Travis Pryor

Like most businesses, RV dealerships have a strong desire to support good causes in their communities.

They also wouldn’t mind if they could save some money on expenses for necessary services like telephone, Internet and computer systems.

As described during a webinar by RVDA partner Purpose in Expenses on Wednesday, it is possible to achieve both goals thanks to CEO Jamie Bianchini’s work with companies like Verizon and Microsoft.

Rather than contracting with the companies for service, clients of PIE secure the services through the network. Every service creates a new recurring donation to the dealership’s favorite nonprofit organizations every time a payment is made.

Providers pay PIE each month for clients the company brings in. PIE donates 50% of revenue to those nonprofits, allowing the dealerships to increase their giving levels without increased expenses.

Bianchini said the company was born out of two charity events he embarked on.

First, he was part of an effort to provide bicycle rides for people all over the world called Peace Pedalers. He was able to secure funds for buying bicycles and getting to the different countries through a system similar to what drives PIE.

In 2014, he and his wife went on an RV tour to promote their book about Peace Pedalers called “A Bicycle Built for Two Billion” using the same funding method.

“In 2020, a lot of nonprofits in our community lost their funding from corporate partners because that is when COVID hit,” Bianchini said. “My wife and I decided to try to teach people what we had done with Peace Pedalers and create a movement to actively teach people to use expenses to fund impact.”

Bianchini had developed an interest in the RV industry during his book tour and also developed a relationship with Care Camps, a nonprofit that provides outdoor experience for children suffering from cancer, which at that time was connected with KOA.

He said he admired the culture that surrounded RVing and in 2023 approached Beaver Coach Sales & Service in Bend, Ore., about joining the PIE clients.

“They were already making a lot of donations as part of their culture,” he said. “We eliminated their costs for phone and internet and created donations out of that. We have transparency so there are a lot of spreadsheets where we show you this is our revenue and these are our donations. The staff was proud to be a part of the program.”

The major benefits of the program are it creates increased donations to nonprofits without the dealership having to write a check. The price and support from the service is the same or better and it helps the business embrace its culture and improve on its brand.

Janae Cruikshank, controller at Beaver Coach, said the dealership’s relationship with PIE has helped it build on the kind of community support that already existed.

“It’s been a privilege to not only save the money internally, but that we can support the organizations that we choose to in our community,” she said. “It’s been a great partnership. We’re really thankful for the opportunity.”

Executive Director Gwynn Sullivan of Care Camps said donations coming in from PIE clients have made a big difference in Care Camps’ ability to meet its goal of spreading joy hope and healing through the power of the outdoors.

“I recently had the opportunity to visit with Lewis RV Center (Oklahoma City),” she said. “They signed on as a partner with PIE and they are donating their contributions to us. I’ve gotta say, when I first walked into Lewis RV Center, there was already a vibe. There was a culture that they had naturally created there of just wanting to give back It was really inspirational to me.”

Bianchini said he is offering a no-obligation analysis for RVDA members to see where they might benefit from obtaining services through PIE and being able to increase donations to nonprofits.

For information, dealers can contact PIE through www.purposeinexpenses.com/contact.

The post RVDA Partner Firm Turns Dealer Expenses Into Donations first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Canadian RV dealers, OEMs and industry insiders tuned in to a Zoom conference Thursday (Feb. 6) to learn the latest about efforts by the RV Dealers Association (RVDA) of Canada and the Canadian RV Association (CRVA) to try to keep business on an even keel should tariffs be enacted by the Trump administration in early March.

On Feb. 1, the U.S. announced that tariffs would be put in place on Canadian goods, oil, natural gas and electricity. However, after a productive phone call between President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the tariffs were postponed for 30 days.

But leaders of the Canadian RV industry aren’t just sitting back waiting for them to happen.

As announced during the webinar – which was moderated by RVDA of Canada President Eleonore Hamm and CRVA President Shane Devenish, who were joined by economist Charles Bernard – actions are being taken to try to stress to members of Parliament the importance of the RV industry to the Canadian economy and the fact that dealers are reliant on a consistent supply of RVs from the U.S.

To that end, the associations have drafted letters to all ministers of Parliament.

There are a handful of RV manufacturers in Canada, but they mostly produce Class B motorhomes and they don’t produce enough to supply all of the dealers in Canada.

Bernard, lead economist of Impact Public Affairs, which represents the industry and auto industry in Ottawa, said the 30-day postponement has given the industry ample time to bring its efforts to bear in lobbying the government.

He said that the tariffs are set to come in two waves. The first wave of Canadian retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products covers a variety of goods that could be included in an RV. The second wave, set to come 21 days later, would include RVs themselves and actually could hit dealers twice with a tariff on a refrigerator and a separate one on the RV.

“The delay gives us 30 days of preparation and engagement to build our key messaging and try to learn more about the details of these tariffs,” Bernard said. “These 30 days also give Canadian officials a chance to get back to the table with the Americans and get agreements on other items.”

He said there are a lot of positive words being sent from Canadian officials to the Americans to create the kind of environment where they can get clarity about what is expected for the next few months instead of going month by month.

While the entire group stressed they are working to keep RVing viable in Canada, they also don’t want to be seen as an opposing player of a Canada-strong approach.

Still, the industry needs to make sure Parliament knows it is a key employer that is reliant on imports from the U.S. to properly succeed.

Hamm said she has already had several meetings with members of parliament over the past week.

She also said the industry’s letter has been sent to Minister of Finance Dominic LeBlanc and other ministers involved with finance and international trade and tourism.

“We want to ensure that they understand … that they understand the economic impact of the RV industry, how many jobs we have like 141,000 jobs and what we contribute $16.2 billion (Canadian) to the GDP and how important it is to keep that going,” Hamm said. “Because obviously, if the dealers are not strong, the campgrounds start to become weaker and the tourism industry is affected.”

Hamm said that 95% of the product for Canadian dealers comes from the U.S., so the one area where it seems that government may be willing to listen is if there’s an industry that cannot source convenient product.

“That really is what we’re going to be pushing is that we do not have the Canadian infrastructure in place the manufacturing in place assisting the dealer network in Canada,” she said.

In addition, dealers can apply for a remission, which is an exemption from tariffs because of undue hardship.

Hamm said industry leaders are looking into seeing if the exemptions can be applied for by an association or if dealers have to apply individually, but some dealers have already done so on their own.

“We’re going to be monitoring and following up with them to see if there are some successful remission exemptions that go through, because then that would be obviously some precedent that’s set for dealers,” she said.

She encouraged all dealers to work with their provincial RVDAs and to take advantage of the letter that has been drafted to send similar letters to their provincial leaders. There has been some turmoil recently in the Canadian government with Trudeau losing popularity and a declining approval level that could potentially lead to early elections.

Devenish said that during Trump’s first term, RVs weren’t targeted by the Canadian counter-tariffs. But this time around, products from Republican states like Indiana are in the bullseye.

“That’s kind of why we’re seeing the Canadian government look to include recreational vehicles in their counter tariffs,” he said. “When we got wind of this, we had a lot of conversations with the RVIA who completely supports us in this and may have been engaging in some ‘back channel’ conversations with certain congressmen and senators.”

Hamm said the associations would be forwarding a two-page letter that dealers can personalize with their own information and send to their ministers of Parliament to help spread the message.

The associations plan to hold another Zoom conference before the tariffs are scheduled to take effect.

The post Canada RV Groups Stress Consistent Message on Tariffs first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Members of the RV industry relaxed a little Monday afternoon as President Trump announced a 30-day pause in levying 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and 10% on oil, natural gas and electricity from Canada.

All of this came after a phone call between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that tackled immigration and fentanyl smuggling concerns Trump had hoped to settle.

In a post on social media site X, Trudeau said, “Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan — reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl… we will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the border, launch a Canada- U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering. I have also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl and we will be backing it with $200 million.”

In response, Trump amended Saturday’s executive order to state tariffs would not take effect until March 4 and that the situation would continue to be assessed in the meantime.

“As president, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of ALL Americans, and I am doing just that,” Trump said on Truth Social. “I am very pleased with this initial outcome, and the tariffs announced on Saturday will be paused for a 30-day period to see whether or not a final economic deal with Canada can be structured.”

Those in the RV industry who were contacted were somewhat relieved, but with so much uncertainty still in the air, they also were cautious about believing everything was solved.

“I know it could hurt the RV business if it goes on too long,” said Bob Brammer of Stromberg Carlson. “On the other hand the package that was passed and hopefully will stay intact will definitely benefit myself and the dealers and distributors who handle our accessories like they do – anybody else that goes through two step distribution. It would help us compete against e-commerce. That’s really my focus. They don’t pay tariffs and we do pay tariffs. That’s just not right.”

Brammer said both countries are proud of their cultures, and rightfully so, but there likely will be anxiety until the situation gets resolved.

Eleanore Hamm, president of the RV Dealers Association of Canada, said the organization will keep its members informed as well as it can to the evolving situation.

But she said she is much more upbeat than she was Saturday.

“It is excellent news because obviously the economic impact on both sides of the border by the tariff would be devastating. So, we really pleased that the conversation has continued at the political level,” she said. “And hopefully in the long run, we can avoid the tariffs altogether.”

Hamm said RVDA of Canada will hold a webinar Thursday for its members to keep them in the loop as to what the association is working on. Those interested in viewing the webinar can click here. (Scroll to the bottom for more information.)

She said advocacy is taking place in Ottawa to ensure Parliament is aware of the economic impact of outdoor recreation and the impacts a 25% tariff would have on dealers who are reliant upon U.S.-made RVs coming into the country.

“We don’t have the manufacturing capability in Canada to supply the product,” Hamm said, while acknowledging Canada’s Class B manufacturers. “So it’s not like there’s an alternative.”

Phil Ingrassia, president of the U.S. RVDA also pointed to the fluidity of the situation while acknowledging that Monday’s actions seem to be a step in the right direction.

“There’s a a lot of unknowns at this point, but it gives it gives it a little bit more time to negotiate before any tariff would go into place,” he said. “They could potentially obviously impact dealers pricing situations if prices go up on imported components and materials that manufacturers need. Some of van campers from the Canadian manufacturers would likely be impacted. We’re monitoring the situation and I certainly want to work with our industry partners at RVIA and RVDA of Canada to provide the best information we can to the dealers.”

Shane Devenish, president of the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association, said the CRVA “highly welcomes” the announcement yesterday that the Canadian and U.S. governments have agreed to postpone the implementation of tariffs for 30 days following productive discussions between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Donald Trump.

“The CRVA would like to express its appreciation to both administrations for the decision to engage in meaningful dialogue that works towards a resolution that avoids any unnecessary economic disruption,” Devenish said in a statement issued this morning (Feb. 4). “We strongly support these continued discussions to ensure that fair trade policies can remain in place to benefit businesses and consumers on both sides of the border.”

The RV Industry in Canada and the United States has “thrived under decades of mutually beneficial free trade policies,” Devenish continued. “The North American RV industry’s ability to provide our families with outdoor enjoyment is critically dependent on fair and stable trade policies to maintain production, sales, and investment.”

Trade barriers, if implemented, would significantly impact consumers, limit product availability, and reduce industry competitiveness, he added.

“We are optimistic that governments will use this extension period productively to explore equitable solutions that address the concerns of the US and Canada, which do not place undue burden and stress on our businesses and consumers,” Devenish said. “The CRVA remains committed to working with our industry partners, policymakers, and stakeholders to ensure that the interests of RV manufacturers, dealers, and owners are represented in any future trade negotiations.”

At Go Power!, a division of Dometic, plans are being made in advance just in case a settlement isn’t forthcoming.

“We were actively preparing our U.S. inventory levels prior to these announcements and are in a good position right now,” said Mark Spilsbury, RV Division manager, Go Power! “While the talks of tariffs and updates to trade policies are ongoing, we are actively evaluating our supply chain and the impacts on our business. Our priority is, and has always been, to ensure that our customer’s experience is top-tier, and this is no exception.”

RVDA of Canada, CRVA to Host Webinar

Join the RVDA of Canada and the CRVA for an important webinar on the upcoming U.S.-Canada tariffs and their impact on the RV industry. With the U.S. set to impose a 25% surtax on Canadian imports and Canada responding with similar measures – all of which has been placed on a 30-day delay – these changes could significantly affect businesses across the sector.

The webinar is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. PT, Thursday, Feb. 6. Presenters include Hamm, Devenish and Charles Bernard, a lead economist for Impact Pubic Affairs.

Key Topics

• Breakdown of the new tariffs effective February 4, 2025
• Products impacted, including RV appliances and components
• Canada’s response and potential future tariff expansions
• Business implications
• Advocacy efforts and steps RVDA of Canada is taking on your behalf

For any questions, email [email protected].

The post RV Industry Takes a Breath, But Tariffs Threat Still Looms first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

BOSTON, Mass. – The New England RV Supershow proved to be resilient this weekend as dealers, vendors and customers pressed on through a winter storm that dropped about 5 inches of snow and left icy conditions on area roads.

Despite the conditions, attendance for the Friday-through-Monday show held at the Boston Convention Center was estimated to have increased 30 to 40% from last year.

Two dealers in attendance were able to break away from cleaning up their booths to give RVBusiness an update on the proceedings Monday.

“It was great,” said Megan Failor, event marketing coordinator of Pete’s RV. “We had a lot of families coming back for repeat visits from the past two years and we sold a lot of motorhomes and fifth wheels.”

Failor said she counted a number of customers from New Hampshire among those who bought new RVs.

“Even with the snow, people were out in force today, and the ones who came were serious buyers,” she said.

Failor said the New England RV Supershow was the dealership’s fifth already this year and Pete’s plans to participate in about 60 shows this year. The next will be in two weeks in Hartford.

Frank Roberts of Longview RV said the show had been “fantastic”.

“The buyers were jumping in the boat we had so much good luck fishing,” he said with a laugh.

Roberts said the weather turned out not to be too bad, but he was glad the New England Patriots were not in the NFL playoffs or else the show might have lost out on some attendance.

“Evidence is showing the buyers that RVing is fun and the customers seem very, very upbeat,” he said.

Roberts confirmed that his attendance numbers were higher as well.

Dealers in attendance included Blue Compass, Longview RV, Airstream of Southern New England, Campers Inn, Webb’s RV, Pete’s RV Center, Seacoast RVs Inc. and Cold Spring RV.

Seminars ran throughout each day and vendors also displayed RV accessories and campground information.

The post Boston Show Attracts Consumers Despite Snowy Weather first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

TAMPA, Fla. – Performance Brokerage Services set a record with 94 transactions in 2024 helping dealers find buyers for their businesses.

But in recent months, those transactions have slowed and the values achieved have softened as well, according to Jesse Stopnitzky, director of Performance’s RV division.

“The financial statements that we review indicate 2024 may be even worse than 2023 in terms of profitability,” he said. “As such, we have a smaller buyer pool. Given the challenges surrounding the retail environment and the economy, many dealers are focusing on internal optimization as opposed to external growth.”

Stopnitzky, addressing an online audience during Wednesday’s State of the Buy-Sell Market webinar, said part of the holdup on any sort of recovery is a still looming sense of uncertainty.

Dealers realize the prices they benefited from during the pandemic are long gone and have found no sense in trying to predict or time the market to figure out the perfect time to sell.

National groups are still on the lookout for quality acquisitions that fit their long-term growth objectives. Performance is still conducting deals on what Stopnitzky calls “respectable levels” and regional groups are still looking for “tuck-in” deals that they can incorporate into their portfolios.

Although he said the company doesn’t typically deal in predictions, he expects a significant increase in buy-sell activity in the coming year.

Brad Stanek, a financial adviser with the Stanek-Haack Group at Morgan Stanley, urged dealers to take advantage of a better, but not outstanding, economy to grow.

“There should be some wind at our back as a small business owner. There should be some more friendlier tax policies, deregulation and maybe a few interest rate cuts are out there as well. Time will tell,” he said. “What I want you to keep in mind about the economy, at least in our opinion, it isn’t going to be there to bail out the dealership. You can’t expect that the economy alone is going to drive more buyers to your dealership and drive up your business in a remarkable way. It’s up to you to step in and take what is a reasonable but not great economy and turn that into a win through actions you take to grow your business and the value of the dealership. You control it, and I’ll take that any day of the week.”

Stopniztky cautioned dealers to have their team in place and to fully understand the value of their dealership before entering into any buy-sell discussions.

He said that over the past 30 years of history, the industry has not experienced the kind of uncertainty it has since just before the COVID outbreak up until now.

“Our evaluations help to determine which areas of the business underwent systemic and sustainable growth and which areas were attributable solely to COVID,” he said.

The third member of the panel, Raul Rodriguez, senior vice president of Blue Compass RV, told dealers his group is still looking to buy, but is being selective.

Blue Compass is one of the fastest growing dealership groups in the country.

“We’re very focused on quality and premium products,” said Rodriguez. “We’re very strategic in our process and how we think about acquisitions. It’s not just about adding dots across the country, it’s about adding businesses that fit from a market, brand, facilities, culture management perspective. It’s got to fit all of those criteria before we even get to a valuation discussion.”

Rodriguez said he could see Blue Compass doubling in size over the next three to five years on a prudent basis.

The dealership currently operates 100 stores in 33 states and Rodriguez said it has attempted to align itself with high-quality businesses that offer premium products.

Rodriguez also echoed Stanek’s take on the 2025 economic outlook.

“We don’t see a gargantuan leap coming this year, but we certainly expect some recovery,” he said. “I think that will lead to in general more transactions. But just having a realistic look at your sustainable earnings and when you will get there is a big part of the valuation discussion.”

Stanek urged dealers not to cut staff in order to secure a higher profit when selling their dealerships because less staff means less service and a decline in quality.

“You’ve got to make long-term decisions and act as if you were not going to sell even when you are committed to potentially going to market and selling,” he said.

Aged inventory arose as a major issue in deals that ended up not being consummated over the past year.

Stopnitky said in many cases potential buyers were not willing to take on the cost of the inventory.

“We strongly, daily, encourage clients to continue selling through their aged inventory, which everybody’s working on, and the unfavorable or used inventory,” he said. “This can become a serious point of contention between buyers and sellers. It can be a deal-breaker.”

Rodriguez said having a dealership’s “house in order”, including inventory and books and records, goes a long way toward clearing the way for a deal to be made.

“I can’t emphasize enough that if you don’t have your inventory in order there might not be a discount big enough to allow a transaction to work,” he said. “We’ve walked away from plenty where the focus of moving the level of aged inventory that was on hand was just too much of a distraction from running the business. I would say that as an industry we’re much, much better off than we were 12 to 18 months ago.”

The post Continued Uncertainty Keeping Dealerships from Breaking Out first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Millican RV America has been a successful mom-and-pop dealership in Hanceville, just off Interstate 65 for more than 25 years.

But recently the dealership was shaken to its core when owner Tom Millican passed away in November and then sales manager Leonard Greene passed in July.

Millican’s widow, Connie, knew she was at a crossroads. The dealership had a great location, but had operated out of a simple double-wide trailer for its entire existence.

So did she want to close the business or sell it to another entrepreneur? Or did she want to invest in the future and build on the property her husband had put in a lifetime’s work leveling the ground and making the dealership profitable with a loyal following?

Thanks to a mutual acquaintance in the industry, Millican was put in touch with Tim Hopkins, an industry veteran. After much consultation and planning, Millican hired Hopkins as the store’s general manager and decided to build a new facility in place of the double-wide and see how much she could grow the business.

“I found out about Tim and we talked and decided it would be a good match. And here we are,” Millican said. “My plans are to build and grow the company and continue to grow. We have about a total of 8 acres here on I-65.”

Hopkins said that the location of the dealership is critical to the potential growth.

He said the site has 100% visibility from the nearby interstate and really couldn’t be a more positive location.

He credited Tom Millican for being ahead of his time when he bought the property and for the amount of work he put in leveling it out and making it suitable for an RV dealership.

In addition to the new facility, Millican’s is taking on several new Forest River lines and a couple of Keystone lines that already have been added to the inventory

“Even with the construction, we’re placing the units to get ready for our spring business,” Hopkins said.

Part of the new building will be dedicated to bringing the service part of the business indoors.

The current configuration only has two outdoor service bays.

“Her son Keith is the service manager and he’s known nothing but to work outside,” Hopkins said. “We’re going to have two indoor service bays and a gift shop with the parts department.”

Plans are to migrate everything into the new building as soon as it’s finished so the current double-wide trailer can be removed and additional parking space added.

Being able to get more attention from the interstate could add to the customer base.

Hanceville is a community of just over 3,000 people north of the much larger Birmingham.

Hopkins describes the town as hard-working people with a median household income of about $50,300.

He said a number of large manufacturers have moved in in recent years and created decent-paying jobs for the community.

Both Hopkins and Millican said they are excited for the future.

“For me, this is a personal victory for a family,” he said. “To then watch it take off with the right staff, the right inventory and the right building – they’ve been at this for a long time and this is a huge step for them.”

“This will be better all the way around,” Millican said. “It will be better for sales people and the service techs. It should increase our sales. It just excites me to know the future looks bright.”

Hopkins particularly looks forward to a growth in walk-in customers.

He said the indoor service and the parts shop are things the dealership has never had before and that the new building will have rows of inventory that will capture consumer attention.

“It’s a golden opportunity for this store to rise and shine,” Hopkins said. “To be honest, it never has. It’s always been kind of a second-row player. With bringing in some new brands and building this facility, it’s going to be a game-changer.”

The post Millican RV in Alabama Looks to Turn Tragedy into Triumph first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Coming into the 2024 RV Dealers Association Convention/Expo there were any number of factors in play that could help steer the industry in either a positive or negative direction.

The country is swirling after the recent election and factors such as interest rates, gas prices and inflation will have to wait a few weeks before being tackled by the new administration.

But largely thanks to some forward thinking by the RVDA show committee and dealers coming to the show looking for a brighter tomorrow, the Convention/Expo left those who attended boiling over with excitement for a 2025 that might not be a boom like the COVID years, but is expected to be a stark improvement over the past two years.

RVDA President Phil Ingrassia said he was pleased with the outcome, which saw about a 3% increase in attendance over last year.

He said the work done to get the pulse of the industry paid off in providing the topics of education that target specific needs of dealers.

“The expo committee chaired by Chris Andro worked hard to bring some workshops together that were meeting the needs of dealers where they’re at right now,” Ingrassia said. “That was a big positive as far as getting attendance going. The Vendor Traininig +Plus sessions were right on target with some of the business building tools that dealers can use to increase both efficiency and sales.”

And the positive influence of news from outside the convention also contributed to the atmosphere inside the Paris Las Vegas walls.

“The forecast for an improved model next year as interest rates moderate has everybody looking to the future. That was the overall message that – as Chris Andro said – thrive in ’25,” he said.

Ingrassia echoed the sentiments of several dealers who have been through downturns in the past when he said he doesn’t expect the kind of jump the industry experienced from COVID.

But he said the next year is something dealers can plan for, budget for and work toward.

A large part of that target comes from getting personnel properly trained, such as the kinds of sessions that were available at the convention.

“Whether it’s training your people up or using some of the new sales automation tools we saw or recruiting the right people for the right slot and with the suppliers putting the processes in place in fixed operations to add efficiency to the parts ordering all of that is going to move the entire industry forward,” he said. “I think we saw at the Expo how it was quite impressive from the DMS providers to suppliers with components and new battery systems and power systems plus the lenders were there in full force to make sure both wholesale and retail financing needs are met. It’s not like during the downturn when we were coming back from almost a recessionary type period where credit was tough to get. All of the pieces are there for a better year in 2025.”

Ingrassia said members of the committee are working with vendors to help make sure the education sessions are not only relevant, but contain the kinds of information that helps the entire industry get where it wants to go.

“We’re well-positioned to help the industry move forward,” he said.

To get a better idea of whether or not the sessions are meeting those expectations, the Convention/Expo committee will be looking at the evaluations and reactions from attendees as well as exhibitors and partners to help inform some of those decisions for 2025.

In addition, RVDA will look for potential additional partnerships for meetings that were held in conjunction with the Convention/Expo such as the Brown & Brown F&I School that took place Saturday, Sunday and Monday ahead of the full convention.

“We welcome that activity and we’ll continue to try to incorporate that and additional training that’s available into the 2025 event,” Ingrassia said.

A major addition to the agenda for 2024 was the fixed operations day that filled Thursday with sessions directed at service, parts and warranty processing professionals.

Ingrassia said the sessions were well-attended and that plans are in the works for additional fixed ops opportunities for 2025.

“I want to really dive into what people are looking for in the convention-like setting for fixed operations material.,” Ingrassia said. “This time we had some warranty processing information and some repair event cycle time. Some of the vendors were explaining how their systems help repair event cycle time. That whole area – parts, warranty processimg, service management – it’s constantly evolving. There are different ways to do things.

“We’ll be looking real strongly at that,” he continued. “At a time when the industry is down, the fixed operations part of the overall profitability of a dealership is very important beyond just the importance to customer service. I would think that helped us increase our attendance a bit, too. We’ll be continuing to refine that fixed operations training for next year.”

The post Looking Forward, RVDA Leaves Dealers with a Positive Buzz first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

LAS VEGAS – Larry Troutt III of Topper’s Camping Center in Waller, Texas, was named chairman of the RV Dealers Association for 2025 during the association’s annual meeting on Nov. 13, at Paris Las Vegas.

Troutt succeeds Ryan Horsey of Parkview RV Center in Smyrna, Del., who will remain on the board as immediate past chairman.

Troutt became the second RVDA chairman in a row to follow in his father’s footsteps at the top of the RV Dealers Association board on Wednesday at Paris Las Vegas.

Horsey, who handed over the gavel after serving out his term, was following his father Rick Horsey as well.

“It was definitely a time of transition and education for me,” Horsey said. “If I could go back and tell my younger self one thing to prepare me for the past year, it would be to pay more attention to English class.”

But Horsey acknowledged the industry as a whole has made strides toward improving repair event cycle time over the past year = a goal that has been set in front of every chairman over about the past seven years.

“That’s an improvement benefitting all shareholders,” he said.

“Next to working with family and friends, serving RVDA has been one of the best experiences of my professional career,” Horsey said.

Troutt congratulated Horsey on his year at the helm and favorably compared their two experiences.

“We are a small dealership getting close to 60 years in business, and just like Ryan before me we are in our third generation of ownership and operation,” he said. “And I wouldn’t be standing here today without what my father has done for Topper’s and the RV industry. Now being married and having kids I’m beginning to understand what it took to not only run a great dealership but come home and be two great role models for me and my sister.”

During the session, President Phil Ingrassia gave a look at the state of the industry and delivered a positive sentiment.

He said that after a long period of headwinds that slowed every aspect of the industry, 2025 is looking like a time to pick up some tailwinds. The Federal Reserve seems poised to lower interest rates, and the new administration and Congress are likely to provide new opportunities to improve business conditions.

He also touted an RVDA pilot program for a help desk to provide solutions on a wide range of issues dealers face.

The entire new slate of RVDA officers for 2025 are:

• Chairman Larry Troutt III of Topper’s Camping Center in Waller, Texas
• First Vice Chairman Bob Been of Blue Compass RV in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• Second Vice Chairman Brad Bacon of Pleasureland RV Center in St. Cloud, Minn.
• Treasurer Lane Bell of Bell Camper Sales in Bartlesville, Okla.
• Secretary LaDonna Meadows of Tacoma RV Center in Tacoma, Wash.

The new board of directors members are:

• Michael Moix of Moix RV Super Center in Conway, Ark.
• Jeff Myers of Myers RV Center in Albuquerque, N.M.
• Russ Perkins of Tri-Am RV Center in Bulls Gap, Tenn.
• They join Travis Creech of Rex & Sons RV in Wilmington, N.C. as directors.

Also included are:

• RV Assistance Corporation Chairman Jeff Hirsch, Campers Inn, Jacksonville, Fla.
• RV Rental Association Chairman Scott Krenek, Krenek RV Center, Coloma, Mich.
• RV Learning Center Chairman Jeff Pastore, Hartville RV Center, Hartville, Ohio

RVDA President Phil Ingrassia continues as a non-voting member of the Board.

A number of awards were delivered including the following:

• James B. Summers Award went to longtime RVDA staff member Ronnie Hepp

Chairman’s Service Awards were given to:

• Andy Cripe of Wave Express
• Curt Hemmeler of RVTI
• Corey Ruzicka of Priority RV Network
• Shawn Moran of Brown & Brown
• Rick Horsey and Joy Horsey of Parkview RV Center

An RVDA Special Award was presented to Chris Andro of Hemlock Hill RV Sales.

RVDA, the National RV Dealers Association, is the only national association dedicated to advancing the RV retailer’s best interests through education, member services, industry leadership, and market expansion programs that promote the increased sale and use of RVs and that enhance the positive image of the RV experience. For more information, go to www.rvda.org

The post Larry Troutt III of Topper’s Camping Center Elected RVDA Chair first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – RVBusiness presented the 13th edition of its Top 50 Dealers Awards on Wednesday night at the RV Dealers Convention/Expo at Paris Las Vegas.

But as usual, it was the final special honors of the night that showed what the RV industry is all about. Those awards brought out the care for their communities that the dealers have at heart as well as the respect and honor dealers hold for those who have paved the way in leadership roles before them.

As Curtis Trailers received the Arthur Decio Humanitarian Award for its work with Make A Wish, COO Kory Goetz detailed his company’s work to provide custom-made trailers for kids so they can make special trips. Since 2018, Curtis Trailers has partnered in 18 trailer wishes for critically ill children.

“A trailer gives kids like (wish-maker) Zoey a chance to get away from her routine,” Goetz said. “You can’t imagine the impact these wishes have on our team. Meeting these kids and seeing the tremendous challenges they face keeps life’s priorities in focus. This gift is the epitome of what our industry was founded on.”

In similar fashion, when receiving the first Sherman Goldenberg Digital Excellence Award, Nathan Hart of Walnut Ridge Family RV Sales was thankful for being recognized for digital innovations, but he also was quick to acknowledge the contributions of the award’s namesake to spreading the industry’s message over the years as publisher of RVBusiness magazine.

Walnut Ridge has been a groundbreaker in using AI technology for marketing, lead gathering and putting customers together with sales reps who can help them find the right RV for their needs.

“This award’s especially special to me and our team because it’s named after Sherman Goldenberg,” Hart said. “I got to know him pretty well in my time on the RVDA board, and he was at every event, every board meeting, every industry introduction of product – my respect for him only grew each time I spoke with him. His vision for our industry is really becoming realized in the way we’ve become more united.”

For the Gaylord Maxwell Innovation Award, Campers Inn RV was the winner, for changing its marketing efforts to create consistent advertising campaigns for all 36 of its locations.

“Part of Campers Inn’s vision statement is being an innovative leader and positive disruptor,” said Ben Hirsch, COO of Campers Inn. “This idea of hyper-targeted advertising and some of the other parts started from an advisory board. And it grew to how to we get in front of our customers to deliver that real-time content.”

Five Blue Ribbon Awards were presented to outstanding dealers, including:

• Princess Craft RV, Round Rock, Texas
• Moix RV Supercenter, Conway, Ark.
• Fraserway RV, Abbotsford, B.C.
• Bucars RV Centre, Balzac, Alb
• Beaver Coach Sales & Service, Bend, Ore.

Each year, RV manufacturers are invited to nominate their best RV-retailing dealer partners as Top 50 Honorees, and this year well over 200 such nominations were received.

Nominated retailers are then encouraged to complete application forms for review by an anonymous, independent panel of industry judges – 12 of whom stepped up after this past Labor Day weekend for a rather intense day-and-a-half session at Elkhart’s RV/MH Hall of Fame, where they reviewed the applicants’ submissions to determine the final list of Top 50 dealers and special award designees.

Top 50 dealer honorees are, in alphabetical order:

1. Airstream Adventures, Portland, Ore.
2. Alpin Haus RV, Amsterdam, N.Y.
3. Bama RV, Dothan, Ala.
4. Beaver Coach Sales & Service, Bend, Ore.
5. Bent’s RV, Boutte, La.
6. Bowling RV, Ottumwa, Iowa
7. Bucars RV Centre, Balzac, Alberta
8. Byerly RV Center, Eureka, Mo.
9. Camperland of Oklahoma, Tulsa, Okla.
10. Campers Inn RV, Jacksonville, Fla.
11. Colonial Airstream & RV, Millstone Township, N.J.
12. Crestview RV, Buda, Texas
13. Curtis Trailers, Portland, Ore.
14. Fraserway RV, Abbotsford, B.C.
15. Fun Town RV, Fort Worth, Texas
16. General RV, Wixom, Mich.
17. Gib’s RV Superstore, Coos Bay, Ore.
18. Great American RV SuperStores, Hammond, La.
19. Greeneway RV Sales & Service, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
20. Hartville RV Center, Hartville, Ohio
21. Hemlock Hill RV, Southington, Conn.
22. Hilltop Camper & RV, Fridley, Minn.
23. Leisure Time Sales, Quispamsis, New Brunswick
24. Moix RV Supercenter, Conway, Ark.
25. Mountaineer RV & Outdoor Center, Jane Lew, W.V.
26. Owasco RV Centre, Bowmanville, Ontario
27. Parkview RV Center, Smyrna, Del.
28. PleasureLand RV Center, St. Cloud, Minn.
29. Premier RV, Blue Grass, Iowa
30. Primeaux RV Superstores, Carencro, La.
31. Princess Craft RV, Round Rock, Texas
32. Rangeland RV & Trailer Sales, Rocky View, Alberta
33. RCD RV Supercenter, Pataskala, Ohio
34. Rich & Sons RV Headquarters, Grand Island, Neb.
35. Ron Hoover RV & Marine Centers, Rockport, Texas
36. Sicard RV, Smithville, Ontario
37. Skaggs Family RV, Elizabethtown, Ky.
38. Southaven RV & Marine, Southaven, Miss.
39. Southern RV, McDonough, Ga.
40. Steinbring Motorcoach, Garfield, Minn.
41. United RV Center, Fort Worth, Texas
42. Unlimited RV, Independence, Mo.
43. Veurink’s RV Center, Grand Rapids, Mich.
44. Vogt RV World, Fort Worth, Texas
45. Voyager RV Centre, Winfield, British Columbia
46. Walnut Ridge Family RV Sales, New Castle, Ind.
47. Wilkins RV, Bath, N.Y.
48. Windish RV, Lakewood, Colo.
49. Woodland Airstream, Grand Rapids, Mich.
50. Woody’s RV World, Calgary, Alberta

The post RVB Top 50 Dealers Bring Out Tender Spot at Heart of Industry first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Kevin Brown delivered what a keynote speech should be Tuesday afternoon at the RV Dealers Convention/Expo at Paris Las Vegas.

Far from the typical cross between standup comedy and motivational talk you might expect, Brown gave a heartfelt, personal message about how true heroes in life set themselves aside to make a difference in the lives of others.

He said a dealer who excels at delivering the kind of memories consumers are looking for with RVs can make that kind of difference.

“Heroes are extraordinary people who choose not to be ordinary,” said the author of “Unleashing Your Hero.” “You have no idea the power of one moment in time. Don’t ever underestimate the power you have to change someone’s life.”

In encouraging dealers to excel on a personal level, Brown told the story of raising his autistic son and the difference one Disney World employee made in the boy’s life at a young age.

The two stayed in touch via email over the years and after the boy graduated from high school and attended college – things doctors told the Browns he would never be able to accomplish – the family made another trip to Orlando, Fla., where “Aunt B” still worked for Disney.

Brown credited his wife and Aunt B with changing his son’s life and encouraged dealers not to take those kinds of connections with their customers for granted.

“We miss most of those moments where we can connect,” he said. “There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. That’s when your competition steps in and cleans your clock.”

He said instead of just selling a product, dealers should paint a picture of what life will be like for the customer if they choose to do business with them.

On to the Expo

Following the general session, dealers adjourned to the Expo hall to renew acquaintances with vendors in attendance.

Several dealers who spoke to RVBusiness earlier in the day indicated they were eager to talk with lenders to see what prospects looked like for the coming months.

Jeff Olander, senior vice president of business development for Northpoint Commercial Finance, said early business was brisk at the company’s booth.

“We are absolutely looking forward to talking to our customers as well as any other dealers who are looking for financing,” he said.

Rick Derbonne and Greg Nash of Red Oak also found themselves talking with a number of dealers shortly after the Expo doors opened.

“We are one of the few lenders who are a non-bank entity,” Nash said. “We are able to come up with some more creative solutions to dealers’ needs. We answer the phone and figure out how to accommodate and formulate the right solutions.”

Awards Luncheon

Also on Tuesday, RV industry members gathered to celebrate the accomplishment of their peers Tuesday at Paris Las Vegas during the RV Dealers Convention/Expo.

Top dealers, vendors and manufacturers took home honors during the event a day before RVBusiness honors its Top 50 Dealers on Wednesday evening.

Many of the awards reflected RVDA and the RV Industry Association’s efforts to deliver a world-class experience for RV travelers by improving service departments’ performance in relation to repair event cycle time.

In addition, the Dealer Satisfaction Index Quality Circle Awards were handed out.

Those honored during the even were:

• Society of Certified RV Professionals Outstanding Certified Fixed Operations Professionals scholarship winners – William Bouchard (also recognized for being named RVTI RV Technician of the Year), Amelia McBryde, Jerry Ross, Jeffrey Pintado, Stephen Williams (Ken Walters, of Jayco, and Frank Tamburrini, of IDS, provided gifts for scholarship winners.)
• RVIA National Service Award – April Klein-Carroll, Lippert Components
• National Education Service Award – Don Clark, Grand Design
• IDS Top Performers in Repair Event Cycle Time (RECT) – Luxury RVs of Mesa, Ariz.; Hitch RV, Boyertown, Pa.; White Horse RV Center, Williamstown, N.J.; Hilltop Camper & RV, Fridley, Minn.  
• Lightspeed’s Top Performers in (RECT) – Vacationland, Illinois; Tulsa RV, Oklahoma; Bish’s RV, Omaha, Neb.; RV Supercenter, Menifee, Calif.; Outlet Recreation, Clearwater, Minn.
• Lightspeed RV Innovator of the Year – Forest River Inc.
• Motility Trailblazer Award – Bell Camper Sales
• Motility Visionary Awards – Gibs RV Inc., Campers Inn, Parkview RV Center, Optimum RV
• Motility Rising Star Award – Krenek RV Center
• DSI Quality Circle Awards – Airstream Motorhomes & Towables; Alliance RV’s Avenue, Paradigm, Valor and Delta; Brinkley RV Models G and Z; Coachmen Apex and Spirit travel trailers; Coachmen Galleria, Beyond and Nova Class B’s; Cruiser Avenir, Shadow Cruiser, MPG, Stryker and Essence; Dynamax; East to West Aliva and Entrada motorhomes; East to West travel trailers and fifth-wheels; Entegra; Forest River Class C’s; Forest River Flagstaff, Rockwood, Palomino, Columbus, Puma, Wildcat and Cardinal; Grand Design Imagine, Momentum, Reflection, Solitude and Transcend; inTech Flyer, Luna and Sol; Jayco motorhomes and towables; Keystone Cougar, Hideout, Montana, High Country, Springdale and Residence; K-Z Connect, Durango, Sportsmen and Venom; Leisure Travel Vans Triple E; Pleasureway; Shasta travel trailers; Venture SportTrek, SportTrek Touring and Stratus; Winnebago Class B’s and Class C’s.

The post Keynote, Awards, Expo Launch RVDA Convention in Vegas first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.