Campers Inn Adding Eighth Location to Network

Campers Inn announced the opening of its eighth location in Kings Mountain, N.C. According to a press release, the property is currently being transformed from a Chevrolet dealership into a full-service RV dealership complete with RV parts, service and sales.

Campers Inn Kings Mountain features a five-acre paved sales lot, 10 service bays and a 17,880-square-foot facility. The dealership had a soft opening on Jan. 21 and plans to have a grand opening once renovations are complete.

The outlet will be managed by Jim Fisher who began his RV career in 1989 as F&I manager at his family owned dealership in Washington State. Fisher was also the general manager for Suncoast RV in Tampa, Fla., and national sales manager for the RV manufacturer Trail Manor.

“We want to provide expert service and repairs for all customers and brands,” said Fisher. “I am committed to growing our dealerships stature, and helping our customers make memories that will last a lifetime”.

The service department of Campers Inn Kings Mountain will be managed by Lee Kearney. He received his bchelor’s in industrial engineering from State University of New York at Oswego.

Kearney has been a service manager, parts manager and director of fixed operations for the past 30 years on cars, trucks and RV’s.

“We want to give customers the best possible experience in service after the sale, and to have a long-lasting relationship with the people of Kings Mountain that keeps them coming back,” Kearney said.

For more information regarding Campers Inn call (336) 753-0014 or e-mail shayden@campersinn.com.

 

Campers Inn Mocksville Adds Tiffin Motorhomes

Campers Inn Mocksville, N.C., has expanded its motorhome offerings with the addition of Tiffin Motorhomes Inc.’s line of luxury Class A’s.

According to a press release, Red Bay, Ala.-based Tiffin has a long-standing relationship with Campers Inn, featuring its products at several other locations.

Adding Tiffin to its inventory represents “just one step in the long-term growth plan for the dealership,” which features a 22,000-square-foot showroom and 10 service bays.

Campers Inn Mocksville Director of Operations Scott Hayden noted, “We are proud of our ongoing relationship with Tiffin. Tiffin’s core values mirror our own and we continually strive to reach new levels of excellence”.

For more information on Campers Inn Mocksville contact Gary Webber at gweber@campersinn.com or by phone (336) 753-0014.

 

John McKibbin to Oversee Campers Inn Elkhart

John McKibbin has been named the new location manager for Indiana-based Campers Inn Elkhart. According to a press release, McKibbin is an RV industry veteran, having served for the past six years as GSM for Camping World of Las Vegas, formerly Wheelers RV.

“I’m truly excited about joining the Campers Inn team,” McKibbin said. “Working with a company and people with positive outlooks and attitudes is an opportunity that holds great value to me.”

Scott Hayden, director of operations, added, “John is a strong leader and decisions maker who strives to improve productivity and efficiency of team members. I am happy to have him become part of the Campers Inn family”.

For more information regarding John McKibbin or Campers Inn Elkhart call (336) 753-0014 or e-mail mneighbors@campersinn.com

 

Hirsch Named as RVDA Chairman for Two Years

The Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) named Jeff Hirsch as its a new chairman during this week’s RV Dealers International Convention/Expo in Las Vegas, which concludes today (Oct. 5). Hirsch is president of multilocation dealership Campers Inn headquartered in Kingston, N.H.

Speaking to convention attendees, Hirsch said he intends to emphasize the importance of RVDA membership. “One of my goals this year as your chairman . . . is to help RVDA continue to grow and evolve so that membership is seen as vital,” he said. “We need to reach out and connect with every dealer possible.”

Hirsch also expressed an interest in finding ways to reach the next generation of RV dealers by targeting younger executives and creating programs to serve their needs.

In a move to accommodate Second Vice Chairman Bob Been’s departure from the board due to an unforeseen family issue, Hirsch will serve for two years while Outgoing Chairman Andy Heck of Alpin Haus RV, Albany, N.Y., will remain on the board for another year.

Also, RVDA said that no first vice chairman would be named this year.

Other officers include: Second Vice Chairman John McCluskey, Florida Outdoors RV Center, Stuart, Fla.; Treasurer Brian Wilkins, Wilkins RV Bath, N.Y.; and Secretary Amy Pennington, RV Outlet Mall Georgetown, Texas.

Elected to serve on the RVDA board are Will Jarnot, Pleasureland RV Center Inc., St. Cloud, Minn., and Ron Shepherd, Camperland of Oklahoma, Tulsa.

Dandurand Will Manage Campers Inn Merrimack

David Dandurand has been named the new location manager for Campers Inn of Merrimack, N.H, effective Oct. 1.

According to a press release, Dandurand is a RV industry veteran who has been with Campers Inn since mid-2007. He is currently controller of the company and will continue in that role. Prior to Campers Inn, Dandurand was employed for 2 1/2 years with Freedomroads as controller for the Syracuse, N.Y., Lakewood, N.J., and Chichester, N.H., locations.

“First of all, I want to sincerely thank Campers Inn for giving me this opportunity and entrusting me to be part of their continued success,” Dandurand said. “I believe with all my heart that I will bring a unique perspective to our Merrimack location given my background. I have spent many years eliminating, mitigating and managing risk from a financial prospective which will now allow me to impact operations and furthermore, promote our mission, vision and core values.”

Scott Hayden, Campers Inn director of operations noted, “The foundation of Campers Inn’s success is its employees. Allowing our staff to grow and being able to promote from within is very rewarding. I am excited to see David take on this position and I am confident that he will be extremely successful. The future for Campers Inn is bright as we continue our growth initiative and continue to acquire and develop additional locations.”

For more information regarding David Dandurand or Campers Inn call (574) 343-2272 or e-mail mpucalik@campersinn.com.

 

Campers Inn Names New Florida Ops Director

Rick Chynoweth was named the new Florida director of operations for Campers Inn.

“We see tremendous growth potential and opportunity in Florida and we feel that there is no one better who knows the market,” Scott Hayden, director of operations for Campers Inn, stated in a news release. “Rick’s immediate focus will be to assist Patti Parenteau with the ongoing expansion of our Leesburg location that was started last year. Now that the physical property has grown we need to further build and develop product lines that will increase our market share. At the same time we will continue to pursue potential locations that will enhance the Campers Inn family of dealerships which will fall under Rick’s direction.”

Chynoweth began his RV career in 2002 at Suncoast RV where he opened the Ocala, Fla., location in June of that year. In January 2008 he became vice president of operations while business was very difficult and stayed in that position until business stabilized in late 2010.

Prior to Suncoast, Chynoweth spent seven years in the automobile business and another seven years in the boat business. Chynoweth grew up in the RV business at his family’s RV dealership through 1982.

Chynoweth is excited about the position stating, “I will bring a lot of experience to Campers Inn and intend to capture more of the Florida market. Campers Inn already has a great reputation not only with their customers but throughout the industry. I am proud to say I am now part of the team and want to help take Campers Inn to the next level.”

Chynoweth is committed to the Campers Inn purpose of “Making sure that our customers feel so good about the product they bought and their decision to buy from us that they become our customers for life.”

For more information regarding Rick Chynoweth or Campers Inn please contact by phone: (574) 343-2272 or by email mpucalik@campersinn.com.

 

Dealer Campers Inn Adopting Expansion Mode

Multi-location dealer Campers Inn is looking to add more outlets, according to a press release.

Founded in 1966 by Art and Fran Hirsch, Campers Inn has grown to seven dealerships located in Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, Georgia, Massachusetts and its headquarters in New Hampshire. The company reported that due to the success of its two newest dealerships  in Elkhart, Ind., and Mocksville, N.C., Campers Inn is looking to acquire additional dealerships east of the Mississippi to expand its dealer network.

“We have made a commitment to look at every opportunity that is presented to us,” said Campers Inn Director of Operations Scott Hayden. “It is our intent to secure locations that complement existing stores and will enhance the sales and service experience of our customers. We believe employees are our biggest asset, we are committed to retaining the acquired dealerships management and staff and will make every effort to integrate them into our Campers Inn family.”

For more information regarding Campers Inn please contact by phone at 603/883-1082 or by email at shayden@campersinn.com.

 

Elkhart-Area Firms Enjoying Uptick in Business

The RV industry is showing signs of improvement in Indiana’s Elkhart County, as evidenced by the latest report from the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) showing an 8.6% increase in year-over-year shipments through the first five months of 2012.

WSBT, South Bend, reported that the trend is a welcome change for workers like Barry Hyser who found himself without a job when the economy, and the RV industry, tanked in 2008. “A lot of the RV industry was closed and certainly a lot of us were unemployed for a period of time,” says Hyser. “It has changed a lot since then.”

Hyser is back to work, landing a position as the location manager at Campers Inn in Elkhart. The two-year-old dealership is seeing steady sales, including selling out of its Class C motorhome inventory in May.

“We are seeing about a 20% growth for May and June over last year, so it is picking up again,” says Hyser. “That is really good news for Elkhart, and of course good news for Campers Inn.”

It is good news for anyone in the RV industry. Especially for companies like Wakarusa, Ind.-based Livin’ Lite Recreational Vehicles LLC.

Livin’ Lite specializes in lightweight towables and General Manager Troy Andrews says families are looking for fuel and cost-efficient options.

“The big trucks are gone, everyone is driving more economic vehicles and our product leans toward that,” says Andrews. “It makes sense. They don’t have to go buy a big truck, they can use what they already have. A mini van is a perfect vehicle for most our products.”

In 2008 Livin’ Lite employed 13 people and produced one or two RVs a day. Now 100 people work in the two Wakarusa plants and they’re building seven to eight units every day.

 

Campers Inn Named Top 20 Winnebago Dealer

Campers Inn, Merrimack, N.H., was recently named as a Top 20 Winnebago brand dealer, according to a press release.

“We are pleased to recognize Campers Inn as a Top 20 Winnebago brand dealer for 2012,” said Winnebago Industries General Sales Manager Dennis Shaw. “We value our partnership with Campers Inn and congratulate them on their sales leadership for 2012.”

Founded in 1966 by Art and Fran Hirsch, Campers Inn is one of the largest family owned RV dealerships in the country with seven locations across the East Coast and Midwest. The company, now owned and operated by Jeff Hirsch, has also been recognized as a Top 5 Blue Ribbon RV Dealer in the U.S. for its “dedication to customer service.”

For more information regarding Campers Inn please contact by phone at (574) 343-2272 or by email mneighbors@campersinn.com.

 

Parenteau to Head Campers Inn Leesburg Site

Campers Inn has named Patti Parenteau as the new location manager for its Leesburg, Fla., dealership. According to a press release, Parenteau has been a part of the Campers Inn Leesburg team since the dealership opened in 2005.

Parenteau is a long-time RV industry veteran of 30 years, starting out with her family’s business, New Hampshire Coach and Camper. She later worked for Gary’s Sports and RV Center before joining Campers Inn at its Merrimack, N.H., location in 2004.

“I have played a major role in growing Campers Inn of Leesburg to what it is today,” she said. “We are a very close knit family at this location and we strive to for the best. We are here to welcome each and every customer that comes to our facility.

“I want our dealership to grow, provide the learning tools for each team member to grow in their position and to make the customer feel extremely happy with their experience with us.”

Scott Hayden, Campers Inn operations manager noted, “It’s great to see a team member advance within the company. This is a step towards Campers Inn’s continued commitment to the industry as we grow within each community.”

 

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