Bio On Pearse Umlauf, Vice President And General Manager Of JJUSAPearse Umlauf grew up in the small town of Williamstown, Massachusetts, an academic enclave in the Berkshire mountains, which offered boundless opportunities for intellectual growth and wilderness awareness. His first exposure to four-wheeling and the Jeep Jamboree USA experience came as an assistant to prominent adventure and off-road photographer, Sue Mead. After spending a few years tagging along with Mead on wilderness adventures, Pearse struck out on his own, deciding to move to the unofficial capital of the Jeeping world, Georgetown, California. There, as special events coordinator for JJUSA, Pearse headed up the company's involvement in Camp Jeep, the design and construction of a number of off-road test tracks, including the U.S. Government's (SORT) Severe Off-Road Track at the Quantico Marine Base in Virginia, and initiated new programs such as the Rubicon Trail Adventure Series. Along the way, Pearse literally became a part of the JJUSA family as husband to JJUSA president and CEO, Jill Smith, and son-in-law to Jeep icon Mark A. Smith. As vice president and general manager of JJUSA, Pearse is focused on expanding and refining the offerings of the world's largest Jeep adventure company. He is extremely excited about the new Mark A. Smith Rubicon Trail Adventure Series and the new Advanced Off-Road Training Program & Women's Only Lake Tahoe Adventure for 2005. Check out the JJUSA Web site for more information.
Mark And Irene Smith.Since the 1950s, Mark Smith has been a very influential part of the Jeep world. His involvement with Jeep has been instrumental in the development of its vehicles, and his expert off-road training has been vital to law enforcement and elite military forces. Every year, his Jeep Jamborees bring thousands of enthusiasts together as friends for life.
We had a chance to chat with Mark Smith out on the trail and asked him about life in general, Jeep Jamboree USA, and where Jeepin' is headed in the future.
4WD & SUV: Can you please tell us something about yourself and your family?MS: I married my wife Irene in 1951, and we have four children Mark, Greg, Patti, and Jill. Jill is now president of Jeep Jamboree, and together as a family we run the company as well as provide off-road training courses.
4WD & SUV: What do the Rubicon Trail and four-wheeling mean to you?MS: They are a lifestyle. The Rubicon is always a challenge and it always offers something new.
4WD & SUV: How long have you been 'wheeling the Rubicon Trail?MS: I've been running the Rubicon Trail since 1951 and started Jeep Jamboree in 1953.
4WD & SUV: Can you tell us what your first experience on the Rubicon was like? What has kept you coming back year after year?MS: It was the discovery of a beautiful, remote mountain escape. A person never tires of the challenge and the beauty of the Sierras.