Rachel Gora - Business Development Manager

Rachel, Business Development Manager, has been with Buell Recreation since 2010. Her experience and company knowledge provide our clients with superior outcomes on all levels of sales and support. As a mother and former Kindergarten teacher, she brings both a creative and practical perspective to her work.

Rachel works closely with clients, product advisors and manufacturers to ensure exceptional quality products and services. "We view every single opportunity to serve others as having the potential to positively impact many children and families. We do our best to engage clients in a consultative approach, partnering with them and learning everything we can about their unique circumstances...then we recommend the best possible solutions," says Rachel.

Contact Rachel at rachel@buellrecreation.com.

Eric Wride - Territory Sales Manager

Twenty years. That’s how long Eric Wride, Buell Recreation’s new Territory Sales Manager, has been formally involved with the play industry. Eric and Buell Recreation are a natural combination. Buell's focus is bringing the best in play and playgrounds to the communities they serve and creating parks and recreation areas that are destination spaces in Oregon, Washington and the northern parts of Idaho and Nevada. Eric takes a similar approach to design and focuses on keeping kids, families and all community members active and engaged with the space.

“If kids don’t want to leave the playground, I’ve done my job right,” he said.

Eric’s designs are inspired by European plazas that communities use as a gathering space for people of all ages. It serves as the center of the community and people come there to talk, share, engage, laugh and play. Using this approach allows him to create spaces that provide a destination for everyone and make people feel the space is created for them. If there are other parks, schools or recreation spaces in the vicinity, Eric looks to make something about the space he’s designing unique. Something that will draw people in and inspire them to be active and really experience the space and the outdoors.

This is in Eric’s nature. For fun, he enjoys being outside, getting lost in the mountains, riding horses and traveling. Eric will help bring play to Oregon, Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho and is very happy he joined Buell Recreation to represent quality brands, including BCI Burke, USA Shade, Percussion Play, National Recreation Systems and more.

Contact Eric at eric@buellrecreation.com.

Trent Connor - Operations Support Specialist

Growing up in central Illinois where he rode bikes and participated in sports and summer activities, Trent has enjoyed spending time outdoors his entire life. He has a degree in Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration from Western Illinois University and completed his college internship outside of Seattle, Washington where he first met Doug Buell. Prior to getting married to his wife in 2011 and relocating to the Pacific Northwest, he spent 12 years working on operations at a luxury hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona. In his free time, he trained and ran in half marathons and hiked around the Phoenix area, with some of his favorite hikes being in Sedona, Arizona.

Upon relocating to the Pacific Northwest, Trent continued his love of hiking - one of his favorites being Tunnel Falls on Eagle Creek Trail in the Columbia River Gorge. He also has enjoyed snowshoeing and downhill skiing. As a father of a toddler, he currently spends much of his outdoor time at playgrounds, greenspaces, and toddler-friendly hiking trails keeping his adventurous son as "owie" free as possible.

Contact Trent at trent@buellrecreation.com.