Rick Kessler

This is one of those only-in-America stories where a team of entrepreneurs discover a need, develop a product to fill that void, and then, through word of mouth, they hit it big – and now have their sights set on even bigger targets.

The entrepreneurs are led by Henry Proegler, their company is called Moon Fabrications Inc. (MoonFab), and their signature product is the MoonShade, a portable awning that’s ready to graduate from #VanLife and test the waters of the greater RV industry.

“What built this industry is the traditional RVer, and I think that’s always going to be the lifeblood. But we can learn from some of these emerging aftermarket products – like Overland Expo and #VanLife. There are more people dry camping than we realize. There’s more people boondocking than we realize,” Proegler said, adding that RVers are passionate about the RV lifestyle and customizing their campsite setup to suit their purposes.

“And that can be a challenge for the RV industry, which is why it makes sense as to why the industry has existed in the way that it has,” he said. “But this next evolution is allowing the customer to have a little more customization over what they’re doing. And I’m hoping that the easiest way for RV manufacturers to do that is by including fantastic aftermarket products, such as the MoonShade.”

Austere Beginnings

A documentary filmmaker by trade, Proegler’s background also includes bringing various outdoor products to market. But he was first introduced to the RV industry several years ago while working on videos with TAXA Outdoors. That stint also exposed Proegler to the overlanding market, but it wasn’t until a good friend of his called him up before the MoonShade came to be.

His friend had made a decent living doing tech work for Airbnb and then the Robinhood investment firm, but tired of the corporate rat race. He left that world, moved to California, grew his hair out and outfitted his own campervan. He called Proegler when he couldn’t find an awning he liked, and the two set to work.

“So, part of it – and this is true for a lot of nomads and DIYers who live on the road full time – is they want to be able to stealth camp,” Proegler explained. “He lived in San Francisco at the time, so you don’t want to put a big giant awning on your van because it’s just a target that says, ‘Hey, come break into this.’ It started with that.”

That was back in 2018, and early on in the development it was determined they could make an awning in which its strength was incorporated into the shade itself.

After several prototypes, the two were ready to bring the MoonShade to market. Proegler said they raised $32,000 via Kickstarter and, by March of 2020, they had orders for 1,000 MoonShade awnings soon after having launched its retail-direct website.

“And we’re like, ‘Okay, if we sell through all of these over the course of the year, we can eat. We can pay ourselves. This’ll work,’” Proegler recalled.

Which brings us to the part of the story where the MoonShade struck a chord with the #vanlife movement and things really took off.

“I’m all about grassroots marketing, so I wanted to get this in the hands of the super users, so we partnered with a handful of YouTubers – people who were living in their vans,” Proegler said. “This is in April 2020, and it was ‘right place, right time.’ That inventory that we were hoping to sell through over the course of 12 months, we sold through in six weeks.”

Fast forward to today and they have sold close to 20,000 MoonShades, 90% of which were retailed directly to customers including some 2,000 Airstream Basecamp owners. Now, Proegler said, with the product having proven itself, he is looking to partner with OEMs.

“That’s part of the reason Bret’s here,” Proegler said referring to Bret Thompson, a Goshen native who now lives in Portugal. “He’s another seasoned entrepreneur who’s helping us just figure it out. I mean, Moon was a dream when it launched. That dream was fueled mightily by COVID. So, we spent the last two years just really figuring out the business and getting ready. But it definitely feels like we’re at the very front end of what our relationship with OEMs will be like.”

They already have at least one OEM partnership, and Forest River’s Collin Spickler is all too willing to sing MoonShade’s praises.

“In an industry where too many are racing to the bottom, we’ve made it our mission to set a higher standard. The MoonShade aligns perfectly with our vision of delivering versatile, high-quality solutions that enhance outdoor living. We’re not just outfitting RVs; we’re creating better camping experiences for our customers by focusing on what truly matters,” Spickler said.

In addition to Proegler and Thompson, the MoonFab team includes a former head of R&D at Patagonia. And besides the accolades from #vanlifers and Forest River’s Spickler, MoonShade has been celebrated by such publications as Outside Magazine Buyers Guide and Wirecutter.

Competitive Differentiation

What sets MoonShade apart is it’s versatile, durable, efficient and sustainable. Made with quality materials and construction, the MoonShade is built to last using 420D ripstop polyester with UV protective treatment, reflective coating, and heavy-duty polyester webbing trim. Its efficiency comes from its portable, simple designs that make set up and tear down a breeze. And the MoonShade is sustainable because the manufacturing process is intentionally designed to have as little impact as possible.

Its versatility is where the MoonShade truly shines, and it’s readily apparent as soon as you take it out of its handy carrying case. Using the included carabiners, suction cups, and strut pole, along with fixed mounting points such as roof racks and fences, plus any other accessories you may already have at home such as hammock straps, the configurations of MoonShade become endless.

“The MoonShade is essentially a dome tent that has various ways to anchor to a vehicle, but with it being semi-permanent, the design gives you a lot more modularity because when you roll into a camping space, if the sun isn’t over your driver’s side, you can mount it off the back or you can mount it off the other side,” Proegler said.

The MoonShade is available in either the OG model providing 9-by-7 feet coverage, or the XL version that provides 12-by-9 feet of coverage. Each is secured by a variety of methods, including attaching via a carabiner to heavy-duty vacuum-mount, suction cup or magnetic anchor points, as well as telescoping aluminum poles, guidewires and steel stakes. In addition, detachable MoonWalls offer more shade protection as well as a greater degree of privacy. And a fully enclosed screen room – sorry not sorry, mosquitos – is on its way, too.

“It’s just a great product. We’re never going to step in the way of the push-button convenience people. I’m not going to get on certain rigs and units, but I think there’s a lot of people who appreciate that it’s easier to set up than most fixed-attach awnings that are manual,” Proegler said.

“With OEMs, where we’re really focused on helping them is to extend the space for their customers outside,” Proegler explained. “Like with Palomino, they’re making the XL an option off the side, but maybe they’ll make the smaller shade on the back. That’ll be the work for us in the next couple years, is helping people figure out the best setup for their different units.

“I think that, as a primary awning, it’s going to make the most sense on a lightweight towable,” Proegler said, singling out truck campers in particular. “That’s where we’re seeing a ton of growth right now, and that’s in part because of how truck campers work and how they’re really tall. We were also on R-Pod last year. We’re on two of their smallest units.

While the MoonShade story is an American success story, Proegler said they hope to parlay that story into an even bigger one.

“The dream for us is we want to be the REI for the RV industry. And I think the way that works is by making great products that the end consumer loves – which we do – and with working with OEMs. Being an outdoor outfitter in this space means working directly with OEMs and helping them solve problems,” he said.

The post Startup MoonShade Awnings Sets its Sights on RV Industry first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

HERSHEY, Pa.– The 55^th Annual America’s Largest RV Show was able to continue the momentum of a successful opening day into Day Two at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa., with a reported attendance of 11,347, which is 220 more people than last year’s second day. Combined with the opening day’s tally of 7,007 – also a hike over the 2023 gate – and a very favorable weather forecast, the “Hershey RV Show” is poised for a strong final three days.

Hosted through Sunday, Sept. 15, by the Pennsylvania Recreation Vehicle and Camping Association (PRVCA), the 2024 Hershey Show features about 1,500 RVs on display from 40 manufacturers as well as hundreds of exhibitor booths staffed by aftermarket suppliers and campgrounds.

“We had a great second day,” PRVCA Executive Director Heather Leach told RVBusiness. “People are here to buy and everyone I’ve spoken to is having a good show. Everyone is feeling very confident heading into the weekend.”

Jon Ferrando, the founder, president and CEO of Blue Compass RV, said the first two days of the show have been “great.”

“Our exhibits, especially our luxury motorhome exhibits with Entegra and Newmar, were packed with people here to buy,” he told RVBusiness. “So, we really couldn’t have had a better start for the last couple of days, especially compared to last year and the last couple years when the industry was under a lot of pressure.”

Noting that their OEM partnerships play a crucial role, he added that the good showing over the first two days offers a promising sign that the industry might finally be emerging from a sluggish retail environment.

“The Hershey Show is a very important barometer. We’ll be looking at, certainly, the attendance all week and then also the sales activity,” he said. “Our goal this year is to set an all time record. We’re off to a good start. We are being very aggressive to go after the customers, and we have a great sales team here. We have the ‘A’ team on the field, and we’re going to outwork people bell to bell to win, and that’s what it takes in this environment.”

Also pleased with the first two days was Andrew Cooley, co-founder and chief revenue officer of Storyteller Overland and its recently acquired TAXA Outdoors division.

“Wow! Oh my gosh! This show is incredible. It’s everything that I ever heard that it ever was,” Cooley told RVBusiness while adding that Storyteller was making its first appearance at the Hershey Show. “I’ve been here once as a consumer about eight years ago, just looking at various product when we used to be an RV dealer. This is the most encouraging retail show that we’ve ever been to, with a consumer base that understands what we’re doing in the niche overland segment of the RV lifestyle market. And so I’ve been more encouraged here than at any other show I’ve ever been at.”

The RVBusiness Featured Video is sponsored by Curt, a Lippert Brand.

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HERSHEY, Pa.– Highlighted by the 7,007 people – 723 more than last year – who passed through the gates on Wednesday, Sept. 11, the 55^th Annual America’s Largest RV Show kicked off to rave reviews at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa.

Hosted through Sunday, Sept. 15, by the Pennsylvania Recreation Vehicle and Camping Association (PRVCA), the 2024 “Hershey RV Show” features about 1,500 RVs on display from 40 manufacturers as well as hundreds of exhibitor booths staffed by aftermarket suppliers and campgrounds.

“We had an excellent opening day,” PRVCA Executive Director Heather Leach told RVBusiness. “I spoke with several manufacturers and dealers who stated it exceeded their expectations, which is a great sign for the industry. Pre-sale tickets are on par, if not exceeding, last year.”

Forest River’s Doug Gaeddert, who was recently named president of the company’s RV division, said the positive opening day “bodes so well for our industry.”

“When you look at the uncertainties everybody’s talked about – including the debate last night and the Fed meetings next week – and then you look at the show today, where the traffic was physically backed up out on the main road and the line of people were backed up all the way out into the parking lots this morning, it bodes extremely well for all of us in the industry,” he said.

Gaeddert said the industry in general and Forest River in particular has worked tirelessly on the 2025 model year lineup to incorporate several innovations, and everyone is eager to show off the results to the public during the Hershey Show.

“We’ll have a lot of feedback from the show,” he said, “but there is a lot of optimism right now. And, like I say, when you look at the lines that were out here, and the traffic lines that were actually holding up traffic out here on the highway, it’s because of an overwhelming interest in the RV lifestyle and our industry. And it bodes well for everybody in it, whether they’re aftermarket supplier, a campground owner, an OEM, a dealer, a finance company, go right down the list. I mean, it makes you smile.”

He also sang the praises of the Hershey show itself and how it serves as an indicator for the market.

“What’s perfect about Hershey is it’s the first major retail show where it’s all new product for the model year, right? And so, Hershey falls two weeks in front of the Expo, – as we call it at Forest River – back in Elkhart, where we’re going to showcase the wholesale side of this product,” Gaeddert said. “But getting the retail responses to innovative product or, retail finance programs, or the way we’re reconfiguring our new branding – all that’s really cool. We get a ton of feedback here, and then that allows us, over less than a three-week period, to factor both retail impact and the consumer, our ultimate customer, as well as our dealer customers.”

Indeed, others with whom RVBusiness spoke also had positive reports from the opening day.

• General RV Center CEO Loren Baidas, who was walking from one of his company’s displays to another, said he was “excited” for this year’s show.  

“We’ve got eight, nine displays here, so we’ve got a great presence at the show. We’re looking for some great retail action this week,” Baidas told RVBusiness. “Hershey has something for everybody. We’ll sell a lot of trailers. We’ll sell fifth-wheels. It’s still a very good motorized show. Everything from Class Cs and Bs right up to the big diesel pushers.”

• Kyle Miller, director of sales for the Cruiser and DRV divisions of Heartland RV, a THOR Industries Inc. subsidiary, said he and his team thought the people who came through their display were “very engaged, well researched, asked a lot of questions, so we’re very optimistic about how the show’s going to go.”

Miller added that the Hershey show remains an important barometer for the industry, and noted that its impact on sales isn’t just reserved for the five days of the event.

“So, regardless of what sales are here this week, if the traffic’s good, the interest is good, and that’s going to lead to sales downstream at some point. Those are all important indicators for us as we look forward into 2025 and how the industry continues to rebound,” he said.

• Amanda Laney, marketing specialist at Steele Rubber Products, noted that the parking lot was full this morning during the early hours of the show, and was enthused with the crowd thus far.

“The traffic does seem decent,” she said. “The people who we’ve had come by our booth seem they want to learn a whole lot more than just, ‘Hey, what do you have?’ I feel like they’re looking for more education. We get a lot of, ‘This is what we’ve been looking for. How do I know to tell which product it is that we need?’ There’s a lot of stuff people don’t know, so they’re literally looking for education.”

• Josh Peek, and outside sales representative for Genesis Products, and Allison Horner, marketing associate, were staffing their company’s booth inside the Giant Center. Both were very pleased with the opening day.

“Absolutely,” Peek said. “So, I actually got here a couple hours after the show started this morning and Allison had already retail sold two rolls of our Revive Kit. There’s been a lot of interest through the booth and asking questions as far as the DIY or upfitting of the retail buyers’ current units, and then also even new OEMs as far as making the units their own. But most of all, they’ve been interested in doing the overlays because they’ve either had damage to the unit from themselves or they’ve seen our kit on the internet.”

Noting that Genesis doesn’t sell its products directly to the consumer, Horner added that the two are hosting two seminars to further introduce and explain the Revive collection of products that are designed to transform and upgrade an RV.

• Matt Ellinger, VP of Sales, Newmar Corp. had just returned from walking through his company’s full display and was pleasantly surprised at the number of people who were already perusing the Class A motorhomes.

“This week we’re selling through Campers Inn, and we’re here to provide that education. We get to do little demonstrations in the booth. We have two seminars this week, so there’s a lot of touchpoint opportunities,” she said.

“First of all, it’s great to see all the people,” he said. “Right away, right at the very beginning, there were people in the Bay Star, in the Dutch Star looking at it, pulling out cabinets, touching and feeling the Newmars that are in the display. In talking to some of the people early, everything has been positive.

“They were looking at what’s different for 2025,” he continued. “I’ve met a lot of Newmar owners that say, ‘Hey, I like what you did here. The cabinets are very different.’ I mean, we’re showcasing some of the new things that we’ve done within our coaches that really haven’t been on dealer’s lots for very long. So, this is our time to shine, too, and really show some of the new ‘25’s that are out there.”

• Similarly, Winnebago Towables Product Manager Grant Smith said he was pleased with the initial consumer response on two new floorplans for the conventional-build, single-axle Access travel trailers. The first is the 18DVH, which is a double over double bunkhouse, while the other is the 18RK, which is a rear kitchen/rear bath unit.

“So far, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said, noting the Access hits an aggressive price point without sacrificing many of the more desirable amenities. “A lot of times in that single axle segment, there’s very little content to talk about in the trailers, so we are trying to differentiate ourselves a little bit in terms of, I would say, creature comforts.”

“But what people are noticing is, while the Access may not be the least expensive single axle trailer that they looked at in the show, it has a lot of value,” he continued. “We strongly feel that there is a group of customers that is looking for something maybe just a little bit nicer, a little bit more comfortable, and they’re willing to pay just a little bit more – but still be well under $20,000 at the show to buy these trailers.”

• Ryan Brady, co-founder of Alliance RV, said he was expecting a “big week, like it always is every year.”

“We’re particularly excited,” he said. “We did a lot of changes to our products and we changed over model year, the ‘25s in that July time period. But, really, this is the first big retail show where we’re getting our products in front of the retail public. So excited to get the feedback. And the early results have been good. Traffic’s there. Obviously, we’re early afternoon on day one, but liking what we’re seeing so far.”

“Obviously the interest rate environment is well documented, but I think that reality has certainly set in for consumers, so they’re not sticker-shocked when they see what the interest rates are. I think that’s a positive,” he continued. “And we always say, ‘People want to camp.’ And we certainly operate in a cyclical industry, but at the end of the day, it’s a secular growth industry, and there’s always going to be people out there looking to trade up and get into the lifestyle.”

• Speaking only a few hours after the gates opened, Forest River General Manager Karl Miller said the show was “going great.”

“We had a dealer meeting last night and some of the dealers that are here we’re saying that this could be the best weather we’ve had in 15 years at the Hershey Show, so we’re excited to have great weather,” Miller said, who was with Forest River Vice President of Marketing Tom Gruger. “A lot of retail consumers want to come in and look at all the new floorplans, the new options, the new colors and, hopefully, that will turn into sales and will kick us off for the fall.”

• Grant Gillis, the OEM sales executive with RVMP, and Kevin Mack, the company’s marketing director, said they were at the show to “showcase our very innovative products” to both consumers and OEMs alike. People who haven’t yet heard of RVMP are “intrigued” by the company’s suite of generators, Gillis said.

“A lot of them, after going through the OEMs outside, noticed our product in many of the units on certain brands and would like to know a little more before actually purchasing the RV on the lots,” he explained.

Mack added that the two also were hearing from consumers who were singing the praises of RVMP’s customer service team.

“I was just writing an email to our customer service lead about how so many people thank us for all the support that our team has given them,” Mack said. “And that goes everything from us helping a DIYer install, to if there’s any issue in their coach that we’re helping them out throughout the process. It’s just really great. It makes you kind of tear up just to hear people speak so highly of our customer service team, because we put a lot of effort and a lot of resources into our customer service team. And seeing that payback in happy customers is just absolutely amazing.”

• Bontrager Outdoors National Sales Manager Jaime Moreno and Brian Sutton, the company’s general manager, said the first day was “very steady.”

“Those whom we’ve talked with are interested in buying,” Sutton said. “It hasn’t been just people looking just for the sake of looking. It’s been a very positive outlook so far from the people I’ve talked with.”

Moreno added that he was especially pleased with his discussions with show-goers.

“It’s all been positive. Nobody’s come in with the doom and gloom and saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to wait for this or that.’ They’re being very straightforward. They’re going, ‘We’re interested. We’re looking,’” Moreno said. “Most of them are doing the research. They want to come in. They want to try to find something to buy. They’re not saying, ‘Oh, I’m going to wait and see if I can get it lower,’ or anything like that. The optimism is they’re coming in to buy. That’s a beautiful thing.”

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HERSHEY, Pa. – Consumers queued up this morning outside the Hershey GIANT Center as the Pennsylvania Recreational Vehicle and Camping Association (PRVCA) kicked off the 55th Annual America’s Largest RV Show.

“I think we’re going to have a really great event,” said Heather Leach PRVCA Executive Director during a recent RVBusiness Capitol Talk interview. “Of course we’re sold out again in both manufacturer space and booth vendor space, so that’s always really great. We did manage to get a couple of new manufacturers into the show this year.”

While every major RV builder exhibits at Hersyey, the new-to-Hersey OEMs are Storyteller Overland and ATC trailers, and, Leach said, the show will have displays from two park-model builders – Woodland Park and Great Outdoor Cottabes – the first appearance of park models since 2019.

The show is open from Sept. 11-14, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sept. 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature everything from pop-up campers to Class A motorhomes with nearly 1,500 RVs on site representing 40 manufacturers.

Along with a comprehensive selection of RVs to explore, Leach said the show also offers RV-related seminars and booth vendors. Also on hand will be food trucks and vendors offering a variety of cuisine from burgers and fries to crab cakes.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: RVBusiness is following up here on an initial (Aug. 21) RVBusiness.com article regarding the Aug. 16 passing in Naples, Fla., of 97-year-old industry pioneer Richard E. Klingler. Klingler launched the original Holiday Rambler line in his hometown of Wakarusa, Ind., 10 miles south of Elkhart, Ind., where he started building trailer parts in a chicken coop and assembling the trailers outdoors in the 1950s.

The first Holiday Rambler RV was a travel trailer introduced to the public in 1953 by the Klingler Corporation, a restored example of which is located today in the RV/MH Hall of Fame & Museum in Elkhart, Ind.

Among the “firsts” attributed to the Holiday Rambler brand name was the 1961 introduction of aluminum body framing, ushering in a new era of lighter, stronger and more durable recreational vehicles.

The company was sold in 1986 to Harley-Davidson, then Monaco Coach Corp., Navistar International Corp. and in 2010 to Allied Specialty Vehicles, which became the REV Group for which Holiday Rambler currently serves as a motorized RV brand based in Decatur, Ind.

As the family-inspired obituary below from Elkhart’s Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home indicates, a visitation celebrating the lives of Richard and Pauline Klingler, who passed away in July of 2022, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, at the funeral home. Private family graveside services will convene at Rice Cemetery immediately following the visitation.

“The RV Industry Association mourns the passing of Dick Klingler,” stated the RV Industry Association (RVIA) in RVB’s previous posting. “He was an innovator and pioneer founding one of the industry’s iconic brands in Holiday Rambler. He was also a passionate advocate for the association and through his service on the executive committee, board of directors, and committees in the early years of the association, he helped build a foundation for the organization to grow and flourish. On behalf of our members, the RV Industry Association extends heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.”

“It is with great sadness, pride, and love that we as a family announce the passing of both of our wonderful parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and great-great grandparents — Pauline P. and Richard E. Klingler.

“Our mother, Pauline, passed at the age of 94 on July 24, 2022, and our father, Richard, passed at the age of 97 on August 16, 2024.

“Surviving family members include children Debra Rogan, Pamela Smith, Douglas (Sally) Klingler. Grandchildren Shannon Marshman, Heather Elswick, step-grandson David McNally, Thomas (Lora) Rogan, Jaime Klingler, Jenna (Thomas) Everts. Great grandchildren Shawn (Daisy) Marshman, Christian Elswick, Aubrey Hoon, Josh Marshman, Peyton Elswick, Oliver Everts, Reilly Everts, Mia Marshman, Sadie Rogan, and Millie Rogan. Great-great grandchildren Grayson Marshman and Griffin Marshman.

“The loved ones that preceded our parents in death include: our mother’s parents, Wilma and Albenia Huff, sister Jean Pellus, our father’s parents, Leota and Hughlin Klingler, brother Walter Klingler, grandson Zachary Klingler, and daughter-in-law Michele Klingler, step-grandson Michael McNalley.

“Our mother was born in Lima, Ohio on August 28, 1927, and our father was born in Elkhart, Indiana on November 5, 1926. Both graduated from Elkhart High School in 1946. Mom and dad first met in school at a very young age. During high school our father played football as a running back while our mother marched in the band as a flutist. Our dad served in the US Army stationed at Camp Crowder in Missouri, Camp Atterbury in Indiana, and served in South Korea.

“During our father’s time of service, our mother was studying to become a Registered Nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in South Bend, Indiana. Following his return to the United States, our parents reconnected with the help of a friend and the two started dating.

“On October 14, 1950, our parents married in a small ceremony in Elkhart. This was the start of a 72-year partnership as husband and wife. At the time, little did they realize how their ambitions, hard work, and determination would take the two of them on a journey that led them to reach a level of success that has often been referred to as living the American dream.

“As a young couple, our mother worked as a Registered Nurse while our father was busy building their first home. It was a small, one-bedroom home in Elkhart where they brought all three of their babies home to begin life as a family of five.

“Our father enjoyed working with his hands and his mind was always filled with ideas of things he could make. In fact, he was still designing, creating, and working in his little wood shop at his home in Naples, Florida, right up until his passing.

“His first attempt at trying to sell items he built was with wooden toys that he created. Being nervous about selling, he took our mother with him to the first store. She held the door open for him as he walked in with his box of toys. She then shut the door behind him and waved at him through the glass. It was on this day that our parents’ business partnership began. Mom was always there to support him; she was the engine that could and would push him along to help in his achievement of their dreams.

“Following a time when our father worked in the cabinet shop at Richardson Mobile Homes, he soon discovered that he had a knack for understanding manufacturing. He felt he wanted to try to start his own business; so, our parents, along with our father’s parents, all participated in one aspect or another in starting a new company, Klingler Products.

“The very first travel trailer that the four of them built was constructed in his grandparent’s garage on Beardsley Street in Elkhart. Our father and grandfather built the trailer, and our mother and grandmother were in charge of sewing draperies. Eventually, the name of their business was changed to Holiday Rambler Corporation.

“As the years passed, their business grew and the company became more diversified with other businesses, including Utilimaster (commercial vehicles), Holiday World (retail RV sales outlet), Creative Dimensions (office, drafting furniture, and laminate kitchens), Nappanee Wood Products (kitchens), Harbor Craft Boats, Holiday House (park models), Parkway Distributors (RV parts), and B & B Molders (injection molding).

“After 33 years of nurturing their businesses, our parents decided to make a change to free up more time to spend with family and at their southern home in Naples, Florida. It was at this point that all their businesses were sold to Harley Davidson Corporation in December of 1986.

“Not long after the businesses were sold, our father, being a man that always had ambitions and dreams for other projects, began new businesses in Florida. Executive Development and Commercial Development were formed and were involved in building and managing several commercial properties in Collier County and Lee County, Florida.

“Our father has always had a wood shop where he would spend time working on many projects, some for fun and some to become future products to be marketed. That’s where the furniture line of Maple and Oak Street was started under the name of Klingler Products. This business remained in Elkhart.

“Well into his 90’s he continued building children’s wooden toys under his final business named Fun Wood Toys. He donated many of these toys to needy children, in addition to friends and family.
Our parents always had a passion for traveling and were fortunate to have been able to travel to many countries and exotic corners of the world. The trips and experiences they embarked on together were true testaments to living life to the fullest.

“Boating was always a big part of our lives as a family – from our summers on Diamond Lake to adventures along the Florida coastline and trips to the Bahamas – some of our best memories include boating. Our parents completed the Great Loop from Florida up the east coast, into the Great Lakes and then south down the Mississippi River into the Tombigbee Waterway and back into the Gulf returning home to Naples. We all remember the grand boat trip to the Virgin Islands on one of their beloved Miss Pauline boats, lovingly named after our mother. They had several boats built over the years with both of our parent’s input influencing the design and construction.

“With our parents’ success came the ability for them to be able to help others. Following the loss of their grandson Zachary Klingler to childhood leukemia, they were able to form The Pauline and Richard E. Klingler Endowed Chair for Pediatric Research and The Zachary E. Klingler Endowed Chair for Pediatrics at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. They also helped to fund the construction of many homes for those in need through Habitat for Humanity of Collier County.
Both of our parents have been honored with many awards over the years. Our father is known as one of the top ten most influential people in the RV industry and both were honored with the Sagamore of the Wabash award by the State of Indiana.

“Mom and Dad, we are all so grateful for the time we had with you both. We all love you and you will be missed greatly by your entire family and all the people whose lives you have touched with your friendship, kindness, and generosity.

“A visitation celebrating the lives of Pauline and Richard will be held from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm on Saturday, October 19, 2024, at the Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home. Private family graveside services will be held at Rice Cemetery immediately following the visitation.

“In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Richard E. and Pauline P. Klingler Chair, the Zachary E. Klingler Chair, or the Klingler Cancer Endowment at Riley Children’s Foundation, PO Box 3356, Indianapolis, IN 46206-3356 or can be made online at RileyKids.org Please note the name of the specific fund if making a gift.”

The post Celebration of Life Set for Holiday Rambler’s Dick Klingler first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

ELKHART, Ind. – Speaking to an audience of about 150 people Monday night at Ranger Distribution Inc.’s (RDI) impressive facilities in Elkhart, Ind., Dave Anderson challenged everyone to make their beds every morning. To get plenty of sleep the night before. To stay hydrated. To not leave dirty dishes in the sink.

Anderson is a leading international speaker and prolific author on personal and professional performance improvement and the message behind his challenge was this: How you do anything is how you do everything.

In other words, if you make it a habit to do the little things right, then you’re well prepared when it comes time to do the big things right.

“What you’re doing is you’re conditioning your mind to have a higher standard, to follow a process, to not cut a corner, to not do less than your best, to not make an excuse for doing less than your best,” he said. “Then you bring that well-trained mind into the workplace with you, and it’s already at a high point. You’re already expecting more from you. It’s already disciplined. You already feel good about yourself. So, when we can start to get those little things right, we condition ourselves to where, when we’re in a big arena where the stakes are higher, that we’re already all about excellence.”

This was the second year in a row Anderson spoke at Ranger Distribution (RDI) for the company’s third annual “Giving Without Expectation” speaker series, and his pull-no-punches message of personal accountability seemed to resonate with RDI employees and invited colleagues and partners from the RV industry.

“Well, I think the biggest thing that he likes to talk about as the ‘red belt mentality,’ so those who are hungry will work hard and do the extra things that aren’t necessarily expected of them, but are necessary to get the job done,” said RDI Chief Revenue Officer Brent Diver. “And if you can create a culture that is full of red belts, then as a group or an entity, you’ll excel.

“Our mission is to create a bunch of red belts within our organization,” Diver continued. “Culture is the most important thing to us – and has been since Day One – and we feel like we’ve been very successful in bringing forward the culture of positivity, the culture of accountability, and the red belt culture where we just continue to grind and achieve and outperform the market and enjoy the success that the others around us also enjoy.”

Diver, CEO John Curran and COO Rod Humphreys founded RDI in 2019. It was the three of them, two other employees, one truck and a 22,000-square-foot building. Fast forward to now, and RDI has 30 employees, five trucks and about 100,000 square feet under roof.

Humphreys recalled an early meeting when the group was working on the company’s formation. They were asked what they wanted RDI to be known for, and Humpreys said it took him a “millionth of a second” to come up with an answer.

“I want to walk into the bar to get a beer, have my employee sitting in there and have them look at us and be like, ‘I work at that company. It’s the best company in Elkhart to work at.’ That’s what I want. That’s what I want this company to be,” Humphreys explained.

While they didn’t want this article to appear as if RDI was perfect, they said it is their steadfast intention to continue to cultivate a workplace that will reflect Humphrey’s sentiment – which is why they brought in Anderson to deliver his motivational message.

“The theme of the night is ‘Giving Without Expectation’ and that’s what it is,” said Curran. “This is our thank you to our employees and everybody we do business with, whether it’s on the vendor side, whether it’s on the customer side. Thank you. Thank you for what you do. If we can make our employees successful, if we can make our vendors successful, if we can make our customers successful, then of course RDI is going to be successful.”

Motivational Message

The author of 16 books, most recently “Elevate Your Excellence: The Power of Dong Ordinary Things Extraordinarily Well” and host of the wildly popular podcast, “The Game Changer Life,” Anderson’s hour-long presentation was both a challenge and a reminder that the power to improve lies within ourselves.

Everyone belongs to one of four categories, he explained.

There are Undertakers, who are either have a negative attitude – “They’ve quit but they haven’t left.” – or are prima donnas who think the rules don’t apply to them. Either way, Anderson said, they are a toxin to others. The second group are the Caretakers, who only do just enough to get by. These people are capable of so much more, but they choose not to put forth the effort.

Playmakers are the third group, and they have above-average drive and show flashes of brilliance, but they lack the consistency – and the inner drive to fuel that consistency – of the fourth group, which are the Game-Changers.

“Game-changers go all in every day,” Anderson said. “That doesn’t mean every day’s a great day or, if I’m an athlete, it doesn’t mean every game’s a great game, but it’s not due to the lack of me more consistently bringing eight key traits to the table. I bring more effort, more energy, more enthusiasm, more excellence, more passion, better attitude, more focus and more integrity consistently day in and day out.”

“I’m more consistently bringing those things to the table,” he continued. “That doesn’t mean it always converts to results right away, but I trust the process. I keep bringing it, I keep bringing it, and I start to see results – not always overnight, but certainly over time. Listen, I may not be as talented as the next guy. I may not know the right people, but I’ll outwork them. I’m hungrier than they are.”

Everyone belongs to one of these groups, and people typically will move from one group to another quite often depending on the day, the topic at hand or the stimulus affecting the mindset.

The key to moving into the Game-0changer category, he added, is to discover your “why”.

“The ‘why’ is what motivates you,” Anderson said. “Your ‘why’ is different than mine. There’s not a right ‘why’. There’s not a wrong ‘why’. And your ‘why’ will change throughout your life. Your ‘why’ answers these two questions: Why do I get up in the morning and why should anybody else even care?

“And if those reasons aren’t clear, if they’re not compelling, if they don’t make you do something today you wouldn’t do without it, you’re probably complacent and you might be successful, but you’re never going to be all you could possibly be,” he said.

The RVBusiness Featured Video is sponsored by Curt, a Lippert Brand.

The post Ranger Distribution Speaker Offers Motivating Challenge first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

ELKHART, Ind. – With about 425 family, friends and colleagues looking on, members of the 2024 class were officially inducted into the RV/MH Hall of Fame Monday, Aug. 19, at the Northern Indiana Event Center in Elkhart, Ind.

The five inductees from the RV industry included: Don Clark, Grand Design RV, Elkhart, Ind.; Terry Elias; Triple E RV, Manitoba, Canada; Phil Ingrassia, RV Dealers Association, Fairfax, Va.; Jeff Rutherford, Airxcel, Elkhart, Ind.; and Brian Wilkins, Wilkins RV, Hornell, N.Y.

And the five inductees from the manufactured housing industry included: Charlie Hemphill, Clayton Homes, Morristown, Tenn.; Sam Landy, UMH Properties, Freehold, New Jersey; Kamal Shouhayib, Choice Properties, Troy, Mich.; Nathan Smith, Flagship Communities, Fort Mitchell, Ken.; and Todd Su, Advantage Homes, San Jose, Calif.

Preceding the induction ceremony was a state of the Hall of Fame report, the highlight of which is that the organization, after facing a $930,000 deficit in 2012, is now boasts a $22 million net worth. In addition, Phase I of the 36,000-square-foot Convention Center expansion is complete, and future plans include a re-imagining of the RV museum.

Following that, Dana Nelsen, publisher of RV News, was honored with the Darryl R. Searer Spirt Award for, in part, his “loyalty, volunteering for well over a decade as a board member, an executive committee member.”

Then it was time for the inductions, and each inductee, during their acceptance speeches, offered heartfelt thanks to their spouses, families, friends and colleagues for helping support and shape their careers.

• Prior to co-founding Grand Design with brothers Ron and Bill Fenech in 2012, Don Clark was president of Dutchmen RV and successfully led the turnaround of the THOR Industries subsidiary. His experience also includes being part of the owner/management team that helped drive Keystone RV Co. to become the largest towable manufacturer in the world. Most recently, Clark has led Grand Design RV to become one of the fastest growing RV manufacturers in the history of the industry.

During his acceptance speech, Clark said he felt “humbled and undeserving,” and then shared a story about a time his son, Austin, learned the impact the RV industry can have on people.

“We all have customers who are passionate for our lifestyle. We have customers who are passionate for opportunities to travel and build relationships and build memories with their family and friends,” Clark said. “What an awesome industry that we have an opportunity to serve. We actually can make a difference in people’s lives, lives. I’m just as enthused and excited about this industry 40 years later as I was on my first day of the job. We’re all blessed.”

 • Terry Elias, CEO of Triple E Recreational Vehicles and Leisure Travel Vans, a Canadian RV manufacturing company located in Winkler, Manitoba that was established in 1965. He also is President & CEO at Lode King Industries, one of Canadas largest manufacturers of commercial highway transport trailers.

Elias recounted his time advancing the greater good of the industry through the Canadian RV Association (CRVA) and RV Industry Association (RVIA), and was pleased that two of his sons, Ryan and Mike, are continuing that legacy. Ryan Elias, the president of Triple E, is on the RVIA board while Mike, director of sales and marketing, is a CRVA board member.

“I’m very pleased to see the advancement of our family being continued to be involved in the RV industry North America-wide,” he said. “This journey in the RV industry has been very rewarding and have cultivated many relationships in ministry. Being on the association, our dealers and the supplier group.”

• Phil Ingrassia has been the president of the RV Dealers Association (RVDA) since 2012. Before that, Ingrassia served as the association’s vice president for communications starting in 2002 after having joined the RVDA staff in 1996. In that capacity, he supervised the association’s membership, industry relations, market expansion and communications programs. He also served as RVDA’s staff liaison to the Go RVing Coalition. In addition, Ingrassia is the past chair of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) and is a member of the organization’s board of directors.

Ingrassia shared a story about his son, Tony, being asked whether he’d follow in his father’s footsteps to work for the RVDA someday.

(I’ll never forget the look on his face. ‘Wait, what?’” Ingrassia said. “But as I started to think about it, and we’ve heard that here tonight, it’s not an odd question to ask at all. The RV business truly is built upon family from the customers who enjoy the units, to the dealers that sell them, the manufacturers and suppliers that build them. There’s a strong sense of family that serves as the life and blood of this industry.”

• Jeff Rutherford has enjoyed a long and successful career in the North American RV industry. Following eight years as vice president of Carefree of Colorado and nine more years as the company’s president, Rutherford joined Airxcel in June of 2013 assuming role of chief operating officer. He was promoted to president in 2015, and was named chief executive officer the following year, succeeding company founder Mel Adams who retired following a 25-year tenure. In November, Rutherford moved on to become chairman at Airxcel. In addition, Rutherford is the past chairman of the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA).

During his time on stage, Rutherford said upon reflecting on his career the one thing that kept coming back to him was “gratitude.”

“I’m very grateful to the many mentors I have, but most particularly to Mel Adams. Mel taught me how to provide life-changing opportunities for my team. And that’s meant a lot to me, and it’s meant a lot to many people that I’ve worked with,” Rutherford said, who went on to thank his colleagues, RVIA and customers as well. “And most importantly, I’m grateful to my family, my wife, my children, their first visit to Elkhart Indiana, where I spent so many nights over the last 30 years. They supported me during the challenging times, and they were there to celebrate the many, many successes that occurred throughout my career. So, I’m very grateful.”

• Brian Wilkins is the third-generation owner of Wilkins RV Inc., headquartered in Bath, N.Y. His experience with the RV industry started at an early age, having worked in his family’s dealership after school. In 2004, he acquired the family dealership from his father, and has grown the single-location business to seven storefronts, all in New York. Wilkins served as chairman of the RV Dealers Association (RVDA) in 2016, and in 2022 he received RVDA’s James B. Summer award, the highest honor the association presents. He has a long record of serving RVDA, having also served as chairman of the Mike Molino RV Learning Center Program Oversight Committee, as a member of the Tech Certification Board, and as a member of RVDA’s board of directors and board of delegates.

Wilkins said he was “extremely proud” to be a third-generation owner of Wilkins RV. He acknowledged the previous generations inlcuding his mother, Patricia, who died in 2013, his father, Ron, who was in the audience.

“Dad, I stand up here tonight knowing full well that this very well, for a good reason, could be you or Grandpa Stan. You two paved the way for me, and for that, I’m very thankful. To you, specifically, I thank you for the opportunity provided, the trust that you had, and the wisdom and the experience that you passed on to me. This honor is much yours as it is mine,” Wilkins said.

The post ‘Grateful, Humbled’ Inductees Enter the RV/MH Hall of Fame first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

The 2024 Forest River Owners Group (FROG) International Rally is underway this week at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds and for Bob Byrne it’s very much a bittersweet affair.

This is the final FROG rally for Byrne as the club’s president, a position he has held for 13 years. Come November, Byrne and his wife Cindy will step aside. Rennie and Beth Roberts, who have been learning the ropes for a few months now, will be succeeding the Byrnes.

“We’re looking forward to the next chapter, but we are certainly going to miss the wonderful friendships we’ve made. We’ve had great adventures. The company has treated us wonderfully and we’re very grateful to Pete (Liegl, Forest River president) and the entire Forest River team for the opportunities we’ve had,” Byrne told RVBusiness.

The 2024 FROG Rally features about 380 coaches and 750 people – 40% of whom are first-timers – along with about 50 vendors, 65 seminars, eight tours around Amish country, a couple of nights of live entertainment, and, according to Byrne, “a lot of great opportunity to come here, renew old friendships, make new ones, learn about your RV, and just sharing friendship.”

Byrne was busy setting up for that night’s dinner banquet, but he took a few minutes to graciously reflect on his time as the FROG president.

“More than anything else, I’m going to miss the people,” he said. “We have made wonderful friendships. We’ve had great adventures with a lot of the members of FROG. We’ve had opportunities to travel extensively to work with a lot of the members if we’re not hosting a rally and helping others set up. I did an estimate the other day that, in the 13 years, we have probably either organized and hosted or helped others organize and host on FROG’s behalf somewhere upwards of 225 to 250 events, maybe a little over that.”

His thoughts then took him back to one of the very first events that took place after he became president, which was the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C. in March of 2012.

“This was before we were online with our registrations. Everything was mailed in and out, and we planned on taking 25 RVs with us. We ended up taking 76,” he said. “We needed to have three buses. It was a little bit like herding cats, but it was a great start and we figured if we can pull this one off, we’re going to be okay.”

Lastly, Byrne also shared the first time he found out he was going to become the president of FROG.

“I was sitting in my boss’s office, Jeff Rowe (Forest River’s human resources director), filling out some paperwork, and this guy stepped into the doorway and he said to Jeff, ‘Have you had him measured yet for the spandex frog outfit?’ And I turned and said, ‘Any pattern that needs this much spandex ought to be illegal.’ And Jeff said, ‘Oh, there’s somebody I’d like you to meet. This is Pete. He’s the president of the company.’ So it was an auspicious start,” Byrne said with a laugh.

In fact, Byrne had high praise for Liegl and his support for FROG over the years.

“We are very appreciative to Pete and to all of his management team, but not only the managers, but up and down the line,” he said. “We have worked with so many of the customer service people, the service techs, the salespeople. You go out here on the grounds and you see all the service work that’s being done and all of the goodwill that’s being spread, building relationships between the customers and the company, and we are very grateful to have had an opportunity to be a part of that.”

As far as his successors – and with Beth Roberts busy setting out desserts at each table behind him – Byrne also had nothing but the highest expectations for the Roberts, a Delaware couple who have been RVing for about 40 years.

“They have been key members of the FROG team and the Rally team for the last 12 years,” Byrne said. “They have organized and hosted events on their own. They’ve helped us with some of our remote rallies, so they’re bringing a good, strong background. But most of all, most important in my mind, they are extremely respected by the folks who are key to the organization, leaders in a lot of the setup work. I think that’s going to serve them very well, and it’s a well-earned respect.”

The post Final FROG Rally Underway for Outgoing President Bob Byrne first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

GOSHEN, Ind. – Easily recognizable with its striking matte green-colored full-body paint, Keystone RV has launched a special edition of its Cougar fifth-wheel in which proceeds of every sale will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.

Known as the Hero Edition, the unit will make its public debut at America’s Largest RV Show in Hershey, Pa. Fittingly, the show’s opening day is Sept. 11. The Wounded Warrior Project was created following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Given the Hero Edition’s eye-catching exterior, it’s safe to say the unit will draw plenty of attention in Hershey. The color, which definitely has military vibe to it, has been dubbed Heroic Green and was produced in the manufacturer’s in-house paint facility in Wakarusa, Ind. The “Cougar” name and contemporary logo in raised lettering are the only exterior adornments which, paired with the matte green full-body paint, offers a subdued yet uniquely automotive-style design.

“We’ve been noticing trends in the market of people wanting less graphics, less swoopy, very simple, more automotive look,” said Keystone General Manager Matt Christensen, who credited Product Manager Scott Taylor with the matte green color, and from there came the concept of the Hero Edition in partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project.

Leveraging the “competitive advantage” of its paint facility and following the successful debut last year of the Cougar Midnight Edition, Christensen said the Heroic Green matte finish was something that Keystone really honed in on.

“We’ve just decided to have some fun the last couple of years, with all the things that have been going on in the market, to kind of flex our muscles with paint and bring paint to the market in a lower price point that is otherwise generally offered,” Christensen explained. “If you go to Tampa or you go to other shows, you generally only see full body paint on a higher-end Class A motor homes, or even really high end fifth-wheels – and a lot of times those paints aren’t even standard, it’s optional. So, we felt like this was a great opportunity for us to flex our muscles a little bit and use our paint facility.”

The concept started with the green color, black accents and bonded windows – slidetoppers also will be standard – and then it was “just letting the color itself speak for the outside of that unit,” Christensen said. “Then, as the unit came offline and we looked at it, we said, ‘Man, it’s got this military look to it.’ So, we felt that there could be an opportunity to do something with it.”

That opportunity quickly manifested in a partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit charity and veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, services and events for wounded veterans who incurred a physical or mental injury, illnesses or co-incident to their military service on or after Sept. 11, 2001.

Keystone will donate $1,000 from every retail sale of the Cougar Hero Edition, which is available on four of the full-size Cougar’s seven floorplans. Keystone’s total contribution will be no less than $250,000, and up to $1 million. Christensen noted, too, that each donation is coming out of Keystone’s bottom line and not just the company passing along the costs.

Each unit also will include a gift bag of Wounded Warrior Project items and other products to further commemorate the Hero Edition’s mission.

While the Hershey Show will be the Hero Edition’s public debut, prototypes have already been well-received by Keystone employees at a company-wide ice cream social and by Cougar owners at a recent rally in Shipshewana, Ind.

Taylor said he had “goosebumps” when both employees and Cougar owners flocked to the Hero Edition at each event, taking selfies and oohing and awing over the unit.

“Everybody was just cheering and saying, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s what this is for?” Taylor said. “And the Cougar owners were blown away. The response was phenomenal. And one of the newer customers to Cougar had the best comment ever; he said, ‘I was hoping I picked the right brand. Now, seeing this, I’m absolutely convinced that I picked the right brand and the right company.’”

“And then, as we’re talking,” Christensen added, “people were coming out of the woodwork and talking about they had a family member who served, and maybe passed, or about all of the lives that our military has touched within our community and our company. We got even more resound in getting this done. We all stepped away from it for a second and said, ‘This is just a great thing. It’s more than just selling trailers. This is great for our company, this is great for our community, this is great for our industry.”

The post Keystone Cougar Hero Edition to Support Wounded Warriors first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

While Hurricane Debby is centered off the west coast of Florida, the storm’s outer bands have been impacting Central Florida, according to WDBO.

In Brevard County (Fla.), we saw damage caused by powerful winds Sunday night.

It was a scary scene in Cocoa, as several high-profile vehicles flipped at the Sonrise Palms RV Park.

To read more, click here.

The post Video: Hurricane Debby Hits Florida; Flips Trailers at RV Park first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.