Grand Teton Lodge Company (GTLC) was founded in the mid-1950s by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. with the construction of Jackson Lake Lodge. Not only is this group a long-time favorite among park guests, GTLC is also one of the Foundation’s longest standing supporters as well as our largest corporate partner. With a commitment to community as a pillar of its mission, the organization recently pledged 1,000 hours of volunteer service to GTNPF to help the park accomplish much needed work on the trails and other sites. Here to talk about GTLC is Levi Thorn, the sales and marketing director for GTLC and Flagg Ranch Company.
Over the years, GTLC has provided significant support for Foundation projects through its guest lodging program. How does the program work? How has GTLC committed to advancing this program in 2014?
GTLC encourages guests to donate $1.00 per night during their stay to GTNPF to support high-quality work in GTNP. This funding has supported youth outreach and wildlife protection as well as special projects like the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. During the 2014 season, GTLC will match, dollar for dollar, all guest contributions. These contributions are earmarked for the Inspiring Journeys campaign in the South Jenny Lake area and will help provide exceptional experiences for all who come to Grand Teton.
GTLC has been operating in GTNP for several decades; tell us how GTLC engages guests in both the park’s natural and cultural resources.
Thousands of guests stay at our hotels, campsites, or RV sites at Colter Bay Village, Jackson Lake Lodge, or Jenny Lake Lodge throughout the season. Visitors also participate in activities we offer such as rafting the Snake River, trail riding, enjoying a scenic boat cruise on Jackson Lake, or taking a bus trip to Yellowstone. We enhance our guests’ visit by offering interpretation of the natural and cultural resources while providing a high level of service.
GTLC’s mission is Preserve, Protect, Inspire. Tell us about your Envision program and how it aims to fulfill your mission.
The Envision program is the brand name for our Environmental, Quality, and Health and Safety programs. Through these programs we strive to make sure we engage our guests in protecting this phenomenal landscape. We believe this park is a wonder worth protecting and through education we can extend the reach of sustainable actions beyond our corner in GTNP. As a concessionaire in the park, GTLC is more than just dedicated—we are ecovisionaries in protecting this natural resource for future generations.
Tell us about the sustainability efforts taken by GTLC and why protecting the environment is important.
At GTLC, we do all we can to make sustainable choices. We strive to incorporate sustainable business practices in every aspect of our operations. We offer a selection of sustainable cuisine, ecofriendly retail products, and use only environmentally friendly cleaners and detergents. We are one of the largest recyclers in Teton County and divert 30% of our waste through these efforts. We recently introduced our Sustainable Stay program to further reduce impacts to the environment. This initiative encourages sustainable practices and provides our guests with reusable water bottles and shopping bags they can take home.
A big thanks to GTLC for all the company does to support incredible projects in Grand Teton!