The Spark That Started It All
It all began in the 1980s with a young Arkansas couple and a simple question:
“What if there was a publication to help RVers find jobs and volunteer positions made for their lifestyle?”
Greg Robus, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Park Ranger, and his wife Debbie, a kindergarten teacher and needlework designer, teamed up to answer the question.
As part of his duties, Greg recruited seasonal attendants for Corps campgrounds along the Arkansas River. During his 13 years in the role, he was impressed by the dependability, work ethic, and adventurous spirit of retired and semi-retired campers working as “gate attendants.”
Greg thought: if other agencies and private employers knew about this skilled labor pool, demand could soar—even though, at the time, applicants had to contact over 400 Corps offices individually.
In the summer of 1986, Greg posted four ‘gatekeeper’ vacancies and received nearly 100 applications. That was the spark. Despite suggesting the Corps build a centralized job clearinghouse, nothing happened—and he realized he and Debbie might just fill the gap themselves.
From Newsletter to Movement
By August 1987, the first eight-page issue of Workamper News was printed at home and mailed to just 50 subscribers. From there, it grew—expanding to 24 pages and 6,000 readers within five years.
As subscribers increased, it morphed from a newsletter into a full magazine. Greg and Debbie launched new tools: the Workamper Bookstore, Resume Referral System, and the Workamper Hotline—a weekly phone-in audio update.
In 1996, they went digital—launching Workamper.com and turning their Hotline into daily emails. The website quickly attracted tech-savvy RVers eager to connect.
A New Chapter with the Andersons
A game-changer came via Adventureland Park in Altoona, Iowa. Their HR director Steve Anderson hired around 400 Workampers each summer and collaborated with Greg and Debbie. His input helped steer the "Awesome Applicants" resume system.
In 2005, Steve and Kathy Jo Anderson approached Greg and Debbie about the possibility of purchasing Workamper News.
Many late-night discussions and days and weeks of research, business plans, consultations with accountants and attorneys led to the sale of Workamper News to the Andersons on November 1, 2005.
Greg and Debbie laughingly remarked that their 'baby had gone to college!'
Steve and Kathy Jo’s daughter, Jody, joined in May 2006. Armed with a graphic design degree, she took over editing and designing the bi-monthly magazine. She quickly grew into an operations role, eventually leading the company.
In 2010, Jody married Luke Duquette, who relocated from Iowa to Arkansas and joined the team soon after. With a degree in Information Technology, he took charge of digital operations—managing both the website and internal systems.
Jody brought her design and operations skills to modernize the magazine, while Luke applied his IT background to help expand the company’s digital presence—work that would lay the foundation for future growth.
By 2011, the first annual Workamper Rendezvous launched in Heber Springs, Arkansas: a three-day educational retreat featuring industry experts, networking, and RV lifestyle enhancement—all of which became a staff favorite.
Going All-In on the RV Lifestyle
In 2012, the Anderson family got their first RV—a Class A motorhome—sparking a love for life on the road. Soon after, Steve and Kathy Jo transitioned into full-time RVing, selling their home in Heber Springs.
Luke and Jody followed suit and aquired a fifth wheel in 2013. That same year, they spearheaded a major rebuild of the front and back-end systems of Workamper.com.
Collaborating with an Arkansas-based dev team, they launched a modernized website and upgraded customer management system in 2015.
Between 2013 and 2015, the team branched out—with educational events in Florida and California, and booths at major RV shows: Tampa, Quartzsite, and Hershey. They also began a partnership with Terry and Evada Cooper to develop live, hands-on RV maintenance training courses for RV owners and held training events all around the country. This grew into the development of the National RV Training Academy in 2017, now the premier leader in hands-on RV training.
Business growth came with challenges (2017–19): Luke and Jody took a step back to travel and much of the Andersons' focus shifted toward the NRVTA.
In 2019, they launched The Workamper Show podcast, hosted by RV industry journalist Greg Gerber. Featuring interviews with both Workampers and Employers, the show offers valuable insights and inspiration for anyone interested in the Workamping lifestyle.
Returning Home Refreshed and Focused
In 2020, Luke and Jody returned to reinvigorate Workamper News.
Despite ending production of the Rendezvous in 2020 due to the pandemic, the RV lifestyle exploded—and so did remote work opportunities.
In early 2021, Luke and Jody became co‑owners (working alongside the Andersons). Later that year, they selected Valyr, a veteran‑employing, U.S. based web development firm, to lead a full redesign of Workamper.com. Production began in January 2022.
A new office space was built in 2022, and in early 2023 Luke and Jody assumed full ownership of the company. They continued working diligently on the new version of the website and backend systems and the stars finally aligned to launch the website in September of 2025. It was a long haul, but the new system allows for easier, more powerful tools for members and a more streamlined back-end system for managing memberships and content.
What’s Next for Workamper News
Luke and Jody will continue to enhance the website to better meet the evolving technical needs of its members, including a mobile app!
They also plan to hit the road again to promote the wonderful Workamping lifestyle! Look for them at a campground near you and follow their adventures on the Workamper News YouTube channel.
Through decades of change, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to connecting RVers with meaningful work and a supportive community.
Timeline
A brief overview of our journey so far...
1987
First issue of Workamper News is published
1991
Workamper Referall System launched to manually match Workampers to jobs
1993
Workamper Hotline created to share weekly job updates by phone
1996
The first version of Workamper.com goes online
2005
Steve and Kathy Jo Anderson purchase the company
2006
Jody Anderson, Steve and Kathy Jo's daughter, joins Workamper News
2008
Workamper.com website version 2 launches
2010
Luke Duquette marries Jody and joins the Workamper News team
2011
First Workamper Rendezvous event held
2013
The Andersons and Duquettes become full-time RVers
2015
Workamper.com website version 3 launches
2016
Development begins of the National RV Training Academy in Athens, TX
2017
Luke and Jody take a sabbatical to be full-time RVers on the road
2019
The Workamper Show podcast begins
2020
Covid pandemic halts production of the Workamper Rendezvous event
2020
Luke and Jody return to Arkansas and Workamper News
2021
Luke and Jody become partial owners of the company
2022
Final issue of Workamper News magazine published
2023
Luke and Jody take full ownership of the company
2025
Workamper.com website version 4 launches