U.S. Senator Mark Udall, D-CO, will make his first visit to Outdoor Retailer show on Saturday, Aug. 6 as a guest of Outdoor Industry Association. Sen. Udall will anchor a fundraising breakfast for the Outdoor Industry Association Political Action Committee (OIAPAC).
Thanks to his deep roots in the outdoor industry, Sen. Udall is both a friend and champion in Washington, D.C., said Frank Hugelmeyer. Sen. Udall understands the pivotal role the industry plays in our national economy and the need for federal investment in public lands, parks and forests.
Elected in 2008 to the U.S. Senate, Sen. Udall serves on the Senates Energy and Natural Resources Committee, as chairman of the National Parks Subcommittee and co-chairman of the Senate Outdoor Recreation Caucus, positioning him well to help protect our public lands and encourage Americans to get active. He will keynote the invitation-only OIAPAC breakfast on Saturday morning, speaking on the value of the outdoor industry voice in Washington.
Sen. Udall has taken the lead on protecting the places we love and our customers seek, said Kim Coupounas, OIAPAC Chair and Co-Founder of GoLite. OIAPAC is working to educate and engage more elected officials who support and champion the outdoor industry.
Born in Tucson, AZ, and spending his entire adult life in Colorado, Sen. Udall has a long-standing connection to outdoor recreation. After graduating from Williams College in 1972, he moved to Colorados Western Slope and went to work for Outward Bound. After 10 years leading courses in the field, he served as the organizations executive director from 1985 to 1995.
An avid mountaineer, Mark has climbed many of the worlds highest peaks and most-challenging routes. He has summited Nepals Kangchenjunga and Annapurna, Peak Communism in Tajikistan, and the South Face of Argentinas Aconcagua (via the Messner Route). Mark was a member of the first summit party to ascend Manda in southern India. He has attempted Everest, Nanga Parbat and Cho Oyu. In the United States, he has summited all of Colorados 14,000-foot peaks, and 91 of the states 100 highest, as well as Denali in Alaska (Cassin Ridge), Mount Rainiers Liberty Ridge and Longs Peaks Diamond (D-1) in Colorados Rocky Mountain National Park.
