Hall of Fame ’12 40th Anniversary Class Elected

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The RV/MH Heritage Foundation has elected the 2012 40th anniversary class into the RV/MH Hall of Fame. Since its beginning in 1972, the Hall of Fame has honored over 350 leaders of the recreational vehicle and manufactured housing with induction into the RV/MH Hall of Fame in recognition to their significant and lasting contributions to the greater good of their segment of the industries. The RV/MH Hall of Fame and its related archival library of literature and photographs and its museum of historic vehicles is housed in a 85,000 square-foot-facility along side Interstate 80/90 in Elkhart, Ind.

Those to be inducted at a ceremony Aug. 6 in Elkhart are:

• Bob Olson of Forest City, Iowa: Chairman and CEO of Winnebago Industries Inc. and veteran member of the RVIA Executive Committee and co-chairman of the highly successful Go RVing Coalition. He built his company’s reputation for commitment to service of both his dealers and his customers.

• Stanley Sunshine of Atlanta: As Chairman of Stag Parkway, he served on the board of the RV Aftermarket Association (RVAA) from 1991 to 1999 including as chairman in ’98 and ’99. He served on the RVIA board from 2003 to 2010. He is a long-time champion of the RV Learning Center and promoting efficiency in the industry.

• Perry Yoder (deceased) of Middlebury, Ind.: He served the RV industry with four manufacturers and with L&W Engineering, a component supplier. In 1975 he patented a slideout mechanism for RVs. A long-time member of the IMHA-RVIC board, he served as chairman of the Midwest RV Show committee.

• Edith Lane (deceased) of Deming, N.M.: Founder in 1969, and leader of the national “Loners on Wheels” club for single RV travelers now having chapters throughout the U.S. and in Canada. Developer of three RV Parks targeting single RVers and a long-time columnist on the RV lifestyle in national consumer magazines.

• Michael R. Evans of Aberdeen, S.D.: Founder and developer of Centennial Homes, a housing retailer with locations in three states serving customers in 10 states providing affordable housing to over 12,000 families. He has served 20 years on the board of the South Dakota Housing Association.

• Doug Gorman of Tulsa, Okla.: Founder and owner of Home-Mart. He was a charter member of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Consensus Committee as the only housing retailer on the committee. He is past-chairman of the MHI Federated States Division representing retailers and community operators and has been recognized nine times as MHI Retail Center of the Year.

• Nelson and Mary Emily Jackson (both deceased) of Myrtle Beach, S.C.: Beginning in the early 1970s, they built Ocean Lakes Family RV Park into a community which now provides sites for 3,449 RVs. They were recognized as national RV Park of the Year in 1997, ’98, ’99, 2002, ’03, ’08 and ’09. In 2005, they were honored by the South Carolina governor for their efforts in promoting tourism in the state.

• Gerald “Jiggs” Meuret of Wausau, Wis.: While growing his company, Housing Mart of Wausau, he served 32 years on the board of the Wisconsin Housing Alliance, including terms as chairman in 1981, 1983 and 1984, and in 1990. As the only three-term chairman of his association, he developed such credibility that 100% of the producers in his state became members. He has been a firm advocate of customer service while providing thousands of families with homes.

• Ellwood A. Titcomb (deceased) of Lake Helen, Fla.: As the president of Americorp, he has, since the 1940s, pioneered the development of housing communities throughout the country. He pioneered “no steps” ground level home placement in communities in New England, California, and Florida.

• Mary Irene Younkin of Columbus, Ohio: A 60-plus year veteran of the housing industry, she chaired the Ohio MHA convention for 12 years and has served the OHIO mha for over 30 years. She founded Dycom Industries to develop housing communities and promote the use of fiber optics in Florida. Younkin joins her late husband and her son in the RV/MH Hall of Fame.