▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁He ▁lived ▁in ▁Missouri ▁and ▁Philadelphia , ▁Pennsylvania ▁and ▁was ▁voted ▁" Le ast ▁likely ▁to ▁succeed " ▁by ▁his ▁high ▁school ▁class . ▁Due ▁to ▁absent ia ▁and ▁failing ▁gr ades , ▁Ku olt ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁before ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁high ▁school . ▁After ▁serving ▁in ▁the ▁Navy ▁for ▁ 1 8 ▁months , ▁he ▁returned ▁home , ▁en rolling ▁at ▁Central ▁Washington ▁University , ▁then ▁called ▁Central ▁Washington ▁College ▁of ▁Education . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁Central ▁Washington ▁College ▁of ▁Education ▁with ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁Econom ics ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁The ▁Bo eing ▁Company ▁▁ ▁Im medi ately ▁after ▁college ▁gradu ation , ▁Ku olt ▁began ▁jan itor ial ▁work ▁at ▁The ▁Bo eing ▁Company . ▁However , ▁shortly ▁after ▁beginning ▁a ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁jan itor , ▁Ku olt ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁a ▁corpor ate ▁facilities ▁planning ▁and ▁layout ▁position , ▁eventually ▁becoming ▁a ▁business ▁planning ▁manager ▁for ▁the ▁ 7 3 7 ▁aircraft ▁program . ▁While ▁at ▁Bo eing , ▁he ▁bought ▁and ▁sold ▁real ▁estate ▁to ▁supp lement ▁his ▁income . ▁ ▁Th ous and ▁Tra ils ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁after ▁purch asing ▁a ▁ 6 4 0 - acre ▁real ▁estate ▁invest ment , ▁Ku olt ▁founded ▁Th ous and ▁Tra ils , ▁the ▁first ▁private , ▁member - only ▁R V ▁camp ground ▁chain . ▁Th ous and ▁Tra ils '