Kampgrounds of America Corporate Headquarters, founded in Billings, Montana, 62 years ago, has opened its new offices with a gala celebration. Toby O'Rourke, CEO of KOA, thanked the staff and team that kept on target for LEED certification. The LEED plaque was presented by Peter Templeton, CEO of USGBC and GBCI, to rounds of applause from an appreciative audience of staff, local residents, and LEED team members. Kath Williams was honored to present the LEED certificates to the 47 members of the LEED team from 14 different professional firms.
Oscar Tang, KOA’s owner, was also in attendance and spoke briefly about the company’s growth and its commitment to Montana. The audience enjoyed his comment that the first reservations for KOA Kampgrounds were mostly made by postcards.
“The founders were entrepreneurs from Billings. It has always been headquartered here and it has grown tremendously, especially in the last 15 years,” he explained. “So, this is a way of making it clear that we are a Montana company. This building, I think, will perhaps further anchor that fact. Long after I’m gone, this company that grew out of this location from you all, from the efforts that you all have put in, will prosper on and on.”
Tang’s wife, Agnes Hsu-Tang, a world-renowned archaeologist, art historian and activist, curated a wide variety of art from the western region of the U.S. to give the building life.
Jason McGimpsey, architect from A&E Design, created the building’s chandelier which is made from repurposed trees taken from the site.
Mayor of Billings Bill Cole remarked how that KOA Headquarters being certified added to the commitment of the City of Billings as a LEED-Gold Certified City, the first in Montana.
It was also announced that Terramor, KOA's newest site, now open in Bar Harbor, ME earned the first SITES-Existing Landscapes in the USA and second in the world. Kath Williams + Associates, along with Catalyst Partners, led the effort to earn SITES-Gold.
