Gloria Telander, founder and owner of Wheeler's RV Resort and Campground Guide, has been involved in publishing campground directories for more than 40 years. Every major campground directory in the RV industry has Telander's mark on it. Few would argue that Gloria is an unusual woman. When she started in the business, a woman was normally relegated to secretarial and receptionist jobs in business -- but not Gloria. She was bright, educated as an engineer, had a strong work ethic, and loved challenges.

Gloria said, "People have said that I was one of the first feminists. I was never a feminist. I was just doing my job. I was raised that way."

As she entered her thirties, she was working as an engineer in her father-in-law's business and was on the cutting edge of what was happening in the construction industry in Chicago. Gloria points out with pride that the company put in the first pre-stressed concrete plant in the city of Chicago.

But her life was about to change direction when her marriage ended in divorce.

Gloria recalled, "I was a divorcee, in my early thirties and was working in my in-law's family business as an engineer. Even though I was very close to my in-laws, it became increasingly difficult working in the business being divorced. One day it just became too difficult. I called dad, (her father-in-law), and told him this is not going to work and I was going to get another job."  

While browsing through the classifieds want ads, one position sparked her interest ­ "production manager for a publishing company." The publishing company turned out to be Woodalls, publisher of an RV magazine called Travel Trailer and a campground directory. "With my background I believed I certainly could do production for a little publishing company," she continued. "I went in and Mr. Woodall himself conducted the interview. I was totally over qualified so I fibbed a bit about my background. I eliminated a lot of my experience. He talked to me for about an hour and then asked me when could I start. I said as soon as you want me. He said: how about now?.

"So I had an interview, went to a desk and started working."

As RV News visited with Gloria in Chicago, it was obvious that she had the highest respect for R.A. Woodall, founder of Woodall Publications. She always referred to him reverently as Mr. Woodall, and although she never said so, it was also apparent that the respect was mutual. 

Gloria laughed and recalled, "Mr. Woodall was absolutely the best thing that ever happened to me. He never called me Gloria or Miss Telander. He always called me that Telander woman ­ Get that Telander woman in here!. He was a delight, but a lot of people were scared to death of him."

Gloria Telander had found her element. She was learning the complexities of managing and publishing a campground directory in an environment that stimulated her intellectually. And her tutor for this education was the father of campground directories.

Gloria continued, "He was probably the most energetic, sharp minded, and the biggest S.O.B that I have ever known in my life. And I loved it because it was Bam! Bam! Bam!. Plus , he never got upset, irritated or hostile when I "upped" him. I didn't mean to up him, but I was fast too. If an error was made and I caught it and it was his error he would say ­ 'Well, we all make mistakes.' He was a doll." continued