Troy Gorans, CEO
Troy Gorans was born in Willmar Minnesota in 1964. He and his five older siblings were raised on a turkey farm; an early 1950’s experiment by their father and two brothers to make a living on a small homestead left to them by their father. They formed a corporation in the ‘60’s that still thrives today spanning four generations. However, for Troy, the bird was most desirable stuffed and on the table. Unlike most of his siblings, Troy never went into the family business and instead discovered a passion for the printing press, and subsequently enjoyed a rewarding and successful twenty-five-year career in the printing industry, where he would develop his skills in management, including continuous process improvement and customer service.
As the first decade of the new millennium ended, Troy became increasing disenchanted with his career and industry, and at 50 years old began to reflect on his true interests and passions. Troy was heavily influenced by his father’s love for music and dance, vacation and travel, business and politics. He enjoys golf and parlor games like billiards and darts as well as the arts, including fine art, architecture, music, film, culinary and beer. Troy is also a huge sports fan, so long as it’s Curling! In 2004, Troy and a small band of curling fanatics founded the Glacial Ridge Curling Club which still operates successfully in his hometown of Willmar.
Call it fate, call it karma; it was 1970 when Troy’s family took the classic road trip vacation to the Black Hills. Troy, just 6 years old and very excited about seeing where Wild Bill was shot, ran out into Main Street and was struck by a station wagon, leaving his family stranded in Deadwood a couple of extra days while he healed from a concussion and two cracked arms in the Deadwood hospital.
It would be 30 years later when his love for traveling on his motorcycle would lead him and his biker brothers back to the hills. Troy and his brother Marc fell in love with the area, Marc made his residence near Deadwood in 2013, Troy would follow in 2018; with a clear vision of how he can apply his passions and skills to a new career in the hospitality business. Latchstring Getaways LLC was born with the purchase of the Iron Horse Inn & Casino and Cousins Pizza & Pub at the Big Chair in Merritt S.D.
Bill Hall
Bill Hall has been a project director and sales/marketing leader in the recreation and resort real estate industry for most of his professional career.
Bill and his wife, Jan, relocated to the Black Hills area so he could take on the position of project director for The Wyoming Club. During this time he also designed the product and implemented the sales for Wilderness Club in Eureka, Montana.
Bill resided in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico, with his wife Jan for 15 years where he was the Project Director for Solmar/Playa Grande Resort (11 yrs.) and Grand Regina PRC at the Westin. He was also the Project Director and a member of the board of directors of Mision La Serena, at Puerto Los Cabos in San Jose del Cabo (3 yrs.).
Responsibilities included, setting and implementing policy, monitoring administration and reporting systems, hiring, training, motivating sales personnel and all other aspects of the sales effort.
Prior to Cabo San Lucas Bill and Jan lived in the Seattle, Washington area.
While in Washington, Bill was the Sales Director for Trendwest Resorts in Bellevue, Washington.
Trendwest was a multi-location vacation company selling $300 million annually.
Prior to joining Trendwest Resorts, he, his wife Jan and their partner founded and opened Meridian Rehabilitation Center in the State of Washington.
From 1979 to 1987 Bill worked at Thousand Trails, which was a membership resort company, where he was promoted to National Sales Director.
By 1983, annual sales topped $180 million.
While in college, Bill qualified for a class A card in the Professional Golf Association.
He was the Pro of two private golf and country clubs in Northern California, where he worked for Arnold Palmer, coordinating Arnold’s golf academy.
For 7 and 1/2 years, Bill was the Tournament Director of the Ladies Professional Golf Association.
While traveling, and being exposed to destination resorts around the world, Bill was drawn to the recreation industry.
Along with directing and managing sales programs, Bill Hall excels in attracting, hiring, leading, training, and motivating people and managers. He is goal oriented and doesn’t direct from the “back office.”
Bill and Jan have a son, Christopher, and daughter, Casey.
Bill and Jan currently reside in Sturgis, South Dakota.
Ken Owens, Operations Director
Ken has extensive experience in the vacation travel and vacation resort industry.
Ken has been involved in the conception, implementation and management of different vacation providers including airlines, cruise lines, sailing yacht charters, travel agency management and vacation resort properties.
Ken was Vice President of marketing for RCI Resort Management, overseeing rental, exchange and member reservations in that capacity.
- Ken also co-authored RCI’s Registry Collection business plan.
Ken was also Vice President of Customer Experience at ResortCom International.
- In that role, Ken was responsible for servicing member reservations, member travel, rental sales, resort use inventory management and banking of owner inventory for over 80,000 vacation club members.
Ken was the Resort General Manager at the Wilderness Club, Ken and in that role successfully managed one of the finest golf resort properties in Montana.
Ken will be managing the day to day operation of the vacation club project, ownership use systems including reservations, usage inventory and exchanges.
Ken and his wife, Tracy currently live and work in Deadwood, SD.
Tracy Owens, Club & Guest Services Manager, CEO
Tracy brings a wide scope of customer servicing experience to the team.
At ResortCom International, Tracy worked in several different capacities, usually at the same time.
She successfully handled the marketing and operations of a multiple of owner rental programs for 8 different vacation ownership resorts located in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas and Cancun.
Also while at ResortCom, Tracy was the facilities manager for two large corporate buildings that were the working areas for over 120 employees.
Tracy has been the top sales person working as a contract employee at several trade shows. She has also been integrally involved in the design, development and operation of several hotel/resort gift and amenities shops.
In her most recent resort management position, Tracy acted as the owner relationship manager, member/owner concierge and activities director at The Wilderness Club in Eureka, Montana.
Prior to these experiences, Tracy worked 21 years as a Flight Attendant, a training supervisor and admin supervisor for US Airways and Pacific Southwest Airlines.
Tracy lives in Deadwood, SD
