In the early 1970s, a young Boy Scout named Jim Waldrop had a little armchair adventure that was going to change his life.

He didn’t know it at the time, but the article he was reading in his parents’ National Geographic about the Grand Tetons was going to inspire a life-changing road trip one day to Jackson Hole, and a storied career that just landed him the 2024 BIG WYO Award.

“For my high school graduation, my brother let me use his brand-new car, and we drove out and backpacked through the Tetons and Yellowstone,” Waldrop recalled. “And I fell in love.”

That love eventually inspired Waldrop to move to Jackson, taking a job with the chamber of commerce as what he described as a “brochure boy.”

Eventually, Waldrop worked his way up to what he today describes as the job of his dreams. Waldrop is president and general manager of Silver Dollar Inc., which includes oversight of the famous Wort Hotel and the equally legendary Silver Dollar Bar, as well as about eight retail shops and a couple of office buildings.

He’s known to many across the Cowboy State as “Mr. Hospitality.”

He was completely taken by surprise to learn Tuesday that he is the latest recipient of the BIG WYO Award, which annually recognizes a private sector person who has made significant lifetime contributions to Wyoming’s tourism and hospitality industries.

The recipient is chosen each year by members of the Wyoming Hospitality and Travel Coalition’s Executive Committee, as well as past BIG WYO winners.

‘Unbelievable Impact’

Gov. Mark Gordon, started off the 2024 introduction to the BIG WYO Award by talking about how Waldrop makes people feel when they visit the famous Wort Hotel in Jackson, which he said is among places in Wyoming where people immediately feel that they have “come back to Wyoming.”

“You feel it from the woodwork,” Gordon said. “Most especially, you can feel it from the staff. It is an incredible place with Western hospitality, Western history galore.”

Other colleagues of Waldrop chimed in on a video prepared for the occasion. They talked about how Waldrop has supported the hospitality industry and welcomed people to Jackson Hole for 20 years.

“He’s had an unbelievable impact on our community through numerous boards,” Jerry Blann, who was formerly president and CEO of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, said on the video. “He’s always made great contributions. He’s led. At the same time, he gives credit where credit is due to his employees as well.”

Alex Klein, VP and general manager of Grand Teton Lodge, highlighted Waldrop’s willingness to help.

“Whenever somebody needs to step up to the plate and make it happen, I’ve seen him do it,” Klein said. “Whether it’s supporting the education of the students here in Wyoming, taking on a leadership role, creating a degree program at the University, or helping to pass the lodging tax.”

Meanwhile, his wife Charlotte Waldrop, said her husband was not just Mr. Hospitality on a 9 to 5 basis.

“I don’t know anyone whose career aligns with their personality better than Jim’s,” she said, recalling, with a sense of humor, the number of times her husband would call with last-minute guests.

“I’ll point out that we don’t have anything special to make for dinner, and he’ll say, ‘That doesn’t matter, it’s about the people. It’s not about the food, it’s not about cleaning the house. It’s about being with people and being hospitable and welcoming,’” she said.

Those are lessons his daughter, Lucy, said she has picked up on as well.

“It’s really important to make, like, connections that aren’t superficial,” she said. “And he instills that in me.”

Humble And Inspired

Waldrop was visibly shaken by the award and hugged his family before making his way to the podium to accept it.

“I am indeed humble,” he said after getting to the podium, shaking his head. “I am indeed humble — and also surprised.”

But, he added, after thinking a moment, the award is not really his alone.

“It’s because of all of you,” he said. “You have inspired me. You have enabled me to grow as a person, and as a leader, as a brand, and as a family, you’ve transformed my life. Each and every one of you have had a big part in that.”

Waldrop added that people around him are continuing to inspire him every day, and that makes his steps feel lighter as he continues his lifework.

“Hospitality is in my blood,” he said. “But it’s also friends, and all of these things that continue to inspire me, and I’m so humbled, so appreciative of each and every one of you.”

One Season Becomes A Lifetime

Waldrop told Cowboy State Daily after the presentation that he’d come to Jackson in 1992 for what he thought would be a single season. He was looking to reboot, get restarted. And he not only found the restart he needed, he found the life he wanted.

“The mountains, and all of those things were so inspirational for every reason that’s remained today,” he said. “But more importantly, it was all about the people of Wyoming. It’s all about the people of Wyoming. That’s what inspires me, it’s what drives me every day.”

Waldrop stressed that it’s the support of those around him that’s enabled him to do so much for so many.

“Lots of great support from my family and my friends, and I would be remiss not to mention, probably, my largest mentor, my boss, Bill Baxter,” he said. “He’s truly been inspiring to me on so many levels as a human and as a person. I’m just very blessed.”

Waldrop added that he and Baxter both see themselves as stewards of the Wort Hotel and the Million Dollar Bar.

Waldrop counts that stewardship, and bringing both destinations to world-class status, as among his best accomplishments.

He said he does plan to retire one day, but for now will “keep on keeping on,” ensuring that both places remain the high-quality tourist destinations they are today.

“I’m proud of the staff I’ve been able to amass, and the support that I’m able to garner from that staff,” he said. “It’s really, really been a game changer for me, and I’m really, really proud of those folks. These relationships we’ve been able to build statewide are really, really important, and I’m proud of that, too.”

Renée Jean can be reached at Renee@CowboyStateDaily.com.