Livestream the 13th Annual RV Industry Power Breakfast

Click the YouTube image above to begin the livestream of the 2025 RV Industry Power Breakfast, which is scheduled to begin at 7:15 a.m., Thursday, May 8, 2025.

The 2025 RV Industry Power Breakfast is sponsored by Airxcel, Cummins, Dometic, Forest River, KOA, RVDA, RVIA, Spartan RV Chassis, THOR Industries, Wells Fargo and Winnebago Industries.

The speaker order is as follows:

  • Rick Kessler, Publisher & Executive Editor, RVBusiness
  • Rod Roberson, Mayor, City of Elkhart
  • Jessica Wahl Turner, President, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable
  • U.S. Representative Rudy Yakym (video)
  • U.S. Senator Jim Banks video (video)
  • U.S. Senator Todd Young video (video)
  • Indiana Governor Mike Braun
  • 15-minute Intermission
  • Mark Lemoine, Senior Vice President of Franchise Operations, Kampgrounds of America
  • Mary Pouliot, Board Chair, and Craig Kirby, President, RV Industry Association
  • Mike Gaeddert and Michilah Grimes, Project Co-Chairs, Emerging Leaders Coalition
  • Larry Trout III, Board Chair, and Phil Ingrassia, President, RV Dealers Association
  • Peter Morici, Economist
  • Adjourn

The post Livestream the 13th Annual RV Industry Power Breakfast first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Livestream the 13th Annual RV Industry Power Breakfast

Click the YouTube image above to begin the livestream of the 2025 RV Industry Power Breakfast, which is scheduled to begin at 7:15 a.m., Thursday, May 8, 2025.

The 2025 RV Industry Power Breakfast is sponsored by Airxcel, Cummins, Dometic, Forest River, KOA, RVDA, RVIA, Spartan RV Chassis, THOR Industries, Wells Fargo and Winnebago Industries.

The speaker order is as follows:

  • Rick Kessler, Publisher & Executive Editor, RVBusiness
  • Rod Roberson, Mayor, City of Elkhart
  • Jessica Wahl Turner, President, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable
  • U.S. Representative Rudy Yakym (video)
  • U.S. Senator Jim Banks video (video)
  • U.S. Senator Todd Young video (video)
  • Indiana Governor Mike Braun
  • 15-minute Intermission
  • Mark Lemoine, Senior Vice President of Franchise Operations, Kampgrounds of America
  • Mary Pouliot, Board Chair, and Craig Kirby, President, RV Industry Association
  • Mike Gaeddert and Michilah Grimes, Project Co-Chairs, Emerging Leaders Coalition
  • Larry Trout III, Board Chair, and Phil Ingrassia, President, RV Dealers Association
  • Peter Morici, Economist
  • Adjourn

The post Livestream the 13th Annual RV Industry Power Breakfast first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

‘RVing in New England’ Hosts Martin Niezen of GasStop

RVing in New England,” the weekly Facebook Live show hosted by Bob Zagami and John DiPietro of the New England RV Dealers Association (NERVDA), this week talks with Martin Niezen, the founder of GasStop. This remarkable device should be installed at the factory on every RV manufactured here in America. Yes, that’s a bold statement, but after you meet Martin and understand how the device works, and the safety and protection it offers to you, your family and
your RV investment, you will want to buy one!

The show airs at 7 p.m. tonight.

The post ‘RVing in New England’ Hosts Martin Niezen of GasStop first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Air Lift Intros LoadLifter 7500 XL Ultimate Kit for F-450

LANSING, Mich. — Aftermarket air suspension manufacturer Air Lift Company is now offering a new LoadLifter 7500 XL Ultimate, featuring an internal jounce bumper, for the 2023-2025 Ford F-450 Super Duty.

Air Lift air springs are designed to work with the vehicle’s existing suspension to eliminate squat, poor headlight aim, unresponsive steering, body roll, and bottoming out. The air springs properly level out the vehicle, allowing drivers to tow and haul safely and comfortably.

The LoadLifter 7500 XL Ultimate, PN 57579, helps support the heaviest tows with an internal jounce bumper, absorbing shock for the smoothest ride. Air Lift’s fully adjustable, industry-leading air springs are the perfect upgrade for your vehicle, eliminating any issues you might face when towing and hauling.

“Even heavy-duty 3/4-ton and 1-ton trucks need a boost when towing hefty loads, such as machinery, large fifth wheels, vehicles, or similar,” said Cody Wolgamott, product marketing manager at Air Lift. “That’s where our LoadLifter 75000 XL Ultimate kits come into play, utilizing the largest bags of any of our kits at 7″ diameter and the highest leveling capacity at 7,5000 lbs., to make towing or hauling with even the biggest trucks a comfortable and stress-free experience.”

While maintaining exclusive features from our other systems, including roll plates for added protection and ultra-high-strength composite formula end caps, what sets the LoadLifter 7500 XL Ultimate kit apart is a pair of massive 7-inch, double-convoluted bellows air springs. The larger air springs allow for greater leveling abilities at lower air pressures* compared to similar systems, keeping your cargo safe and secure while ensuring a more comfortable ride.

All end caps are made with an ultra-high-strength nylon composite formula, strong as steel but much lighter and corrosion-proof. The air springs are built like tires, reinforced with 2-ply fabric for maximum strength. With the added stability that air springs provide, you can haul safely, knowing that you have optimal braking and steering control.

The LoadLifter 7500 XL Ultimate’s air springs are maintenance-free, can run safely on zero air pressure, and are fully adjustable from 5-100 PSI for precise control.

Air Lift load support air springs are backed by an industry-exclusive lifetime warranty covering the entire contents of the air spring kit. Air Lift Company also ensures satisfaction with a 60-day money-back guarantee on load support air spring kits and on-board compressor systems.

*Do not exceed the vehicle’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR).

About Air Lift

Air Lift Company, founded in 1949, is a third-generation, family-owned suspension specialty company based in Lansing, Michigan. Air Lift is committed to engineering, manufacturing, and selling the highest-quality suspension products that fit, work, and last. Air Lift products are available at retailers across the country and internationally. For more information or additional product photos, find Air Lift Company at airliftcompany.com or call (800) 248-0892.

The post Air Lift Intros LoadLifter 7500 XL Ultimate Kit for F-450 first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

IDS Now Offering New DMS-Embedded Payment Solution

WAKE FOREST. N.C. – Integrated Dealer Systems (IDS), a leading provider of dealer management software for the RV, marine, and trailer industries, is proud to announce the launch of IDS Pay—a fully embedded payment solution that transforms how dealerships handle credit and debit transactions.

In fast-paced dealership environments, even small checkout errors, like manually entering the wrong total, can lead to costly mistakes. IDS Pay eliminates that risk by integrating payment processing directly into the IDS Astra G2 dealership management system (DMS) platform.

With IDS Pay, dealership staff can accept credit and debit card payments through smart terminals that automatically sync with their DMS. This seamless integration ensures accurate, real-time updates to accounting records—no rekeying amounts, no stapling receipts, and no manual reconciliation. What’s more, because this is an IDS product, dealers will benefit from one single, best-in-class support contact for all stages of their checkout process, from payments to software to terminals.[SM1] [CA2] [SM3] 

Key benefits of IDS Pay include:

  • Faster, more secure checkouts with smart terminals you can use anywhere
  • Simple, accurate reconciliation—no mistakes and no missed entries
  • Better fraud protection to keep you and your customers safe
  • Centralized transaction records for easy access and tracking
  • One seamless system for everything payment-related

“We’re excited to offer an additional integrated payment option as part of our product offerings, continuing our commitment to delivering a variety of flexible, efficient options that meet the evolving needs of our customers,” says Josie Prosdocimo, Director of Product Management at IDS.

IDS customers [CA4] are already seeing the difference. “Now, there’s no more chasing down these mistakes because the amount isn’t manually keyed in,” says Carol Burridge, Office Manager at Chisolm Trail RV. “It’s all straight from the computer, completely taking away the human error.”

Interested in learning more about IDS’ integrated dealership management solutions? Contact the IDS Sales Team at (800) 769-7425 or email [email protected].

The post IDS Now Offering New DMS-Embedded Payment Solution first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Fed Balancing Act: Fighting Inflation vs. Spurring Growth

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve could keep its key rate unchanged for several more months as it evaluates the impact of President Donald Trump’s widespread tariffs on hiring and inflation, some economists say, even as the White House pushes for a rate cut, according to an Associated press report.

The Fed is nearly certain to keep its rate unchanged when it concludes its latest policy meeting Wednesday. Chair Jerome Powell and other Fed officials have signaled that they want to see how the duties — including 145% on all imports from China — impact consumer prices and the economy.

The central bank’s caution could lead to more conflict between the Fed and the Trump administration. On Sunday, Trump again urged the Fed to cut rates in a television interview and said Powell “just doesn’t like me because I think he’s a total stiff.” With inflation not far from the Fed’s 2% target for now, Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent argue that the Fed could reduce its rate. The Fed pushed it higher in 2022 and 2023 to fight inflation.

Trump also said Sunday he wouldn’t fire Powell because the chair’s term ends next May and he will be able to appoint a new chair then. Yet if the economy stumbles in the coming months, Trump could renew his threats to remove Powell.

A big issue facing the Fed is how tariffs will impact inflation. Nearly all economists and Fed officials expect the import taxes will lift prices, but it’s not clear by how much or for how long. Tariffs typically cause a one-time increase in prices, but not necessarily ongoing inflation. Yet if Trump announces further tariffs — as he has threatened to do on pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and copper — or if Americans worry that inflation will get worse, that could send prices higher in a more persistent way.

Click here to read the full Associated press report.

The post Fed Balancing Act: Fighting Inflation vs. Spurring Growth first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

US Trade Deficit Hits Record High Ahead of Trump Tariffs

NEW YORK — The U.S. trade deficit soared to a record $140.5 billion in March as consumers and businesses alike tried to get ahead of President Donald Trump’s latest and most sweeping tariffs — with federal data showing an enormous stockpiling of pharmaceutical products, according to an Associated Press report.

The deficit — which measures the gap between the value of goods and services the U.S. sells abroad against what it buys — has roughly doubled over the last year. In March 2024, Commerce Department records show, that gap was just under $68.6 billion.

According to federal data released on Tuesday, U.S. exports for goods and services totaled about $278.5 billion in March, while imports climbed to nearly $419 billion. That’s up $500 million and $17.8 billion, respectively, from February trade.

Consumer goods led the imports surge — increasing by $22.5 billion in March. And pharma products in particular climbed $20.9 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis noted, signaling that drugmakers sought to get ahead of Trump’s threats to slap tariffs on the sector.

Click here to read the full Associated Press report.

The post US Trade Deficit Hits Record High Ahead of Trump Tariffs first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Champion Homes Wins MHI Excellence Award for 11th Year

TROY, Mich. – Champion Homes, Inc. (NYSE: SKY) (“Champion Homes”) today announced in a press release that for the 11th consecutive year, the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) has recognized the company with the prestigious Excellence in Manufactured Housing Award for home design.

MHI awarded Champion Homes with top honors in the Manufactured Home Design – Multi-Section and Manufactured Home Design – CrossMod® categories. With this announcement, Champion’s Excellence in Manufactured Housing Award total comes to 26 in the last 11 years.

“Champion Homes has an incredible team and an outstanding portfolio of brands and products,” said Champion Homes President and CEO Tim Larson. “We’re thrilled to receive industry recognition by winning the MHI Excellence in Manufactured Housing Award for the 11th year in a row. It shows our dedication to providing our customers with high-quality, beautifully designed homes that are attainable and provide great value.”

The Ravenwood (Regional Builders Group™, Winston, Ala.), won the Manufactured Home Design – Multi-Section category. This three-bedroom, two-bathroom, 2,216-square-foot home is truly one-of-a-kind. It features a set of large doors on the exterior of the home that open to reveal a bonus room, bringing outdoor living inside. This space is perfect for entertaining with bar seating and a wood-burning stove. A large back porch completes the standout exterior.

Inside, there’s a beautiful open concept living space that provides more options for entertaining. The kitchen boasts stainless steel KitchenAid® appliances, a painted marble tray ceiling, a large island and gorgeous light fixtures. Another special feature of the home is the utility room, which has a full-size dog washing station. Notably, the Ravenwood went viral on TikTok last year with more than four million views.

The Riverwalk (Skyline® Homes, Sugarcreek, Ohio) won the Manufactured Home Design – CrossMod® category. This three-bedroom, two-bathroom, 1,300-square-foot home is not only built to CrossMod® stands, but it is also a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Zero Energy Ready Home. A DOE Zero Energy Ready Home is a high-performance home that is so energy efficient that a renewable energy system could offset most or all the home’s annual energy use.

On the exterior, you’ll see elevated curb appeal as the Riverwalk has a gorgeous yellow exterior, a red door and a covered porch. As you enter, the nine-foot ceilings paired with an open-concept floor plan give this model a grand opening. The kitchen showcases a modern décor style with white cabinets, black hardware, white subway tile backsplash and a large island with a farmhouse sink. In the primary bathroom, you’ll find a dual vanity and contemporary black-wrapped mirrors.

MHI received 85 submissions across 18 categories for this year’s awards, which were announced at the MHI Congress & Expo in Orlando, Fla. MHI’s annual awards program honors those in the manufactured and modular housing industry who provide outstanding products, customer service, creative solutions and state-of-the-art homes.

CrossMod®, or crossover modern, homes combine the benefits and value of offsite-built homes with the features and aesthetics of site-built homes. They offer amenities typically found in site-built homes, such as garages, carports, pitched roofs and energy efficient features. A high quality and cost-effective housing solution, CrossMod® homes are built according to the HUD code and offer buyers the opportunity for traditional mortgage loan financing.

A DOE Zero Energy Ready Home is a high-performance home that is so energy efficient that a renewable energy system could offset most or all the home’s annual energy use. Each home is made up of components and building systems that are carefully designed, constructed and installed to allow the house to work together as one system, delivering superior performance, comfort, efficiency and durability. These homes meet rigorous efficiency and performance criteria and are verified by a qualified third-party as part of the certification process.

MHI is the national trade organization representing all segments of the factory-built housing industry. MHI serves its membership by providing industry research, promotion, education and government relations programs and by building and facilitating consensus within the industry.

Champion Homes, Inc. (NYSE: SKY) is a leading producer of factory-built housing in North America and employs more than 9,000 people. With more than 70 years of homebuilding experience and 48 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and western Canada, Champion Homes is well positioned with an innovative portfolio of manufactured and modular homes, ADUs, park-models and modular buildings for the single-family, multi-family and hospitality sectors.

In addition to its core home building business, Champion Homes provides construction services to install and set-up factory-built homes, operates a factory-direct retail business with 72 retail locations across the United States and operates Star Fleet Trucking, providing transportation services to the manufactured housing and other industries from several dispatch locations across the United States.

The post Champion Homes Wins MHI Excellence Award for 11th Year first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

RVDA Webinar Eyes Employment Best Practices for Dealers

FAIRFAX, Va. – With a rapidly evolving employment landscape and increasing regulatory demands, the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), in partnership with KPA, a leading provider of workforce risk management solutions, will host a free webinar on at 2 p.m. EDT May 21. EDT, according to a press release.

The event will focus on human resources’ best practices, onboarding strategies, and answers to common employment issues affecting RV dealerships. Registration is free and those interested may use this link.

Russ Cole

What You Will Learn:

  • How RV dealers can strengthen their workforce practices and reduce liability risks.
  • Effective onboarding processes to improve retention.
  • Navigating common HR compliance challenges
  • How to handle terminations and disciplinary actions legally
  • Best practices for maintaining employee records and policies.

The webinar will feature Russ Cole, SPHR, PHR-CA, an HR consultant with KPA since 2018. Russ brings 40 years of experience in human resources, workforce development, and corporate-university recruitment. His specialty and passion are for employee relations in which he draws from his earlier background in counseling, education administration and organization development.

“Hiring and retaining qualified employees is one of the top challenges for RV dealers today,” said RVDA President Phil Ingrassia. “This webinar with KPA is designed to give our members practical tools and insights they can use right away to improve their HR practices.”

“RV dealers are navigating an increasingly complex regulatory environment while also facing pressure to attract and retain top talent,” said KPA’s Russ Cole. “This webinar will offer practical, proven onboarding strategies with an educational focus to help dealerships reduce liability, strengthen compliance, and create a more stable, engaged workforce.”

About RVDA

RVDA, The National RV Dealers Association, is the only national association dedicated to advancing the RV retailer’s 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, please visit here.

About KPA

For over 35 years, KPA has helped dealerships achieve regulatory compliance, protect assets, and retain talent. KPA provides EHS, HR, advertising/sales/finance compliance consulting, software, and training for a wide range of RV dealerships and other industries and helps organizations minimize risk. For more information, visit here.

The post RVDA Webinar Eyes Employment Best Practices for Dealers first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

NPCA: Trump Budget Would Close 300-Plus National Parks

More than 90 percent of Biscayne National Park is underwater, so no one would miss it if it was dropped from the National Park System, right, asks writer Kurt Repanshek at NationalParksTraveler.org? You might say the same for Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout national seashores, which are located on barrier islands that sea-level rise eventually is going to submerge, so why should they remain in the system?

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve attracted fewer than 3,000 visitors last year, so why is the National Park Service paying staff to keep it open? Close it!

That just might be the thinking of President Donald Trump, whose fiscal 2026 budget proposal calls for a $900 million cut to the Park Service’s operations budget, a slash that the National Parks Conservation Association says would require about 350 parks to lose all of their funding.

“The president’s proposed budget plan is beyond extreme. It is catastrophic. Every action taken so far by this administration has chipped away at national parks and their staff, but this budget is the final blow. If enacted by Congress, our National Park System would be completely decimated,” said Theresa Pierno, who leads NPCA.

Trump just might be signaling that that’s his intent. Indeed, his budget proposal, which overall calls for more than $1 billion in cuts to the Park Service, suggested that some park units be pushed off to state management.

Click here to read the complete article at NationalParksTraveler.org.

The post NPCA: Trump Budget Would Close 300-Plus National Parks first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.