RVDA Confab to Run Parts/Service Workshops

Based on attendee feedback from last year’s RV Dealers International Convention/Expo, the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) Convention/Expo Committee is bringing back the parts and service management educational tracks in 2012. According to a press release, the tracks will offer several new speakers with “very different, never-before offered workshops.”

The RV Dealers International Convention/Expo will be held Oct. 1-5 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The convention is sponsored by RVDA, RVDA of Canada and the RV Learning Center.

One of the new workshops is “Managing Parts Inventory for Results,” presented by Bob Bennett of BTS Consulting. RVDA said the workshop is a high-level view of the inventory management process for dealers and parts managers and will focus on how parts managers, through inventory management, are key contributors to customer satisfaction and fixed operations profitability. Key takeaways will include the true meaning of a lost sale in the parts department and the importance of managing possession costs and acquisition costs. This session is recommended for parts managers, as well as dealers and general managers.

More workshops will be announced as the convention approaches. Themed “The Road to Opportunity,” the convention will present educational super sessions designed to help dealers navigate the issues and opportunities they face today and presenting strategies to reach new customers through new technology and to harness the power of social media. This year’s conference also introduces a new series of fixed operations workshops for service and parts managers to improve efficiency and profitability.

The 2012 convention will feature an exhibit hall filled with the RV industry’s top companies offering products and services to help dealers improve profitability. RVDA’s Partners in Progress Brand Committees will also meet to work on important dealer/manufacturer issues.

Companies interested in sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor information can contact RVDA at (703) 591-7130, ext 103, or send an e-mail to scharter@rvda.org.

Visit www.rvda.org and www.rvlearningcenter.com to register for the convention and receive regular updates. People can also get convention updates on LinkedIn professional networking services, Twitter and Facebook.

Molino’s Pleased with the ‘12 RVDA Con/Expo

When all is said and done, people will remember this year’s RV Dealers International Convention/Expo, Oct. 3-7 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, for how upbeat it was in spite of the rampant negativity of today’s newspaper headlines, says Mike Molino, president of the Fairfax, Va.-based Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA).

Fact is, looking back at everything that transpired at the Con/Expo, from the pulse of the whole event – from the workshops to the trade exhibits, the Partners in Progress Brand Committee meetings and the all-industry gala at which RVDA presented its Quality Circle Awards for the first time — Molino suspects that the industry may well rebound from the nation’s current economic lull much quicker than a lot of people think.

RVBUSINESS.com touched bases with Molino this week regarding the Con/Expo, an event that was co-sponsored with RVDA of Canada and drew almost the exact same attendance as 2010 — a total of 1,078 registrants, half of them dealers. Here are the highlights of that conversation:

RVBUSINESS.com: So, Mike, now that you’re back in D.C. and have had a chance to reflect, how did the Con/Expo go in your estimation?

I was surprisingly pleased. It was much better than I expected as far as attendance. I knew we were going to have a good program. I knew we were going to have good speakers. I knew the change in the format and delivery was going to be very strong and make it a much better event. But I was pleased that we had almost as many people there this year with all the diversions. And, actually, from a business perspective, things were better than last year. And that pleased me very much.

RVBUSINESS.com: We particularly heard good things about the “Partners in Progress” brand meetings, a series of sessions involving manufacturers and their respective dealers that has become an RVDA industry exclusive – and one that seems to be gaining favor among industry players.

Yeah, they went well. They were better staged, better organized because of the efforts of the brand committee chairmen and my own staff people. The brand committee chairmen have much more experience now. I also think there’s a much better understanding between dealers and manufacturers on issues. The give and take that we had hoped for at many of the brand committees has started to take place and is moving along very well. You know, I don’t think it’s universal and that everyone unanimously feels the same way about the brand meetings, but I know it’s better in almost all of them – much less adversarial.

RVBUSINESS.com: The new Wednesday night dinner gala certainly brings a new twist to the Con/Expo, keying as it does on manufacturers’ Circle of Excellence awards.

It went well. You know, we had the same sort of growing pains that any new venture has as far as the presentations and how we staged it and that sort of stuff. But all in all, I think it was a good event. I was impressed by the number of people who paid extra to come to it. That was almost a surprise to us because with the cost of food in Vegas, it gets very expensive to include the dinner into the registration fee. So, we made it a separately ticketed event. We didn’t charge the full amount of the dinner if you were registered (for the convention), but we charged part of the amount for the dinner, and we were pretty well sold out. We couldn’t have done that without the support of the convention sponsors. They actually sponsored the dinner as well.

All in all, I think it went well. I think it showed a lot more respect for the manufacturers who won those awards (versus the way RVDA used to present the awards at the Louisville Show). And having that many recipients is really a testimony to the improvement that’s gone on.

We should point out that we didn’t raise the bar (for qualifying Circle of Excellence Award winners). We kept the bar at 80%. The first time we did the awards, we only had one manufacturer get over 80 (percent). And now, having 32 brand award winners based on at least 15 dealer reports each at 80% — and having the dramatic increase in participation this year — that shows me that the DSI (Dealer Satisfaction Index) program, the Quality Circle program, is very valuable.

Dealers consider them very important, and I know manufacturers are really beginning to consider them important, too. It’s helping to improve those things that the dealers deem important in a relationship, from the quality of the vehicle, vehicle design and also in the after sale service that the dealer has to be involved with. When we do it (the event) again, I would change some of the ways that we do it. But I think that the idea of making a presentation at a dinner at the dealers’ convention is a good idea that we intend to continue.

RVBUSINESS.com: What’s your sense of the industry’s general outlook right now with regard to 2012 and beyond?

Hey, let’s face it: No economist has ever predicted a boom in the RV industry, even though they’re pretty good at predicting downturns before they begin. And they’re not predicting one now. I mean, you’re not going to get that, although most would tell you after the fact that if you’d read between the lines you’d see that they had in fact predicted an upswing.

You know, we brought in (to the Con/Expo) two of the brightest young economists that GE Capital has, and the outlook reflected in their presentations at the convention was pretty dismal on the short term. On the long term, though, it was very, very optimistic.

Well those long term optimistic indicators may kick in earlier than people think and, before you know it, we’ll have manufacturers not able to keep up with the pipeline, not having product on their lots when the customer’s in there demanding it.

So, I see that could start happening tomorrow. It could start happening in the spring, and it certainly will happen by 2013. When it’s going to start, nobody’s going to predict that. You know, conventional wisdom – and I said as much recently in my presentation at the FRVTA convention in Florida – is not to expect anything next year because it’s an election year. And, right now, everybody’s expecting next year to be pretty bad or maybe pretty steady and normal. And I still think that this thing’s going to turn around a lot quicker than anybody’s predicting right now.

 

Discount Rate for RVDA Expo Expiring on Friday

Friday (Sept. 2) is the deadline for discounted registration for the 2011 RV Dealers International Convention/Expo, running Oct. 3-7 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

According to the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), dealers who register by Friday and stay at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino will not only get the best rate for the convention/expo, but they’ll also be eligible to win a Las Vegas Weekend Getaway including a two-night/three-day stay at any Las Vegas Caesars Entertainment hotel.

To make the convention affordable to everyone, registration is the same price as last year. Click here for more information and to register.

 

 

RV Dealers Expo to Examine RV Rental Market

Find out some of the best practices that make for a profitable RV rental operation at the upcoming RV Dealers International Convention/Expo, Oct. 3-7, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Topics will include:

Advanced Rental Topic 1: Lot Operations

Oct. 5, 2:45- 4 p.m.

This workshop will cover best practices for everything that happens on your rental lot. Walk-throughs, maintenance, Pre-rental prep, check-ins, service calls, cleaning, and repairs, will be among the topics that the three instructors, and the participants, will explore. The instructors for this 75-minute workshop are Martin Onken, Expedition Motorhomes Inc., Tom Zielstra, Pierce RV Supercenter and Donn Kaebisch, RV Rental Outlet.

Advanced Rental Topic 2: Office Operations

Oct. 6, 2:45-4 p.m.

This workshop will cover best practices for everything that happens in your rental office. Procedures, paperwork, phones, counter, website, customer appreciation, profitability and pricing, will be the topics that the three instructors, and the participants, will explore. The instructors for this 75-minute workshop are Martin Onken, Barry Raye, 84 RV Rentals & Service, and Brad Bacon, PleasureLand RV Center Inc.

How to Run a Successful Rental Department

Oct. 6, 1:15-2:30 p.m.

Led by Randall Jeremiah of Adventure on Earth, this workshop is geared for dealers considering rentals. The first half of the session will examine profitability. The discussion will include specific examples and possible fleet configurations. The session will then turn to RV rental myths, including debunking the myth that rental units are often returned in poor condition. You’ll also learn about turning a fleet for a profit. The goal of this workshop is to provide attendees with a enough information on RV rental operations that they’ll be able to make an informed decision on whether rental is right for their dealership.

The convention will also feature special sessions designed to help you make the right decisions regarding your business in the coming months. Click here for more of the convention workshop and general session schedule and to register. Register by Aug. 6, stay at the Rio and you could win a special golf or spa package.

 

RVDA Sets Agenda for Partners in Progress

The Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) has announced the schedule for Partners in Progress Brand Committee meetings held in conjunction with the RV Dealers International Convention/Expo, scheduled for Oct. 3-7 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

The meetings provide dealers with a forum to discuss brand-specific issues with top management from participating manufacturers. Brand Committees will also review results from the 2011 Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) survey during the meetings. Only dealers who carry the specific manufacturer/brand may attend. Dealer volunteer leaders moderate the meetings.

Here is a list of Partners in Progress Brand Committee Meetings scheduled:

Monday, Oct. 3

3:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Jayco

5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Heartland

Tuesday, Oct. 4

8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Dutchmen/Coleman

9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Keystone

11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Winnebago/SunnyBrook

12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Monaco/Holiday Rambler/R-Vision

12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. CrossRoads

2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Prime Time

3:30 to 4:45 p.m. KZ

5 to 6:15 p.m. Forest River

6:30 to 7:45 p.m. Thor Motor Coach

*Schedule subject to change.

Copper Sponsors Added to RVDA Convention

MBA Insurance, Open Range RV Co., Ally Financial and Diversified Insurance Management Inc., are “Copper Sponsors” for the RV Dealers International Convention/Expo, Oct. 3-7, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

The convention, themed “ReVolution: Take Charge Today,” is sponsored by the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), RVDA of Canada, and the RV Learning Center.

“Convention sponsors allow RVDA to offer the wide range of educational opportunities that are available to RV dealers and their employees throughout the event,” said RVDA Convention/Expo Committee Chairman Peter Albano of American RV in Olive Branch, Miss. “We thank these companies for their commitment to continuing education and professional development for RV retailers.”

Established in 1978, MBA Insurance has grown into one of the premier rental insurance agencies in the country, writing insurance coverage for motorhomes, motorcycles, ATV’s, scooters, snowmobiles, travel trailers and pop-up campers. Today, MBA insures over 2,100 RV rental companies nationwide.

Based in Shipshewana, Ind., Open Range RV builds a variety of fifth-wheels and travel trailers under the Open Range, Mesa Ridge, Light, Journeyer, Residential, Roamer and Rolling Thunder product lines. Their flagship RV is the Open Range fifth-wheel.

Ally Financial, Inc. (formerly GMAC Inc.) is one of the world’s largest automotive financial services companies. In addition to motor vehicles, Ally provides wholesale financing, retail financing, and remarketing services for RV dealers in the U.S. Ally operates as a bank holding company with more than $174 billion in assets as of March 31.

Diversified Insurance Management Inc. has specialized in RV dealership insurance since 1981. Their underwriting expertise is recognized and sought by both carriers and dealers alike. Today, Diversified serves the insurance and F&I needs of dealerships across the country as one of the nation’s top independent RV insurance specialists.

Chip Eichelberger Set to Speak at RVDA Expo

International motivational expert Chip Eichelberger will challenge attendees to ditch mediocrity and “switch on sales success” during a special presentation on Oct. 6 during the 2011 RV Dealers International Convention/Expo at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The convention is sponsored by the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), RVDA of Canada, and the RV Learning Center.

Eichelberger will present “S.W.I.T.C.H. On Your Sales Success!” and explore what dealers can do to stand out from the competition. He will outline a sales success system that gets customers to say “wow,” and be loyal, leading to more referral business.

Eichelberger is the former point man for self-help giant Tony Robbins (author of “Unleash the Giant Within”) and has a reputation for enthusiasm, high energy, and the ability to fire up an audience. He’s been dubbed by appreciative corporate clients as an “audience arsonist” who lights fires and moves listeners to action.

With the constant barrage of negative news about the economy, many people have gone from a mindset of success to one of survival, says Eichelberger, adding, “It’s time to look in the mirror, put on the hat of personal responsibility, and get switched on.”

“We are extremely excited to have secured Chip Eichelberger for this special sales session at the convention,” said RVDA Convention/Expo Committee Chairman Peter Albano of American RV in Olive Branch, Miss. “He’ll help get everyone re-energized for the opportunities at hand in today’s market.”

Themed “ReVolution: Take Charge Today,” the convention will feature new, in-depth super sessions covering the top issues RV dealers and their employees are facing. The education program will include information on building sales through innovative marketing strategies to reach new customers and an overview of the short and long-term trends that will affect the RV industry.

To make the convention as affordable as possible, the registration fee for dealership employees is the same as last year.  RVDA is also offering special registration plans including an “Easy Pay” plan of four payments.  Companies interested in sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor information can contact RVDA at (703) 591-7130, ext 103, or send an e-mail to scharter@rvda.org .

RVDA Adds Two Silver Sponsors for Confab

Bank of the West and Protective are “Silver Sponsors” for the RV Dealers International Convention/Expo, Oct. 3-7, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The convention is sponsored by the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), RVDA of Canada and the RV Learning Center.

“Sponsors play a vital role in making the convention both educational and enjoyable for dealers and their employees,” said RVDA Convention/Expo Committee Chairman Peter Albano of American RV in Olive Branch, Miss. “We thank both companies for demonstrating an outstanding commitment to RV dealers and the convention.”

San Francisco-based Bank of the West is an FDIC-insured bank with a 135-year history. Through holding company BancWest Corp., the bank is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, one of the six highest rated banks in the world.

Protective’s XtraRide service agreement is exclusively endorsed by RVDA and is backed by Lyndon Property Insurance Co. (a Protective company) in all states except New York.  In New York, the product is backed by Old Republic Insurance Co.

Themed “ReVolution: Take Charge Today,” the convention will feature new, in-depth super sessions covering the top issues RV dealers and their employees are facing right now. The education program will include information on building sales through innovative marketing strategies to reach new customers and an overview of the short- and long-term trends that will impact the RV industry.

To make the convention as affordable as possible, the registration fee for dealership employees is the same as last year.  RVDA is also offering special registration plans including an “Easy-Pay” plan of four payments and the ability to “lock-in” early bird savings for additional employees with one paid convention registration.

Companies interested in sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor information can contact RVDA at (703) 591-7130, ext 103 or send an e-mail to scharter@rvda.org.

Visit www.rvda.org and www.rvlearningcenter.com to register for the convention and for regular updates about the convention. You can also get updates by following the convention on Linkedin and Facebook.

RVDA Con/Expo Comes at Industry Juncture

The RV Dealers International Convention/Expo, scheduled for Oct. 4-8 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., comes at a crucial time for the U.S. economy in general and the RV industry in particular as both work their way out of the tough recession of 2008/2009.

On one hand, the industry’s rebound has exceeded expectations in many ways, especially for manufacturers, suppliers and retailers aligned with the right towable recreational vehicle brands. On the other hand, however, the aftershocks of the Great Recession are obviously still with us in terms of unemployment, stock market fluctuations and a general discomfort among many Americans with regard to the general state of the economy.

And while most Americans assume that the worst is over, many of the nation’s durable good manufacturers – including RV builders — are still looking to bridge their way to the next year and the next level of recovery and to find a comfort zone in this new post-recessionary age.

“There is a consensus we have to recalibrate our definition of what is a good business environment,” said Mike Molino, president of the Fairfax, Va.-based Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), lead sponsor of October’s annual Con/Expo. “We’re not going to get back to the 400,000-unit years any time soon. We’ll probably never return to that. The next couple of years will be tough, but doable. If dealers stay within the cash structure they have, they will survive. The consumer will come back — slowly. We won’t see a significant increase (in sales) until there is more certainty (about the state of the economy). I’m not so sure the election of 2010 will bring more certainty. That might just bring more confusion.”

But Molino, generally a realist, does tend to see the cup half full.

“The dealers who are still in business, for the most part, are the ones who will survive,” he maintained. “The dealers coming to the convention are in good shape. The shakeout is well on its way to being complete. But it’s not totally over. Dealers are telling me they have inventory but are paying more finance charges on the inventory they have than they used to, and retail financiers are very stringent on who they are lending money to, so the ability to buy a recreational vehicle, the threshold for buying, is higher and the ability to buy is a lot lower.

“Another dynamic is that there is uncertainty among businesses, both large and small, and that drives employment, and employment drives the mentality of the economy,” Molino continued. “When a consumer is hearing levels of unemployment we currently have (around 10%), it’s still not conducive to them going out and buying an RV, even if they can afford to get a loan for an RV. Until unemployment goes down and employment rises, we will have some issues.”

A New Era for the Industry As Well as RVDA’s Con/Expo

The RVDA is tackling this new era head-on with a refreshing revision of the annual convention, which is co-sponsored by RVDA of Canada and the RV Learning Center.

A crowd of between 475 and 550 U.S. and Canadian dealers, with total registrations of about 1,100 attendees, is anticipated for the five-day event.

“I think it’s going to be the best convention ever,” adds Molino. “We’ve got a very, very active committee under (Convention Chairman) Peter Albano. Between him and my staff and the volunteers on the committee, I think they have put together the most pertinent program for dealers and the management level of staff I’ve ever seen.”

As ever, of course, there will be an aggressive educational component including workshops on everything from wholesale and retail financing options to new inventory management strategies and how to reach new customers through innovative marketing communications. And the 2010 convention will again feature an exhibit hall filled with the RV industry’s leading OEM and supplier companies offering products and services to help dealers improve profitability.

But attendees will notice significant changes, starting with the brand committee meetings, closed door sessions in which dealers meet as a group with representatives of the recreational vehicle brands they carry. RVDA’s “Partners in Progress” brand committees, among other things, will work on important dealer-manufacturer issues and address results of RVDA’s Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI).

“We’ve restructured the brand committees meetings, so they come early in the session,” Molino explained. “We tried to make it so there is no conflict between the committee meetings and anything else they want to do. I think it will enhance the experience for the dealers, especially the manufacturers.”

Before he took on the assignment of chairing this year’s convention committee, Albano confides, he talked with many dealers and asked them what they wanted with regard to the convention. “They said that we need to change and get some new blood into the system and see how we’re running the sessions, break it up and make it new,” Albano, owner of American RV in the Memphis suburb of Olive Branch, Miss., told RVBusiness. “We’ve worked very, very hard at doing that.”

Former Interior Secretary Kempthorne Will Keynote

Albano predicts that convention attendees will especially enjoy the remarks of former Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, who will serve as keynote speaker at the first general session on Tuesday, Oct. 5.

“Secretary Kempthorne has a track record of developing innovative approaches to meet the outdoor recreation needs of RV travelers and other outdoor enthusiasts,” Albano said. “As a long-time motorhome owner, he is enthusiastic about the future prospects for our industry. He will provide an inspiring message for everyone who makes their living in the RV business.”

Kempthorne continues to champion outdoor recreation and is an active RV traveler and motorcyclist. As Secretary of the Interior during the George W. Bush administration, he brought fundamental relational changes in the environmental, conservation and outdoor recreation arenas.

During his service in the U.S. Senate, Kempthorne led successful efforts to create a sustainable funding source for building and maintaining trails and to promote balance between resource protection and outdoor fun – which is among the reasons he received the 20th Sheldon Coleman Great Outdoors Award in 2008 from the American Recreation Coalition (ARC).

A second general session, on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 7, will feature an “RV Outlook Panel Discussion” for which panelists will include Ron Fenech, president of Thor Industries Inc.’s RV Group; Craig Kennison, analyst with Robert W. Baird, Inc.; and Pete Lannon, GE Capital Commercial Distribution Finance.

Tom Walworth, president of Statistical Surveys Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich., will chair the discussion, which will focus on minimizing risk factors with RV floorplan loans, a manufacturing outlook on the future of RV product development and distribution, financial markets and the impact the issues will have on the dealers’ bottom lines.

“This session is sure to be extremely informative for everyone attending the upcoming convention,” said Albano. “It will provide some important steps that dealers can take to reduce their risk and successfully meet the financial challenges we are all facing today. The Convention/Expo Committee secured an outstanding group of RV industry experts to participate in this event.

RVBusiness HostsTop 50 Dealer Awards Festivities

Ann Coulter

RVBusiness magazine (and RVBUSINESS.com) will host its 3rd Annual RVBusiness Top 50 Dealer Awards during a Wednesday, Oct. 6, reception and dinner at the Rio hosted by Affinity Group Inc. President & CEO Mike Schneider and keynoted by conservative political commentator and author Ann Coulter.

While the award eligibility has been expanded this year to include recreational park model dealers – just as it was expanded last year to include Canadian retailers — the awards format will include five Blue Ribbon retailers and one individual receiving the Altman Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Go RVing Coalition Convenes at Con/Expo

Concurrent with RVDA’s convention agenda, the pan-industry Go RVing Coalition will convene 8-11 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 6, in the Rio’s Tango Room to continue discussions of topics raised during the coalition’s last meeting June 8 during RVIA Committee Week in South Bend, Ind. This will likely include campaign planning, 2011 funding levels and development of the Go RVing consumer leads prioritization system approved by the coalition in June.

Along with recent shipment and retail data, the coalition will rely on a new University of Michigan RV market forecast and new ad tracking research. “Go RVing’s 2010 ad tracking research will be complete, giving us a better handle on the impact of our media mix and the Ambassadors of Affordability creative,” reports Gary LaBella, vice president and chief marketing officer for the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) and the coalition’s staff liaison.

Additionally, LaBella says results of the new study of Go RVing leads over the past three years will be reported by The Richards Group, the coalition’s Dallas-based agency. “This study will enable us to better prioritize leads, to provide more information to users about the specific products and price ranges consumer are considering, the lifestyle attributes of our leads and which media are most effective in delivering them,” he said. “All of this information will be helpful to future Go RVing media and creative planning as well as industry marketing efforts.”

Kempthorne to Speak at Dealers’ Convention

Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne will be the keynote speaker for the 2010 RV Dealers International Convention/Expo at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., Oct. 4-8.

Secretary Kempthorne will deliver his remarks to attendees at the Tuesday  (Oct. 5) General Session. The convention is sponsored by the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Assocation (RVDA), Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada (RVDA Canada) and the RV Learning Center, according to a news release.

Kempthorne continues to champion outdoor recreation and is an active RV traveler and motorcyclist. As secretary of the interior, he brought fundamental changes to the relationships among national interests in the environmental, conservation, and outdoor recreation. During his service in the U.S. Senate, Kempthorne led successful efforts to create a sustainable funding source for building and maintaining trails and to promote balance between resource protection and outdoor fun.

He received the 20th Sheldon Coleman Great Outdoors Award during Great Outdoors Week from the American Recreation Coalition (ARC) in 2008.

“Secretary Kempthorne has a track record of developing innovative approaches to meet the outdoor recreation needs of RV travelers and other outdoor enthusiasts,” said RVDA Convention/Expo Committee Chairman Peter Albano of American RV in Olive Branch, Miss. “As a long-time motorhome owner, he is enthusiastic about the future prospects for our industry. He will provide an inspiring message for everyone that makes their living in the RV business.” 

Themed “Go to Grow – Innovative Ideas, Revolutionary Results,” the RV Dealers International/Convention Expo will be filled with vital information that will prepare RV dealers and their employees to take advantage of new opportunities in today’s RV market. The education program will include workshops on wholesale and retail financing options, new inventory management strategies, and how to reach new customers through innovative marketing communications.   

The 2010 convention will also feature an exhibit hall filled with the RV industry’s top companies offering products and services to help dealers improve profitability. RVDA’s Partners in Progress Brand Committees will also meet to work on important dealer-manufacturer issues and the results of RVDA’s Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI). 

To make the convention as affordable as possible, RVDA is offering special registration plans including an “Easy-Pay”  plan of four payments and the ability to “lock-in” early bird savings for additional employees with one paid convention registration submitted by May 31. 

Companies interested in sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor information can contact RVDA at (703) 591-7130, ext. 103 ,or send an e-mail to scharter@rvda.org

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