ELKHART, Ind. – The Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) the national association representing the interests of RV dealers, rental companies and RV aftermarket stores was represented by Chairman Larry Troutt III, and President Phil Ingrassia.
Troutt III, also president of Topper’s Camping Center in Waller, Texas, in the Houston market, spoke first to the nearly 1,300 present at the Power Breakfast sharing the importance of networking and relationship building that these event bring. He then addressed the current economic conditions dealerships face with a note of optimism.
“It is no secret that the RV industry is facing some headwinds,” stated Troutt. “Like many business sectors right now we have seen our share of challenges from shifting economic conditions to changing consumer behavior. You only have to look at the history of our dealerships, which like mine, is family owned. Many are in their third and fourth generations of leadership. Whether it is a single location store, or the growing network of mullt-point dealerships, the spirit is still the same. A deep-rooted belief in what we do every day to serve our customers with a consistent focus on the future. The core desire that drives our industry, the American passion for travel and discovery has not changed. Dealers are telling us every day they believe in the road ahead.”
Ingrassia, current President of the RVDA and past chair of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) where he is still a member on the organization’s board of directors, spoke next emphasizing educational efforts and tax relief on the horizon.
“I just want everyone to know that the RVDA RV Learning center is working hard to train front-line operations people including Service Writer Advisors, Parts Specialist and Managers, Warranty Administrators, and Service Managers,” he shared. “Our fixed operations online course for mangers will launch this summer. I also want to thank everyone in this room for their help on the floor plan tax issue. It’s an important issue for our dealers and we appreciate the partnership with the RVIA and their great government relations team, and all the manufacturer helping to make it a fair tax situation for our dealers.”
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