maintaining properties like this is the street maintenance.” That expense will be bigger than usual this time, as the resurfacing depends on using a lot of oil.

Plus, in addition to the usual offseason work on landscaping and other routine maintenance, there will be new paint being applied: “Mike Hacker [head of Maintenance] loves painting and he’s really good at it,” George told us. “So residents will see fresh paint on several buildings, including the Laundry Room, the building with the Woodshop and the Fitness Center.”

SUMMING UP

Finally, we asked George about how his thinking about the parks had evolved over the years, and he smiled, reflecting on the people who work there: “I know it sounds hokey, but it’s all about the team. We just have great people – people who are having fun while doing their jobs. Plus, we are fortunate to have residents who care and who are willing to invest in maintaining their homes. And that has led me to this philosophy: If we’re not getting better, what are we doing? Properties never stay the same – they’re up or down. If we can continue to make them better, then I’m doing my job.”

George having mentioned AL LaCanne of the ownership team gives us an excuse to end by reprinting a photo we love, George (left) with Al…