{"id":3017,"date":"2021-05-20T07:25:58","date_gmt":"2021-05-20T13:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/?page_id=3017"},"modified":"2023-10-02T09:30:09","modified_gmt":"2023-10-02T15:30:09","slug":"mike-dudick","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/es\/faces-of-hope\/mike-dudick\/","title":{"rendered":"Mike Dudick"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section admin_label=&#8221;section&#8221;]<br \/>\n\t\t\t[et_pb_row admin_label=&#8221;row&#8221;]<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t[et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Text&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 20px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/faces-of-hope\/\">\u2b05 Back to\u00a0Faces of Hope<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3117\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/es\/faces-of-hope\/mike-dudick\/dudick_headshot_-_2408_600x666\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/buildinghopesummit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Dudick_Headshot_-_2408_600x666.jpeg?fit=600%2C666&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"600,666\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;7.1&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Liam Doran&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-9M2&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1605825945&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Liam Doran&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;182&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.004&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Dudick_Headshot_-_2408_600x666\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/buildinghopesummit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Dudick_Headshot_-_2408_600x666.jpeg?fit=600%2C666&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3117 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/buildinghopesummit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Dudick_Headshot_-_2408_600x666.jpeg?resize=600%2C666&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Dudick_Headshot_-_2408_600x666.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Dudick_Headshot_-_2408_600x666-480x533.jpeg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 600px, 100vw\" \/>The Grand Negotiator<\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Do you miss it?&#8221; I ask. &#8220;Yeah sure,&#8221; he says, &#8220;every once in a while, I wouldn\u2019t mind having a drink in a social setting. But that\u2019s a fleeting thought today, whereas it wasn\u2019t two years ago. When you stop drinking, your negotiations with yourself change. Yeah, it would make me feel good for a minute, but I know that later on I\u2019m going to feel better about not doing it, and then I win the negotiation.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>By all accounts, Mike Dudick is an excellent negotiator. He\u2019s a successful marketer, manager and developer, a generous philanthropist, active community leader, and CEO\/co-owner of Breckenridge Grand Vacations (BGV), an independent timeshare company and the largest year-round employer in Summit County (600+) outside of the ski area.<\/p>\n<p>But when it came to alcohol, Dudick\u2019s skills failed him. \u201cAlcohol was always the better negotiator,\u201d he says, with a laugh. \u201cIt got me to cut all kinds of deals with myself to have\u00a0another week, just another day of drinking. If you get to that point like I did where you\u2019re negotiating between yourself and alcohol, I promise you\u2019re going to continue to lose that negotiation,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd it\u2019s a great breakthrough moment when you realize you\u2019re never going to win without help.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now nearly two years sober and intensely grateful for the changes it has brought to his life, 55-year-old Dudick shared his recovery journey in the sunlit BGV office at the corner of Main St. and Ski Hill Rd. in Breckenridge. Behind him, there\u2019s a poster of the mountains with the line, \u201cChoose to be great,\u201d one of his mantras. \u201cWhen I was drinking, I was pretty good at what I was doing, but was I great? No. I couldn\u2019t choose to be great as long as I was losing negotiations to alcohol.\u201d Another poster offers the line, \u201cIf it was easy, everyone would be doing it,\u201d a nod not only to the powerhouse company he helped grow, but to his decision to become sober in a party culture community that he happily promoted for almost three decades.<\/p>\n<p>Open about all aspects of his journey, Dudick is articulate about his relationship with alcohol and passionate about helping others who\u2019ve also lost their ability to negotiate with the substance. \u201cAddiction is indiscriminate, regardless of your position in the community,\u201d he says. \u201cIt can happen to anyone. It happened to me. Alcohol got control of me and I had to take it back. If there are things I can do to help someone take back their control, call me. I will help.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mike Dudick found his way to Breckenridge 32 years ago in much the same way many local long-timers did \u2013 he came on a college ski trip and basically never left. Back then, Breckenridge was a laid-back little town with only a single stoplight, but one full of opportunity for a young man with a college degree, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a boatload of energy.<\/p>\n<p>In those early days, he worked at a liquor store and tended bar at what was then Adams St. Grill on Main St. He met his first wife and in quick succession had Michael, now 31, Sam, 28, and Chloe, 26. Knowing that raising three kids on bartender tips was unsustainable, Dudick launched Breckenridge Magazine in 1988, teaching himself graphic design, ad sales, and the publishing business, all the while continuing to bartend and change diapers in the middle of the night.\u00a0 \u00a0 It was during this sleepless ten-year span with the magazine that he met and became impressed with developer brothers Rob and Mike Millisor, who at the time, owned the Gold Point condos (later named Gold Point Resorts) on Baldy Mountain and were beginning work on the Grand Timber Lodge.<\/p>\n<p>Timing is everything, as they say. \u201cI was growing weary of the ad business,\u201d says Dudick. \u201cI was ready to do something different, so I sold my business, invested my proceeds with Mike and Rob, and took over marketing for them when Grand Timber Lodge was just a hole in the ground.\u201d That was 23 years ago. Grand Timber opened in 1998, and the team went on to open the Grand Lodge on Peak 7 in 2007, and the Grand Colorado Peak 8 in 2015, now among the most prized vacation destinations in the Colorado Rockies.<\/p>\n<div id=\"youtube2656\" class=\"youtubeBlock youtubeBlockResponsive16by9\">\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tfKYVqGkKUY?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=es-MX&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Dudick met Anna, his second wife, during this time. A native of Cincinnati and a University of Indiana graduate, Anna followed a boyfriend to Breckenridge in 1998, just as Grand Timber Lodge was finding its footing in the timeshare vacation destination business. Her first job was at the front desk of Grand Timber Lodge, where over the years she worked her way up. During the course, she and Mike met, fell in love and were married in 2005. They have a son together, Henry, now 13.<\/p>\n<p>Dudick describes life during those heady times, when everything was falling into place for him personally, and for BGV: \u201cThe company had a \u2018let\u2019s work hard and party harder\u2019 kind of culture,\u201d he begins. \u201cWhen BGV started taking off we were all in our mid to late 30\u2019s, early 40\u2019s. We were bulletproof, things were great, everyone was having a good time, the business was successful, we had great employees. We knew the success of our company would be determined by the positive impact it had on our owners and guests, employees and the community, so we all worked hard to make that happen; we focused on success and getting things done. That said, everyone around here knew when it was five o\u2019clock. We would go across the street, have a couple on the way home &#8212; that kind of thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAge was on my side at that point, just being able to process alcohol, then get up to fight another day,\u201d he continues. \u201cIt was an \u2018exhale\u2019 period, with my kids getting older and knowing the business had the infrastructure to be on cruise control. I actively participated in the good- time culture that we had created.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The sad and sudden heart attack death in 2015 of Rob Millisor shook the community as well as the company. Rob\u2019s untimely death created a new leadership of two co-owners \u2013 Mike Millisor and Mike Dudick, with Dudick taking on the CEO role and day-to-day leadership of the Breckenridge company. Much has been done by BGV since Rob\u2019s death to advance heart health research in the high-country. An annual fundraiser that bears his name was launched in 2016 by the charitable arm of BGV &#8212; called BGV Gives, which also gives generously to hundreds of nonprofits across the county and region, including Building Hope. The company also has an emotional wellness component for its employees, BGV Minds, that provides ongoing access, resources and education in support of living a balanced and healthy lifestyle both physically and mentally.<\/p>\n<p>Rob\u2019s death had a deep impact on Dudick. \u201cThe three of us had spent all our time together; we worked together, vacationed together as families, went to dinner together, watched all our kids grow up. We were very tight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #933d71;\"><em>&#8220;For most people, there is this period when you know you need to change but you just don\u2019t do it. Often someone else<br \/>\nwill intervene \u2013 whether it\u2019s a judge or a spouse or a parent.\u00a0 My family finally said, \u2018you need to stop\u2019 and I said, \u2018you\u2019re right I do.\u2019<br \/>\nI didn\u2019t fight. I knew it was coming &#8230;&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Dudick\u2019s drinking increased after Rob\u2019s death, but he doesn\u2019t link it to that as much as being a victim of the success the three of them created. \u201cI found myself with more time on my hands because of all the competent people that as a team we had put in place. I was able to come in on a limited basis, steer the ship the way I wanted it steered, and leave.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As his free time grew, so did his alcohol consumption. \u201cMike was a highly functioning alcoholic,\u201d Anna says. \u201cHe didn\u2019t have bottles in his desk drawer; he could get through the day, but when he got home, he put the pedal to the metal. And to be clear, I was drinking more then too. But I have a \u2018stop\u2019 button that Mike doesn\u2019t have. I don\u2019t think I recognized how bad it was until it stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When asked just how much he drank, Dudick says, \u201cI only know that I drank more than anyone around me, easily. In a party crowd, I was easily the biggest consumer, hands down. I drank a lot. I didn\u2019t have to worry about what time I woke up and what condition I was in the next morning. I didn\u2019t have anything to slow me down. There was no one to fire me, no consequence. I was in a unique situation. I had responsibility, but I told myself that drinking wasn\u2019t impacting my ability to fulfill my responsibilities. It never got to the point where I denied my responsibilities, I just always felt like I could manage them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Until he couldn\u2019t. His wake-up call came in the form of a black-out evening of drinking in October 2018. The following morning, he couldn\u2019t remember anything from the night before. \u201cWith alcohol, I didn\u2019t have an on and off switch. I didn\u2019t have a rheostat that lets me monitor my drinking. I got to a point where I thought I could hurt myself or someone else by doing something stupid.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor most people, there is this period when you know you need to change but you just don\u2019t do it. Often someone else will intervene \u2013 whether it\u2019s a judge or a spouse or a parent. My family finally said, \u2018you need to stop\u2019 and I said, \u2018you\u2019re right I do.\u2019 I didn\u2019t fight. I knew it was coming. There was no sit-down drama like on reality shows. This was my moment. I wanted to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He started treatment two days later at an Alcoholics Anonymous-based 12-step program in Colorado Springs, but found frustration in both the facility and the program. \u201cAA\u2019s socialized way to identify is to say, \u2018Hi I\u2019m Mike, I\u2019m an alcoholic,\u2019 as if that defines me. While one definition of me is that I\u2019m a recovering alcoholic, that does not define Mike Dudick. Say I\u2019m overweight. If I went and lost 30 pounds I wouldn\u2019t walk around saying, \u2018Hi, I\u2019m Mike, I used to be fat.\u2019\u201d We both laugh. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t have to wear a scarlet letter that pronounces who you used to be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When asked about his sobriety date, Dudick flusters. \u201cI don\u2019t know, you want me to check my calendar?\u201d he asks, himself a little curious (it\u2019s two years October 14). \u201cThat goes to the 12-Step approach to stopping. 12-Step works for a lot of people, but on a daily basis you\u2019re reminded of how long you\u2019ve been sober, and if you stop being sober for a day you have to start all over again. It confirms the idea that you\u2019re always thinking about the last drink and can\u2019t wait to have another, and that\u2019s not where I\u2019m at.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, he vigorously defends AA. \u201cThere needs to be a judgment-free zone about it,\u201d he says. \u201cWhatever works for the individual works. My father and many friends are devoted AA members; they get to hang out with like-minded people and find support in their community and it works great for them, and millions of people around the world, but it didn\u2019t work for me, and that\u2019s ok. There are many paths to recovery, no one size fits all. If it\u2019s the 12-Step program, awesome. Put as many tools in your tool chest; give yourself a fighting chance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Anna worked to find an alternative treatment center and after two weeks in Colorado Springs, Dudick transferred to Atlanta-based Accelerated Recovery Center, an in-patient treatment program devoted solely to alcohol dependence.\u00a0 According to its website, Accelerated Recovery \u201cprovides the only comprehensive, research-based treatment program in the United States that is focused exclusively on the successful, long term treatment of alcohol abuse and dependence. Accelerated\u2019s treatment programs are based on medical and clinical science and provide a rare alternative to 12-Step based treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Accelerated offers five, 12 and 19-day programs. Dudick stayed for 12 days and was grateful for both the brevity, and for what he considered effective treatment.<\/p>\n<p>For Anna, it was the initial question they asked that impressed her about the place: Are you ready to unconditionally move forward and not talk about the past anymore? \u201cIt took me a little bit because I had anger about the past, but I realized there\u2019s no point in that. Mike couldn\u2019t change it, he couldn\u2019t control it. We just needed to move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dudick spent eight hours\/day for two weeks in intensive education and therapy, learning about the disease and receiving counseling and therapy, \u201ctalking through life and learning about the disease from a science-based perspective.\u201d\u00a0 He was put on two medications \u2013 Naltrexone and Baclofen. One stopped the cravings, the other reduced anxiety around not drinking. \u201cThat kind of program made a lot of sense to me,\u201d he says. \u201cTogether with the medication and the therapy, it re-wires your brain to stop the nagging, \u2018is it five o\u2019clock yet\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He also learned a lot about how alcohol changes your brain. \u201cWith addiction, the opioid receptors in your brain are saying give me more, and there\u2019s a sort of shock absorber, which is your brain\u2019s ability to reason and negotiate \u2013 that gets smaller and smaller, until you end up in a really messed up place. Your brain craves more and you have less and less ability to say no to the urge.\u201d Finally, his failed negotiating skills with alcohol made sense to him.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3120\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/es\/faces-of-hope\/mike-dudick\/liam_doran-silly_horizontal_1200x700\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/buildinghopesummit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Liam_Doran-silly_horizontal_1200x700.jpeg?fit=1200%2C701&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,701\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;7.1&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Liam Doran&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-9M2&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1605824980&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Liam Doran&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;30.7&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.004&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Liam_Doran-silly_horizontal_1200x700\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/buildinghopesummit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Liam_Doran-silly_horizontal_1200x700.jpeg?fit=1024%2C598&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3120\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/buildinghopesummit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Liam_Doran-silly_horizontal_1200x700.jpeg?resize=1080%2C631&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"631\" srcset=\"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Liam_Doran-silly_horizontal_1200x700.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Liam_Doran-silly_horizontal_1200x700-980x572.jpeg 980w, https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Liam_Doran-silly_horizontal_1200x700-480x280.jpeg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1200px, 100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<h5><strong>Breckenridge Grand Vacations CEO Mike Dudick stands in front of the \u201cLet it Snow\u201d Ullr sculpture Nov. 19 at the Grand Colorado on Peak 8 resort. Dudick shared his struggle with alcoholism as part of the Faces of Hope series, a partnership between Building Hope Summit County and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/local\/the-grand-negotiator-mike-dudicks-journey-to-take-back-control-from-alcohol\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Summit Daily News.<\/a><\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>He\u2019s unsure of the role medication played in his sobriety. \u201cIf you said to me, \u2018they were placebos and I was part of a research control group, I\u2019d say, \u2018ok, I can buy that.\u2019 If you said to me, \u2018they were the real thing and in clinical studies they work 95% of the time to help people stop drinking, I\u2019d say, \u2018well, thank God I had them.\u2019 All I know is that I was committed. I knew I had to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He no longer takes the medication, hasn\u2019t for a long time, and is on a steady and grateful path to longterm sobriety. He\u2019s acutely aware of the lack of treatment services in Summit County and looks forward to being involved in efforts that can help others like he\u2019s been helped. \u201cI think it\u2019s one of the priorities we really need to focus on as a community.\u201d Anna agrees. As a member of the Building Hope board of directors, she\u2019s in regular conversation with Executive Director Jen McAtamney about how to bring a treatment center to Summit County. \u201cThere are opportunities out there, we just have to figure out how to put the puzzle pieces together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For now, Dudick\u2019s purpose is clear: to offer his help \u2013 whatever that looks like \u2013 to anyone who needs it. \u201cI\u2019m here to tell people that I had a problem and I did something about it and if you need help to solve your problem that you can talk to a guy like me. I\u2019m not proud of the way I was before, but I\u2019ll take pride in being able to help even one person.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dudick\u2019s voice builds as he talks about how his life has changed in the past two years. \u201cWith this COVID situation and the responsibility I have to myself, my family and to the 600+ employees and the families that go with them, I need to take care of myself so I can make good, well-informed decisions that impact other people\u2019s lives. It\u2019s not like I\u2019m some Forest Gump dude cutting the high school lawn. People\u2019s paychecks, their mortgages and car payments, their savings for their kids\u2019 college depends on people in the leadership of this company doing a good job.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s no way you can convince me that I\u2019m not exponentially sharper and better with the way things are going on a day-to-day basis than I was 2 years ago,\u201d he continues. \u201cI feel fortunate that I\u2019m in that space today because it\u2019s helping me be centered and grounded to make difficult choices, but to do the right thing to ensure the survival of the jobs and people that work here. I feel very fortunate that I got to where I am right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Anna becomes emotional when asked about how life changed with Dudick\u2019s sobriety. \u201cMike is a leader in so many ways, but especially in our family,\u201d she begins. \u201cNothing works without Mike in our family,\u201d She pauses, skimming away a tear. \u201cHe\u2019s our leader, our protector and caretaker, and I became nervous when I felt that being threatened. He had been that way for us for 10-12 years before his drinking progressed. Now I think our kids and I know he\u2019s solid, he\u2019s there and he\u2019s gonna take care of everything. And that\u2019s who I married. It\u2019s nice to be with the man I married,\u201d she says, her eyes smiling. \u201cHe\u2019s a rock. He wasn\u2019t there for a little bit, but now he\u2019s more solid than ever.\u201d \u201cI\u2019ve made a lot of good decisions \u2013 a lot of good negotiating in business settings that have helped a lot of people,\u201d Dudick says finally. \u201cI was able to find a way to negotiate with alcohol and ended up winning on that side of it too. There\u2019s no shame in raising your hand and saying, I\u2019m done doing this,\u2019 and there\u2019s nothing but good on the other side.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>For recovery encouragement from Mike Dudick, email Building Hope at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:info@buildinghopesummit.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">info@buildinghopesummit.org<\/a>. Please\u00a0include your contact info and a very brief summary of your journey and we\u2019ll connect you.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u2734 \u2734 \u2734<\/p>\n<p><i>Story by\u00a0<\/i><strong>Suzanne Acker,<\/strong><i>\u00a0special projects writer for Building Hope Summit County. If you have a story to share,\u00a0reach out to her at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:suzanne@buildinghopesummit.org\">suzanne@buildinghopesummit.org<\/a>.<\/i><br \/>\n<em>Photos by\u00a0Liam Doran\u00a0 \/ <a href=\"http:\/\/www.liamdoranphotography.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Liam Doran Photography<\/a><br \/>\nVideo by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dragonfruitvideo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@dragonfruitvideo<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Get Help:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitfirc.org\/assistance\/mental-health-navigation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">FIRC Mental Health Navigation<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.acceleratedrecovery.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Accelerated Recovery Center\u00a0 \u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/summitrecovery.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Substance Use Recovery Meetings<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.womensrecovery.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Women\u2019s Intensive Outpatient Program<\/a>(Dillon)<\/li>\n<li>Recovery Resources Summit County Detox Program: 970-368-6502<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/resources\/therapy-resources\">Building Hope Therapy Resources<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindspringshealth.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mind Springs Health Outpatient Counseling<\/a><\/li>\n<li>CrossFit Low-Oxygen Fit to Recover\u00a0classes: 443-480-0218<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column]<br \/>\n\t\t\t[\/et_pb_row]<br \/>\n\t\t[\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>El Gran Negociador: El viaje de Mike Dudick para recuperar el control<\/p>","protected":false},"author":203041127,"featured_media":3113,"parent":2983,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<p style=\"margin-bottom: 20px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/faces-of-hope\/\">\u2b05 Back to\u00a0Faces of Hope<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3117 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Dudick_Headshot_-_2408_600x666.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"666\" \/>The Grand Negotiator<\/h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"Do you miss it?\" I ask. \"Yeah sure,\" he says, \"every once in a while, I wouldn\u2019t mind having a drink in a social setting. But that\u2019s a fleeting thought today, whereas it wasn\u2019t two years ago. When you stop drinking, your negotiations with yourself change. Yeah, it would make me feel good for a minute, but I know that later on I\u2019m going to feel better about not doing it, and then I win the negotiation.\"\r\n\r\nBy all accounts, Mike Dudick is an excellent negotiator. He\u2019s a successful marketer, manager and developer, a generous philanthropist, active community leader, and CEO\/co-owner of Breckenridge Grand Vacations (BGV), an independent timeshare company and the largest year-round employer in Summit County (600+) outside of the ski area.\r\n\r\nBut when it came to alcohol, Dudick\u2019s skills failed him. \u201cAlcohol was always the better negotiator,\u201d he says, with a laugh. \u201cIt got me to cut all kinds of deals with myself to have\u00a0another week, just another day of drinking. If you get to that point like I did where you\u2019re negotiating between yourself and alcohol, I promise you\u2019re going to continue to lose that negotiation,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd it\u2019s a great breakthrough moment when you realize you\u2019re never going to win without help.\u201d\r\n\r\nNow nearly two years sober and intensely grateful for the changes it has brought to his life, 55-year-old Dudick shared his recovery journey in the sunlit BGV office at the corner of Main St. and Ski Hill Rd. in Breckenridge. Behind him, there\u2019s a poster of the mountains with the line, \u201cChoose to be great,\u201d one of his mantras. \u201cWhen I was drinking, I was pretty good at what I was doing, but was I great? No. I couldn\u2019t choose to be great as long as I was losing negotiations to alcohol.\u201d Another poster offers the line, \u201cIf it was easy, everyone would be doing it,\u201d a nod not only to the powerhouse company he helped grow, but to his decision to become sober in a party culture community that he happily promoted for almost three decades.\r\n\r\nOpen about all aspects of his journey, Dudick is articulate about his relationship with alcohol and passionate about helping others who\u2019ve also lost their ability to negotiate with the substance. \u201cAddiction is indiscriminate, regardless of your position in the community,\u201d he says. \u201cIt can happen to anyone. It happened to me. Alcohol got control of me and I had to take it back. If there are things I can do to help someone take back their control, call me. I will help.\u201d\r\n\r\nMike Dudick found his way to Breckenridge 32 years ago in much the same way many local long-timers did \u2013 he came on a college ski trip and basically never left. Back then, Breckenridge was a laid-back little town with only a single stoplight, but one full of opportunity for a young man with a college degree, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a boatload of energy.\r\n\r\nIn those early days, he worked at a liquor store and tended bar at what was then Adams St. Grill on Main St. He met his first wife and in quick succession had Michael, now 31, Sam, 28, and Chloe, 26. Knowing that raising three kids on bartender tips was unsustainable, Dudick launched Breckenridge Magazine in 1988, teaching himself graphic design, ad sales, and the publishing business, all the while continuing to bartend and change diapers in the middle of the night.\u00a0 \u00a0 It was during this sleepless ten-year span with the magazine that he met and became impressed with developer brothers Rob and Mike Millisor, who at the time, owned the Gold Point condos (later named Gold Point Resorts) on Baldy Mountain and were beginning work on the Grand Timber Lodge.\r\n\r\nTiming is everything, as they say. \u201cI was growing weary of the ad business,\u201d says Dudick. \u201cI was ready to do something different, so I sold my business, invested my proceeds with Mike and Rob, and took over marketing for them when Grand Timber Lodge was just a hole in the ground.\u201d That was 23 years ago. Grand Timber opened in 1998, and the team went on to open the Grand Lodge on Peak 7 in 2007, and the Grand Colorado Peak 8 in 2015, now among the most prized vacation destinations in the Colorado Rockies.\r\n<div id=\"youtube2656\" class=\"youtubeBlock youtubeBlockResponsive16by9\">\r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/youtu.be\/tfKYVqGkKUY[\/embed]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nDudick met Anna, his second wife, during this time. A native of Cincinnati and a University of Indiana graduate, Anna followed a boyfriend to Breckenridge in 1998, just as Grand Timber Lodge was finding its footing in the timeshare vacation destination business. Her first job was at the front desk of Grand Timber Lodge, where over the years she worked her way up. During the course, she and Mike met, fell in love and were married in 2005. They have a son together, Henry, now 13.\r\n\r\nDudick describes life during those heady times, when everything was falling into place for him personally, and for BGV: \u201cThe company had a \u2018let\u2019s work hard and party harder\u2019 kind of culture,\u201d he begins. \u201cWhen BGV started taking off we were all in our mid to late 30\u2019s, early 40\u2019s. We were bulletproof, things were great, everyone was having a good time, the business was successful, we had great employees. We knew the success of our company would be determined by the positive impact it had on our owners and guests, employees and the community, so we all worked hard to make that happen; we focused on success and getting things done. That said, everyone around here knew when it was five o\u2019clock. We would go across the street, have a couple on the way home -- that kind of thing.\u201d\r\n\r\n\u201cAge was on my side at that point, just being able to process alcohol, then get up to fight another day,\u201d he continues. \u201cIt was an \u2018exhale\u2019 period, with my kids getting older and knowing the business had the infrastructure to be on cruise control. I actively participated in the good- time culture that we had created.\u201d\r\n\r\nThe sad and sudden heart attack death in 2015 of Rob Millisor shook the community as well as the company. Rob\u2019s untimely death created a new leadership of two co-owners \u2013 Mike Millisor and Mike Dudick, with Dudick taking on the CEO role and day-to-day leadership of the Breckenridge company. Much has been done by BGV since Rob\u2019s death to advance heart health research in the high-country. An annual fundraiser that bears his name was launched in 2016 by the charitable arm of BGV -- called BGV Gives, which also gives generously to hundreds of nonprofits across the county and region, including Building Hope. The company also has an emotional wellness component for its employees, BGV Minds, that provides ongoing access, resources and education in support of living a balanced and healthy lifestyle both physically and mentally.\r\n\r\nRob\u2019s death had a deep impact on Dudick. \u201cThe three of us had spent all our time together; we worked together, vacationed together as families, went to dinner together, watched all our kids grow up. We were very tight.\u201d\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"color: #933d71;\"><em>\"For most people, there is this period when you know you need to change but you just don\u2019t do it. Often someone else\r\nwill intervene \u2013 whether it\u2019s a judge or a spouse or a parent.\u00a0 My family finally said, \u2018you need to stop\u2019 and I said, \u2018you\u2019re right I do.\u2019\r\nI didn\u2019t fight. I knew it was coming ...\"<\/em><\/p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDudick\u2019s drinking increased after Rob\u2019s death, but he doesn\u2019t link it to that as much as being a victim of the success the three of them created. \u201cI found myself with more time on my hands because of all the competent people that as a team we had put in place. I was able to come in on a limited basis, steer the ship the way I wanted it steered, and leave.\u201d\r\n\r\nAs his free time grew, so did his alcohol consumption. \u201cMike was a highly functioning alcoholic,\u201d Anna says. \u201cHe didn\u2019t have bottles in his desk drawer; he could get through the day, but when he got home, he put the pedal to the metal. And to be clear, I was drinking more then too. But I have a \u2018stop\u2019 button that Mike doesn\u2019t have. I don\u2019t think I recognized how bad it was until it stopped.\u201d\r\n\r\nWhen asked just how much he drank, Dudick says, \u201cI only know that I drank more than anyone around me, easily. In a party crowd, I was easily the biggest consumer, hands down. I drank a lot. I didn\u2019t have to worry about what time I woke up and what condition I was in the next morning. I didn\u2019t have anything to slow me down. There was no one to fire me, no consequence. I was in a unique situation. I had responsibility, but I told myself that drinking wasn\u2019t impacting my ability to fulfill my responsibilities. It never got to the point where I denied my responsibilities, I just always felt like I could manage them.\u201d\r\n\r\nUntil he couldn\u2019t. His wake-up call came in the form of a black-out evening of drinking in October 2018. The following morning, he couldn\u2019t remember anything from the night before. \u201cWith alcohol, I didn\u2019t have an on and off switch. I didn\u2019t have a rheostat that lets me monitor my drinking. I got to a point where I thought I could hurt myself or someone else by doing something stupid.\r\n\r\n\u201cFor most people, there is this period when you know you need to change but you just don\u2019t do it. Often someone else will intervene \u2013 whether it\u2019s a judge or a spouse or a parent. My family finally said, \u2018you need to stop\u2019 and I said, \u2018you\u2019re right I do.\u2019 I didn\u2019t fight. I knew it was coming. There was no sit-down drama like on reality shows. This was my moment. I wanted to stop.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe started treatment two days later at an Alcoholics Anonymous-based 12-step program in Colorado Springs, but found frustration in both the facility and the program. \u201cAA\u2019s socialized way to identify is to say, \u2018Hi I\u2019m Mike, I\u2019m an alcoholic,\u2019 as if that defines me. While one definition of me is that I\u2019m a recovering alcoholic, that does not define Mike Dudick. Say I\u2019m overweight. If I went and lost 30 pounds I wouldn\u2019t walk around saying, \u2018Hi, I\u2019m Mike, I used to be fat.\u2019\u201d We both laugh. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t have to wear a scarlet letter that pronounces who you used to be.\u201d\r\n\r\nWhen asked about his sobriety date, Dudick flusters. \u201cI don\u2019t know, you want me to check my calendar?\u201d he asks, himself a little curious (it\u2019s two years October 14). \u201cThat goes to the 12-Step approach to stopping. 12-Step works for a lot of people, but on a daily basis you\u2019re reminded of how long you\u2019ve been sober, and if you stop being sober for a day you have to start all over again. It confirms the idea that you\u2019re always thinking about the last drink and can\u2019t wait to have another, and that\u2019s not where I\u2019m at.\u201d\r\n\r\nAt the same time, he vigorously defends AA. \u201cThere needs to be a judgment-free zone about it,\u201d he says. \u201cWhatever works for the individual works. My father and many friends are devoted AA members; they get to hang out with like-minded people and find support in their community and it works great for them, and millions of people around the world, but it didn\u2019t work for me, and that\u2019s ok. There are many paths to recovery, no one size fits all. If it\u2019s the 12-Step program, awesome. Put as many tools in your tool chest; give yourself a fighting chance.\u201d\r\n\r\nAnna worked to find an alternative treatment center and after two weeks in Colorado Springs, Dudick transferred to Atlanta-based Accelerated Recovery Center, an in-patient treatment program devoted solely to alcohol dependence.\u00a0 According to its website, Accelerated Recovery \u201cprovides the only comprehensive, research-based treatment program in the United States that is focused exclusively on the successful, long term treatment of alcohol abuse and dependence. Accelerated\u2019s treatment programs are based on medical and clinical science and provide a rare alternative to 12-Step based treatment.\u201d\r\n\r\nAccelerated offers five, 12 and 19-day programs. Dudick stayed for 12 days and was grateful for both the brevity, and for what he considered effective treatment.\r\n\r\nFor Anna, it was the initial question they asked that impressed her about the place: Are you ready to unconditionally move forward and not talk about the past anymore? \u201cIt took me a little bit because I had anger about the past, but I realized there\u2019s no point in that. Mike couldn\u2019t change it, he couldn\u2019t control it. We just needed to move forward.\u201d\r\n\r\nDudick spent eight hours\/day for two weeks in intensive education and therapy, learning about the disease and receiving counseling and therapy, \u201ctalking through life and learning about the disease from a science-based perspective.\u201d\u00a0 He was put on two medications \u2013 Naltrexone and Baclofen. One stopped the cravings, the other reduced anxiety around not drinking. \u201cThat kind of program made a lot of sense to me,\u201d he says. \u201cTogether with the medication and the therapy, it re-wires your brain to stop the nagging, \u2018is it five o\u2019clock yet\u2019?\u201d\r\n\r\nHe also learned a lot about how alcohol changes your brain. \u201cWith addiction, the opioid receptors in your brain are saying give me more, and there\u2019s a sort of shock absorber, which is your brain\u2019s ability to reason and negotiate \u2013 that gets smaller and smaller, until you end up in a really messed up place. Your brain craves more and you have less and less ability to say no to the urge.\u201d Finally, his failed negotiating skills with alcohol made sense to him.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3120\" src=\"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Liam_Doran-silly_horizontal_1200x700.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"701\" \/>\r\n<h5><strong>Breckenridge Grand Vacations CEO Mike Dudick stands in front of the \u201cLet it Snow\u201d Ullr sculpture Nov. 19 at the Grand Colorado on Peak 8 resort. Dudick shared his struggle with alcoholism as part of the Faces of Hope series, a partnership between Building Hope Summit County and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/local\/the-grand-negotiator-mike-dudicks-journey-to-take-back-control-from-alcohol\/\">Summit Daily News.<\/a><\/strong><\/h5>\r\nHe\u2019s unsure of the role medication played in his sobriety. \u201cIf you said to me, \u2018they were placebos and I was part of a research control group, I\u2019d say, \u2018ok, I can buy that.\u2019 If you said to me, \u2018they were the real thing and in clinical studies they work 95% of the time to help people stop drinking, I\u2019d say, \u2018well, thank God I had them.\u2019 All I know is that I was committed. I knew I had to stop.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe no longer takes the medication, hasn\u2019t for a long time, and is on a steady and grateful path to longterm sobriety. He\u2019s acutely aware of the lack of treatment services in Summit County and looks forward to being involved in efforts that can help others like he\u2019s been helped. \u201cI think it\u2019s one of the priorities we really need to focus on as a community.\u201d Anna agrees. As a member of the Building Hope board of directors, she\u2019s in regular conversation with Executive Director Jen McAtamney about how to bring a treatment center to Summit County. \u201cThere are opportunities out there, we just have to figure out how to put the puzzle pieces together.\u201d\r\n\r\nFor now, Dudick\u2019s purpose is clear: to offer his help \u2013 whatever that looks like \u2013 to anyone who needs it. \u201cI\u2019m here to tell people that I had a problem and I did something about it and if you need help to solve your problem that you can talk to a guy like me. I\u2019m not proud of the way I was before, but I\u2019ll take pride in being able to help even one person.\u201d\r\n\r\nDudick\u2019s voice builds as he talks about how his life has changed in the past two years. \u201cWith this COVID situation and the responsibility I have to myself, my family and to the 600+ employees and the families that go with them, I need to take care of myself so I can make good, well-informed decisions that impact other people\u2019s lives. It\u2019s not like I\u2019m some Forest Gump dude cutting the high school lawn. People\u2019s paychecks, their mortgages and car payments, their savings for their kids\u2019 college depends on people in the leadership of this company doing a good job.\r\n\r\n\u201cThere\u2019s no way you can convince me that I\u2019m not exponentially sharper and better with the way things are going on a day-to-day basis than I was 2 years ago,\u201d he continues. \u201cI feel fortunate that I\u2019m in that space today because it\u2019s helping me be centered and grounded to make difficult choices, but to do the right thing to ensure the survival of the jobs and people that work here. I feel very fortunate that I got to where I am right now.\u201d\r\n\r\nAnna becomes emotional when asked about how life changed with Dudick\u2019s sobriety. \u201cMike is a leader in so many ways, but especially in our family,\u201d she begins. \u201cNothing works without Mike in our family,\u201d She pauses, skimming away a tear. \u201cHe\u2019s our leader, our protector and caretaker, and I became nervous when I felt that being threatened. He had been that way for us for 10-12 years before his drinking progressed. Now I think our kids and I know he\u2019s solid, he\u2019s there and he\u2019s gonna take care of everything. And that\u2019s who I married. It\u2019s nice to be with the man I married,\u201d she says, her eyes smiling. \u201cHe\u2019s a rock. He wasn\u2019t there for a little bit, but now he\u2019s more solid than ever.\u201d \u201cI\u2019ve made a lot of good decisions \u2013 a lot of good negotiating in business settings that have helped a lot of people,\u201d Dudick says finally. \u201cI was able to find a way to negotiate with alcohol and ended up winning on that side of it too. There\u2019s no shame in raising your hand and saying, I\u2019m done doing this,\u2019 and there\u2019s nothing but good on the other side.\"\r\n\r\nFor recovery encouragement from Mike Dudick, email Building Hope at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:info@buildinghopesummit.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">info@buildinghopesummit.org<\/a>. Please\u00a0include your contact info and a very brief summary of your journey and we\u2019ll connect you.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u2734 \u2734 \u2734<\/p>\r\n<i>Story by\u00a0<\/i><strong>Suzanne Acker,<\/strong><i>\u00a0special projects writer for Building Hope Summit County. If you have a story to share,\u00a0reach out to her at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:suzanne@buildinghopesummit.org\">suzanne@buildinghopesummit.org<\/a>.<\/i>\r\n<em>Photos by\u00a0Liam Doran\u00a0 \/ <a href=\"http:\/\/www.liamdoranphotography.com\/\">Liam Doran Photography<\/a>\r\nVideo by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dragonfruitvideo.com\/\">@dragonfruitvideo<\/a><\/em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Get Help:<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitfirc.org\/assistance\/mental-health-navigation\/\">FIRC Mental Health Navigation<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.acceleratedrecovery.com\/\">Accelerated Recovery Center\u00a0 \u00a0<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"http:\/\/summitrecovery.org\/\">Substance Use Recovery Meetings<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.womensrecovery.com\/\">Women\u2019s Intensive Outpatient Program<\/a>(Dillon)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Recovery Resources Summit County Detox Program: 970-368-6502<\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/resources\/therapy-resources\">Building Hope Therapy Resources<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindspringshealth.org\/\">Mind Springs Health Outpatient Counseling<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li>CrossFit Low-Oxygen Fit to Recover\u00a0classes: 443-480-0218<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n&nbsp;","_et_gb_content_width":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3017","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/PcRpks-MF","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3017","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/203041127"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3017"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3017\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12751,"href":"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3017\/revisions\/12751"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2983"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildinghopesummit.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}