Travis Pryor

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Airstream CEO Bob Wheeler says he is excited about the prospects for his company for the next year.

Especially in light of the fact that leaders are confident enough in the national economy and a potential rebound that they are ready to start coming up with ideas for new models, floorplans and corporate partnerships.

“It’s been a fantastic dealer meeting for us this year, in large part because we had a lot more new product to show,” Wheeler told RVBusiness during a reception held before the dealer awards banquet Wednesday evening. “We know the market has been squishy and during the pandemic we spent a lot of time just making more of what we already made but now we’re very much back in the mold of innovating new products floorplans and new collaborations.”

Details on some of the company’s 2026 offerings are embargoed due to the sensitive nature of partnerships, but others such as a Frank Lloyd Wright-themed trailer, a new Basecamp trailer and new generator-free power system on Class B models were on display for dealers.

“We’ve been moving away from generators and now we have a standard of  just over 10 kilowatt-hour battery pack generator replacement with optional 17 kilowatt hour upgrade,” Wheeler said. “Not only can you get by without a generator with the base model, you won’t even lose time off the grid or – as for energy independence – we’ve got an upgrade option and very strong offering. And that’s new for 2026.”

The Advanced Power Package has at its heart a separate alternator driven by the van’s engine that creates power to be stored in the battery pack.

During the morning session with dealers, Wheeler talked about some of the challenges Airstream has faced over the past year, including $85 million worth of damage to a facility caused by a tornado in Iowa as well as shortages of some products needed to build the RVs caused by tariffs.

But the company is poised to resume innovation and continue to support its dealer base, he said.

He pointed to renewed efforts to create brand collaborations such as the Frank Lloyd Wright limited edition trailer and refreshed Tommy Bahama model for 2026.

The New Ones

• Frank Lloyd Wright Limited Edition – Working with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Airstream’s engineering and design teams incorporated elements from across Wright’s career. Convertible spaces such as a table/work desk and various uses of leaf patterns show the influence throughout the coach. The 28RB floorplan has an MSRP of $184,900.
• Interstate 19X Class B is a rugged vehicle built on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis. It has rear beds with cargo nets above. A wet bath and small kitchen area with a microwave also are features. An optional cushion is available to convert the driver/passenger area into another sleeping option.. MSRP is $233,400.
• Basecamp 20XE is just over 20-feet long and weighs about 4,500 pounds. It has a cooler/ice chest below the floor between two beds in the back of the cabin. The front of the trailer features a large window and rounded dinette area with a small refrigerator and Contoure microwave above a storage area. MSRP is $78,500.

Award Winners

During the evening banquet, dealers were honored with Airstream Awards.

First up were the Five-Rivet winners. These dealers exemplify the brand’s five key “rivets” or customer service touchpoints – authentic brand representation, superior shopping experience, seamless delivery service, quality service experience, and trusted long-term loyalty. ​​

Winners were: Boise Airstream Adventures, Colonial Airstream, Airstream of New Mexico, Airstream of Wisconsin, Spokane Airstream Adventures, Airstream of New Hampshire, Airstream of DFW, Airstream of Greensboro, Airstream of Austin, Airstream of Gainesville, Woodland Airstream of Grand Rapids, Woodland Airstream of Indiana, Woodland Airstream of Detroit, Airstream of Minneapolis, Airstream of Albany, Airstream of South Carolina, Airstream of Northern Michigan, Portland Airstream Adventures, Seattle Airstream Adventures, Airstream of Mississippi, Bay Area Airstream Adventures, Airstream of South Florida, Airstream of Tampa, Airstream of North Georgia, Airstream Inland Empire, Airstream of Central Pennsylvania, Airstream of Utah, Airstream of Des Moines, Mark Wahlberg Airstream Cleveland, Airstream of Wyoming, Airstream of Jacksonville.

Service Award: 1. Airstream of Northern Michigan, 2. Airstream of Mississippi, 3. Airstream of Wyoming.

Parts Award: Woodland Airstream of Grand Rapids.

Top Net Promoter Score: Airstream of Mississippi.

Top Dealer Travel Trailer East Region: 1. Airstream of Tampa, 2. Colonial Airstream, 3. Airstream of Greensboro, 4. Airstream of Virginia, 5. Woodland Airstream of Indiana.

Top Dealer Travel Trailer Central Region: 1. Airstream of Austin, 2. Airstream of DFW, 3. Airstream of Minneapolis, 4. Airstream of Colorado, 5. Airstream of New Mexico.

Top Dealer Travel Trailer West Region: 1. Seattle Airstream Adventures, 2. Bay Area Airstream Adventures, 3. (tie) Airstream of San Diego and Airstream of Chandler, 5. Airstream Las Vegas.

Top Dealer Travel Trailer Canada: Can-Am RV Centre.

Top Dealer Travel Trailer Overall:  Airstream of Tampa

Top Dealer Touring Coach East Region: 1. Colonial Airstream, 2. Airstream of Tampa, 3. Airstream of South Florida, 4. Airstream of Virginia, 5. (tie) Airstream of Southern New England and Airstream of Charlotte.

Top Dealer Touring Coach West Region: 1. Airstream of Austin, 2. Airstream Inland Empire, 3. Seattle Airstream Adventures, 4. Bay Area Airstream Adventures, 5. Airstream Las Vegas.

Top Dealer Touring Coach Canada: Can-Am RV Centre.

Top Dealer Touring Coach Overall: Colonial Airstream.

Top Dealer International: Roka-Werk Airstream Germany.

Top Dealer Canada: Can-Am RV Centre.

Top Dealer Overall: Airstream of Tampa.

The post Airstream’s Wheeler: Ready to Resume Innovation first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Airstream treated its dealers to an evening at Keeneland, a horse racetrack and auction facility, to open its 2025 Airstream Dealer Meetings on Tuesday.

A full house – many dressed in Derby attire – turned out to have a meal and take a tour of the Winner’s Circle.

Airstream CEO Bob Wheeler rallied the crowd ahead of Wednesday’s official opening of the show.

“I was walking through the display area earlier today and it really gave me chills,” he told the crowd.

For today, after a series of dealer meetings, the floor opens to show off Airstream’s 2026 models.

The event concludes with an awards banquet.

The post Airstream Dealers ‘Off to the Races’ at 2025 Annual Meeting first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

When National Indoor RV Centers decided to hold a special buying opportunity for well-qualified RVers in 2024, manufacturers jumped at the chance to be a part of the innovative event. This year, the Music City Motorhome Expo will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 31 to June 3 and 10 a.m. to noon on June 4.

NIRVC will again host the event May 31 to June 4 at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tenn., just outside of Nashville.

Again this year, the number of customers will be limited to no more than two times the number of vehicles on display – in this case 124 motorhomes of all classes.

“We’ve made some adjustments to the layout and will be changing up where the indoor vendors and food events will be held,” Chuck Lasley, director of events and safety products for NIRVC told RVBusiness. “We also have some pretty amazing entertainment with Sara Evans and Scotty McCreery. We’re already just about sold out of tickets.”

Lasley said that with the customers, vendors and manufacturers’ representatives on hand, he expects about 700 people to be on the fairgrounds during the show.

The idea is for serious buyers to be able to shop at their leisure without fighting through typical show crowds and to be able to have plenty of time to look over models on display.

For the buyers, the event is an opportunity to get a look at the newest models NIRVC partners have to offer.

The cost of their entry ticket – whether a single day or multiple days – will be applied toward the purchase of a new or preowned RV bought within a year of the expo.

They get the chance to test drive units and talk to brand managers from manufacturers such as American Coach, Coachmen, Entegra, Fleetwood, Grech RV, Holiday Rambler, Midwest Automotive, Newmar, OG Luxury Coach, Panoramic, Pleasure Way, Tiffin and Winnebago.

NIRVC also will deduct up to $2,000 from the purchase of a Class A or Super C or $1,000 from a Class B or C to defray travel expenses to and from the Music City Motorhome Expo.

More than 30 vendors also will be on hand to give RVers and idea of other products available as well as places to go on RVing trips.

There also will be a number of educational seminars scheduled during the expo as well as several veteran RVers and influencers available to lend their knowledge.

“We want to give them the best VIP experience possible,” Lasley said. “It really is a one-of-a-kind experience.”

For more information, visit https://musiccitymotorhomeexpo.com/.

The post NIRVC Back in Nashville for ’25 Music City Motorhome Expo first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Lithionics has been in business since 2008, but over the past few years has made great inroads into the RV industry with its total battery power solutions.

The company, based in Clearwater, Fla., was acquired by Winnebago Industries in 2023 and has become a major supplier of lithium-iron-phosphate batteries for motorized RVs as well as towables.

From its beginnings with a team of engineers, Lithionics has been focused on innovation and safety.

“They had that foresight back then to say this is the best combination of safety, power density and the ability to store and transfer electricity,” Eric Meadows, president of Lithionics, told RVBusiness. “At that point in time, it’s just lead acid really and those kinds of products.”

Innovating in the lithium battery field, the company caught the attention of Disney, where the engineers developed batteries to power floats in the different parades held in the theme parks.

Disney wanted quiet, clean engines that weren’t belching fumes in children’s faces, but also wanted to ensure the safety of the products.

The team successfully met the difficult challenge and, soon after, Winnebago became the first major OEM to take on Lithionics products.

Today, the company produces a variety of products including battery management systems, smart alternators, chargers, power converters/inverters and other accessories.

Lithionics systems can be found on Class A, Class B and Class C motorhomes as well as towables.

“We hope to be recognized as the premium battery brand — valued for our focus on safety, reliability, and efficiency. Just as importantly, we want to contribute as thought partners in this space. Our engineers want to share what they know to support the growth of the industry,” said Krista Ragaini, director of marketing and client experience.

Meadows said that although the company’s focus is on lithium technology, it isn’t limited in that scope.

“The day something better than lithium-iron-phosphate comes out and is proven we will probably incorporate that,” he said. “Lithium is the third-lightest element on the periodic table, which makes it tough to beat in terms of a base element.”

Although Lithionics has products for all RVs, it has found its niche with B vans and with consumers who intend to go off-grid and need reliable power sources.

Recent shows such as the Overland Expo and Winnebago’s summer road trip featuring three of its off-road Class B products had a number of vehicles with Lithionics products on board.

“Our sweet spot is that boondocking kind of profile,” he said. “The B-van for us has really taken off. You need a smaller battery power system if you’re going to use battery. With the B-vans, a lot of them, these owners love to go off road.”

With the current success Lithionics is seeing, the company is a little wary of the coming tariffs on Chinese products.

All Lithionics products are assembled in the U.S., but the largest supplier of lithium is China, and there’s no escaping that fact.

Lithionics buyers have made an effort to acquire as much of the element as possible ahead of the tariffs to try to keep their products close to current prices.

Building and assembling the products in the U.S. also provides a certain measure of security.

“Every lithium battery has a BMS (battery management system), which is the brain — a small computer, essentially,” Meadows said. “Our hardware and software are designed and manufactured in the United States. That gives us a level of security and certainty of what we’re delivering, relative to battery companies that import those critical components predominantly from China.”

For more information about Lithionics, visit www.lithionics.com.

The post What Tariffs? Lithionics Touts Made-in-America Philosophy first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

LITTLETON, Colo. – A team from the RV Technical Institute (RVTI) visited Littleton High School’s EPIC Campus on Tuesday, April 15, to get a first-hand look at RVTI’s long-term plan in action.

The Denver suburb’s campus offers vocational training for high school students who are interested in careers outside of the college track. Among courses offered are Level 1 RVTI certification courses.

“It overwhelms me with excitement that, as we approach year six of RVTI, that the long-term strategic goal of the true hub-and-spoke model is at work,” RVTI Executive Director Curt Hemmeler told RVBusiness after the visit. “I’m excited about EPIC being the first one to launch. This is a great partnership launching this and credit goes to Windish RV for kind of starting communications. Credit goes to Justin Rickett (RVTI senior manager for recruitment) who kind of said, ‘Hey, we’ve got something here’. And a big thanks goes to Grand Design and Don Clark who just donated a trailer to the school through Windish RV for the students to work on. This is exciting stuff.”

Assistant Principal Cathy Benton said EPIC’s purpose is to provide career track education for students who might not be interested in or financially able to attend college.

The school offers training in numerous trades.

“We’ll have an amazing future with it,” she said. “We feel like we’re opening up another doorway for students for their career.”

One student who went through the program recently was hired by Windish RV as a Level 1 certified technician.

Henry Schnelle already has started work at the Denver dealership.

“I went through the construction pathway training and then on to an electrical apprenticeship preparation class,” Schnelle said. “From that class, they brought us the opportunity to do a work-based learning internship. That’s when I first saw Windish RV as an opportunity.”

He said he enjoyed working with electricity and enjoyed carpentry but wasn’t sure either of the trades was what he wanted to do full time.

Working as an RV technician offered him the opportunity to keep his hand in different trades while being able to earn a good living.

“It makes me feel good about my future and possibly being able to afford a house within the next 30 years,” he said with a laugh. “But it looks like there’s a lot of room for growth in the industry and not like I’m going to be getting laid off or replaced by anything anytime soon. It seems like a good stable career that’s something I actually find interesting.”

Hemmeler said the RV industry can be something of an example to the trade profession world by taking advantage of programs like EPIC at a time when human resources can be scarce.

He said he credits the industry for investing in education to the point where RVTI can operate at a deficit so that students can explore career options outside of traditional pathways.

“In the past our industry has not valued the training and certification methodology like they should – that’s just the reality of it,” Hemmeler said. “But going forward, the youth of the future, they need the certification and there’s technology and things coming out that are very dangerous in high tech. Getting people certified in our industry, they get to support and promote and encourage certification from all aspects, whether it’s just a tech training or supplier training or OEM training. We need to have that certification in play.”

From a practical standpoint for parents of potential students, achieving a Level 1 or even Level 2 certification is far less expensive than sending their students off to college only to find they aren’t interested.

“We sometimes call it the parents’ savings program because the kids can come here and figure out what they don’t want to do before they spend years on tuition,” Benton said.

Dealers who would like more information about supporting such a program in their area can contact Rickett at [email protected].

The post RV Tech Institute’s ‘Hub & Spoke’ Hits Stride in Colorado first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

The RV Dealers Association (RVDA) and RV Industry Association (RVIA) continue their efforts to gain approval for the bipartisan Travel Trailer and Camper Tax Parity Act (H.R. 332) as a Senate companion bill is expected to be introduced soon.

The Travel Trailer and Camper Tax Parity Act was first introduced in the House of Representatives in January by U.S. Reps. Rudy Yakym (R-IN) and Dina Titus (D-NV).

“Indiana’s Second District is the home of the ‘RV Capital of the World,’ an essential part of our local economy” said Yakym. “I am proud to reintroduce this sensible and bipartisan legislative solution along with Congresswoman Titus that will support the continued growth of the RV industry and ensure Americans can enjoy the natural beauty of our nation through RV travel and outdoor adventures for generations to come.”

“Many families and tourists across the country find the best way to explore our nation’s national parks and beautiful natural landscapes is from an RV,” said Titus. “This bipartisan legislation would help RVs stay competitive with other elements of the recreation industry and allow even more people to explore our country in this unique way.”

This latest activity comes at a time when Congressional leaders will be debating new tax legislation over the next few weeks.

“RVDA and RVIA are working together on this legislation as we have for the past several years,” RVDA President Phil Ingrassia told RVBusiness. “This year we have invested in an online portal that makes it easy for industry members to support the legislation. They simply enter their information and then basically point and click to send a note to their representatives. We’ve had more than 70 dealers use the portal to contact representatives.”

At question is a drafting oversight in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, ensuring that RV dealers can fully deduct interest on floor plan financing for all RVs, including non-motorized towable trailers, which constitute 88% of RV sales.

The current bill would enable all RV dealers to fully deduct the interest on floor plan loans for travel trailers.

Currently, interest on floor plan financing for travel trailers is subject to a 30% limitation based on earnings before interest and taxes for dealers with more than $29 million in annual sales, unlike motorhomes.

Earlier this year, the House version of the bill picked up an additional seven Republican sponsors.

In the past, when legislation was supported by the RV industry, it usually also was supported by other parties interested in outdoor recreation such as marine and powersports.

This particular issue, however, only affects towable RVs, so the industry is largely advocating for the change by itself.

“It’s really important that we activate on this issue as an industry because there isn’t that other vocal support,” Ingrassia said. “It’s a very narrow issue. It’s up to the RV industry to educate Congress on this issue and we really need dealers to help and even if dealers are under the $29 million annual revenue threshold, if they grow, it could impact them. We’ve seen very strong growth in annual revenue and sales and we want that to continue, so we need to get this fixed.”

Dealers who would like to send a letter to their representative or who plan to meet in person are encouraged to visit http://bit.ly/4j6mdsD to access a form letter or to familiarize themselves with talking points.

The post Industry Advocacy Needed as Camper Parity Bill Progresses first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Pollak Towing is a name most parts specialists are probably familiar with.

After all, the company has been around for more than 100 years conducting research and development and manufacturing different trailer connection components.

But Pollak, based in Long Island City, N.Y., might not be so well known as an aftermarket supplier.

Pollak made its name as a provider of OEM parts for most American pickup manufacturers and for large construction vehicles and off-road heavy equipment like bulldozers.

All the while, though, Pollak products have been available in bulk for RV back shops as replacement parts for vehicles coming in that are used for towing the RVs.

Now Pollak is making more of an effort to reach the aftermarket customer with its products and is working through distributors to increase its market presence with new point-of-purchase displays and deals to move the products from the back shop into the front-and-center of the parts and accessories store.

A newly developed plan-o-gram is designed to help dealers draw attention to the products, but Pollak Aftermarket Sales Manager Stephen Tacchi said it is important for dealers and customers to know there is nothing new or second-rate about the products.

“It’s not a new product. It’s a new product in the aftermarket, but it has been introduced and it is an OEM product on really literally millions of vehicles,” he said.

The aftermarket products are produced on the same lines as the OEM products and undergo the same rigorous testing to ensure quality.

The only difference is in the way the products are presented to the consumer.

“The average consumer goes under a vehicle that needs to replace the part and pulls off the connector and he looks at it on the back – it says Pollak,” Tacchi said. “So, he walks into the shop and says, ‘I need one of these.’ That’s the best of both worlds when you have someone come in and asking for a specific product.”

So far, Pollak’s visibility in stores is limited, but with the new marketing efforts, Tacchi said the Pollak intends for the plan-o-gram to help drive the retail business.

Aaron Shaffer, director of marketing services for Standard Motor Products – Pollak’s parent company – and his team developed the plan-o-gram to display 19 products and help consumers understand the use for each.

“We’re not the first people to build a program like this; other folks have done it for sure,” Shaffer said. “I think maybe an advantage of being not the first is that we were able to start from scratch and re=imagine the product offering.”

“What we’re trying to provide for the RV market is a package that is easy to read, easy to understand so you can find the part you need fast and the best on the market,” Tacchi said.

Included on that plan-o-gram offering are three of the most-popular items Pollak sells in its Pollak Pro series.

The Pollak Pro RV Trailer End Harness (10-117V) features a seven-blade, trailer-end RV plug with an 8-foot harness. The harness features a single-swipe design with an over-molded trailer end. A heavy-duty jacket protects wires from harsh environments, and non-rusting vinyl construction offers long-lasting durability. Each harness is wired to RV industry standards and designed for all RV and vocational electric brake trailer-tow applications. (Crosses to Pollak Aftermarket 14-227)

The Pollak ProFlex 7-Way Blade and 4-Way Flat Connector (7WB-182PF) features a 7- and 4-way molded design and non-rusting vinyl construction. ProFlex Connectors are designed to plug directly into the OEM wiring system or the Pollak 11-998 (4-foot U.S. car harness), and feature a flexible design that allows users to easily switch between trailers with different connectors. Each connector is wired to RV industry standards and includes a mounting bracket for easy installation.

The Pollak Pro 7-Way Blade RV-Style Socket (7WB-110V) is an OE replacement or for new applications, and plugs into the OE U.S. car harnesses or the Pollak 11-998 (4-foot U.S. car harness). It features a self-cleaning design, duel stainless steel spring, a seal in the lid, and heavy-duty four-hole mounting. Non-rusting vinyl construction offers long-lasting durability. Each Socket is wired to RV industry standards with a schematic on the lid. (Crosses to Pollak Aftermarket 11-893)

Anyone seeking more information about Pollak products can contact their distributor representative or visit http://PollakTowing.com.

The post Pollak Towing is Making Strides in RV Aftermarket Sector first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

DENVER – The weather finally cooperated for Denver’s Great American RV Show with sunny days and a grand finale day that was cooler and overcast – just right for sending an RVing crowd indoors from March 27-29 at the Colorado Convention Center.

The previous two years featured spring snowstorms that kept the crowd sizes down.

But with a show that featured about 30% more vehicles and vendors than 2024, show Owner/Chief Event Architect Hague Atkinson got the kind of crowd he was hoping for.

Friday’s crowd included Colin Jongsma and his family from Wellington, Colo. With his wife and two older children looking through units, including a Grand Design bunkhouse model in the Windish RV Center display, Jongsma toted around his youngest daughter.

The family – which embodies the target RVing demographic – are first-time would-be buyers and said they wanted to make sure they were getting good looks at several different towables in their price range.

“I don’t think we’ll end up buying this weekend, but we’re looking for something around the $30,000 range,” he said. “We wanted to come to the show so we could get a look at as many options as we could.”

Whitney Holtz, president of Windish, said she was pleased with the possibilities presented by families like the Jongsmas who are looking to join the RVing lifestyle.

“We hope to attract families who are serious buyers,” she said. “It can sometimes take them six months to a year to find their right unit, so this is a great place to start.”

This year’s show featured an overland section with rugged vehicles and a number of vendors displaying camping products.

Atkinson said the vendors he spoke to reported a good deal of success, with three of them selling out of the products they had on sale before the show closed Saturday.

He said the addition of the overland displays was a hit with the Colorado crowd that is known for its off-grid adventures.

“The one thing we’re trying to become is a well-rounded mix so it’s not just campers and not just trailers, it’s not just motorized or overland, but just like anything you want a complete menu,” he said. “I think we accomplished that this year even better than we did last year.”

Justin Slusser, West Region president for Blue Compass RV, said he agreed that the changes to the show had brought in a new level of shopper this year.

“The buyers we’ve seen have a strong confidence and are really high quality,” he said. “There has been great interest for 2025 and this has been a successful show.”

Contributing to the variety at the show were a number of new vehicles and first-time exhibitors.

Perhaps tops on the list of standout new vehicles was the Airstream 2026 Interstate 19X LE Outland Edition Class B.

Built on a Sprinter 2500 AWD chassis, the Outland is an Airstream through and through right down to its shiny silver exterior and even the riveted look of an Airstream trailer.

Regional Director of Sales Mark Inkrote said the model on display was one of only three in existence so far and that the Outland will have a limited manufacturing run.

Also on display was the Grand Design Lineage FW, which debuted at the 2024 Hershey Show.

The manufacturer’s first motorized RV is built on the Sprinter 4500 chassis.

First-time exhibitor Nomad RVs out of New Jersey exhibited a pair of motorized models, highlighted by its Euphoria Class C.

Built on a Sprinter 3500 AWD chassis, the rugged vehicle features ample interior space, a Starlink satellite internet system and a host of other features.

Atkinson said another show is scheduled in Denver from July 31 to Aug. 2, giving campers another opportunity to shop with some sneak peaks at 2026 models.

He said he is excited to see more people getting involved in RVing and hopes to continue to grow the Denver shows.

“We’re seeing in the industry that so many people love the concept and convenience and the chance for a ‘digital detox’,” he said. “It helps families get away from the screens and the computers and really reconnect. You have to unplug to reconnect. People at the show are scheming and dreaming about what they want to do. They are finding the fit.”

The post Fair Weather Brings Serious Shoppers to Denver RV Show first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

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.

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