Park City native accepts position with Vista Outdoors
Fred Ferguson is now with Vista Outdoors
As soon as Park City native Fred Ferguson reached Washington, D.C.’s Capitol Hill in 2008, he had his eyes set on becoming a chief of staff for a U.S. congressman.
Ferguson started out as an intern for U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, crediting his ties to Park City as the reason he was picked. Ferguson’s parents have owned Dugins West on Main Street since the 1980’s.
“I reached my goal when I came to Capitol Hill, but if you are chief of staff you get to be involved in all of the policy making, the campaign and the politics,” Ferguson said in an interview with The Park Record from his office in Washington, D.C.
Ferguson became U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz’s chief of staff more than two years ago, overseeing operations for three offices across two states during the height of several critical issues, including the ongoing regional land management plan Mountain Accord and Bishop’s unsuccessful Public Land Initiative.
In April, Ferguson spoke at a forum for the Project for Deeper Understanding on the Public Land’s Initiative in Park City.
“I did that for about two-and-a-half years and while I loved the job and what I was doing, I was also kind of maxed out,” Ferguson said. “There are not many more positions that you can take as a senior chief of staff.”
Ferguson recently accepted a position as the vice president of government and industry relations with Vista Outdoors, a Utah-based company that sells outdoor products and has a corporate mission to “get people outside,” he said.
“Vista Outdoors is a company that is right up my alley in a lot of ways,” Ferguson said. “I love to be outdoors, whether it’s skiing, hiking or biking, and it’s headquartered in Utah. I have represented Utah for eight years in D.C. and I love it.”
In a company press release, Amanda Covington, the senior vice president of government and industry relations, said Ferguson has a “deep understanding of the legislative and regulatory issues that impact our company and the outdoor recreation industry.”
“His experience with public land access, conservation, outdoor recreation and the shooting sports makes him an ideal candidate for this position. I’m confident in his ability to effectively collaborate with all of our stakeholders in the industry and find solutions to our common issues,” Covington said in the release.
Ferguson will be responsible for managing the interactions between the company and the federal government’s executive-branch agencies. The company has a presence in 13 states. Ferguson will be based in the Washington, D.C., area.
“Legislators can make decisions that can impact the business and I want to make sure our message is being communicated to the policy makers and the right people well,” Ferguson said. “I’m excited to be a part of a company that values the outdoors. When I show up at work I will be working on policies and initiatives as they are implemented to make a better playing field for people who like to go outside, which is what that community is all about.
“I’m excited to be a part of a company that values the outdoors. That’s where my roots are coming from Park City,” he said.
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”The land is beloved by all of my brothers and sisters and cousins, as my grandfather bought it in 1914. My daughter Michelle is now the fourth-generation that has loved and worked the land,” said landowner Irene Ruf. “It’s just precious. It’s home.”
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