RVDA Starts Van Pelt Family Memorial Fund

Past Chairman of the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) Board of Directors Fran Van Pelt and her husband, Rich, recently lost their son, Raymond Van Pelt, in a tragic accident on Christmas Eve.

Peter and Lynn Albano of American RV in Olive Branch, Miss., provided a donation to the RV Learning Center to start a memorial fund in honor of Raymond, according to an RVDA news release.

Fran Van Pelt is a participating past chairwoman of RVDA. She is currently with Spader Business Management. She chaired the RVDA in 1983-84.

To make a contribution to the RV Learning Center memorial fund for Raymond Van Pelt, please click here or send an e-mail to info@rvda.org for more information.

The RV Learning Center is dedicated to providing dealers and their employees with innovative ways to operate RV dealerships through an array of education resources including publications, distance learning, live workshops, online products, training, and certification programs for RV dealership personnel.

The RVDA Education Foundation’s RV Learning Center is a tax exempt organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions may be tax deductible as charitable donations.

Visit www.rvlearningcenter.com for more information.

Horsey Family Ups Learning Center Donations

The Horsey Family Memorial Fund increased its donation to the RVDA Education Foundation’s RV Learning Center by $5,000, making their total contribution $66,000, according to a release from the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA).

The Horsey family owns Parkview RV Center, in Smyrna, Del. Rick Horsey chairs the RV Learning Center board of directors and is a past chairman of RVDA.

“The past two years have been tough on many organizations and the RV Learning Center is no exception,” Horsey said. “As the industry recovers from the recession, timely and affordable education programs will be crucial in meeting the future needs of customers and employees. The financial challenge is not any one person or organization’s responsibility and can only be met with industry cooperation. I invite all those who believe in the future of the RV industry to join me in contributing to the RV Learning Center. Your contribution will help assure the RV Learning Center continues to be the training and education resource for the RV industry. ”

The RV Learning Center is dedicated to providing dealers and their employees with innovative ways to operate RV dealerships through an array of education resources including publications, distance learning, workshops, online products, training, and certification programs for RV dealership personnel. Participation in RV industry certification programs was a key recommendation of the Go RVing Coalition’s Committee on Excellence Task Force reports, which studied consumer satisfaction.

For more information on the Foundation’s RV Learning Center and to contribute, visit www.rvlearningcenter.com, send an e-mail to info@rvda.org, or send a fax to (703) 359-0152.

The RVDA Education Foundation’s RV Learning Center is a tax-exempt organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions may be tax deductible as charitable donations.

FRVTA Renews RV Learning Center Alliance

The RV Learning Center is teaming up with the Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA) for the fifth consecutive year to provide online training for RV dealership personnel through the RV Technician Training Online program, according to a news release.

The 2010-11 program includes a range of topics to improve the performance of both experienced and novice technicians, and service writers/advisors. The Distance Learning Network also includes a 50-minute greeter receptionist program addressing the basics of customer service, and training for dealer/GMs.

“Our goal is to create an opportunity for dealerships to offer in-house training, in a group setting, overseen by a local training mentor to all dealership personnel as needed,” said FRVTA Executive Director Lance Wilson. “The program also offers advanced product-specific training from RV manufacturers and suppliers, mentor guidance through ongoing support for distance learning best practices, and a technical help line.” A 75-minute mentor training workshop is also held annually at the RV Dealers International Convention/Expo.

Dealerships receive unlimited access to train and prepare technicians for the RVDA/Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) technician certification, or recertification. The subscription includes unlimited access to over 40 training sessions, reviews, and test preparation sections, which are available anytime throughout the program year to suit your operation and determined pace.

“This program eliminates many of the training costs associated with travel and time out of the shop,” said RVDA Education Foundation Chairman Rick Horsey of Parkview RV in Smyrna, Del. “The program is also useful for getting new technicians started on training immediately.”

The only requirement to participate is a high-speed Internet connection. A video cable connected to a television is also useful for group training. A one-year subscription to the program costs $995 per dealership location. The subscription term is Aug. 1, 2010 – July, 31, 2011.

For more information and a sign-up form, visit www.rvlearningcenter.com, www.rvtechnician.com, www.rvda.org, www.frvta.org, or call the RV Learning Center at (703) 591-7130 or FRVTA at (386) 754-4285.

The RVDA Education Foundation is a tax exempt organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code. Contributions may be tax deductible as charitable donations. FRVTA’s purpose is to promote and protect the general welfare of the Florida recreational vehicle and camping industry.

Fenechs Up Learning Center Support to $50K

Bill and Kristin Fenech increased their personal donation to the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) Education Foundation’s RV Learning Center by $10,000, making their total contribution $50,000, according to a news release from the RVDA.

The Fenechs have been supporters of the RV Learning Center since 2004. Bill Fenech is president of the Thor Industries Inc. subsidiaries Damon Motor Coach and Four Winds International.

“A gift to the RV Learning Center is one of the best ways to improve the availability of continuing education for RV dealership employees,” said Bill Fenech. “Kristin and I are pleased to be able to support these important industry programs that help improve the sales and service process for RV buyers.”

“Industry support is vital if the RV Learning Center is to develop and maintain its educational offerings,” said RVDA Education Foundation Chairman Rick Horsey of Parkview RV Center in Smyrna, Del. “We thank Bill and Kristin for their ongoing support for RV dealers and the RV Learning Center.”

The RV Learning Center is dedicated to providing dealers and their employees with innovative ways to operate RV dealerships through an array of education resources including publications, distance learning, live workshops, online products, training, and certification programs for RV dealership personnel. Participation in RV industry certification programs was a key recommendation of the Go RVing Coalition’s Committee on Excellence Task Force reports, which studied consumer satisfaction.

The RV Learning Center is in the midst of a 2010 Fundraising Challenge campaign to support industry education programs. For more information on the Foundation’s RV Learning Center and to contribute, visit www.rvlearningcenter.com, send an e-mail to info@rvda.org, or send a fax to (703) 359-0152. The RVDA Education Foundation is a tax exempt organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions may be tax deductible as charitable donations.

Fenech Foundation Raising Its RVDA Donation

The Ron & Lisa Fenech Foundation increased its donation to the RVDA Education Foundation’s RV Learning Center by $25,000, making their total donation $50,000. Ron Fenech is RV Group president for Thor Industries Inc. and responsible for all its RV businesses.

“The RV Learning Center is a valuable resource for RV industry education and certification,” Ron Fenech stated in a news release. “Lisa and I are proud to contribute to an organization dedicated to providing continuing education resources for RV dealership employees, who are on the front lines of customer service for our mutual customers.”

“The Ron & Lisa Fenech Foundation’s support for the work of the RV Learning Center is gratifying, especially as the RV industry recovers from the recession,” said RVDA Education Foundation Chairman Rick Horsey of Parkview RV Center in Smyrna, Del. “This contribution will help ensure that the RV Learning Center programs continue to be available for current and future dealership employees.”

The RV Learning Center is dedicated to providing dealers and their employees with innovative ways to operate RV dealerships through an array of education resources including publications, distance learning, live workshops, online products, training, and certification programs for RV dealership personnel. Participation in RV industry certification programs was a key recommendation of the Go RVing Coalition’s Committee on Excellence Task Force reports, which studied consumer satisfaction.

The RV Learning Center is in the midst of a 2010 Fundraising Challenge campaign to support industry education programs. For more information on the Foundation’s RV Learning Center and to contribute, visit www.rvlearningcenter.com, send an e-mail to info@rvda.org, or send a fax to (703) 359-0152. The RVDA Education Foundation is a tax exempt organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions may be tax deductible as charitable donations.

RVDA’s Faculty Cut Decision Has ‘No Real Impact’

The net effect of the decision of the RVDA Education Foundation’s board of directors to terminate the faculty program component of its RV Learning Center will be minimal, reports Phil Ingrassia, vice president of communications for the Fairfax, Va.-based Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA).

RVDA Education Foundation Chairman Rick Horsey, a Delaware dealer, informed the independent “faculty” trainers aligned with the RV Learning Center by letter in mid-April that the Learning Center had “indefinitely suspended” the program, which was a way for RVDA to identify qualified trainers for its membership. “It had run its course, and we continue to work with all those training providers,” Ingrassia told RVBUSINESS.com. “Nobody did anything wrong. We still have many (trainers) involved in workshops at the convention (the Con/Expo in early October).”

Among the trainers involved in the Learning Center’s “faculty” component were Kelly Enterprises, Marzahn & King Consulting Inc., Motley Consulting and Teaching, Sobel & Associates, Spader Business Management and Life Lessons–Bob Ash.

“Regretfully,” Horsey wrote in the mid-April letter to faculty members, “the program did not meet my original expectations. Most evident was my lack of foresight in not recognizing the competitive atmosphere and proprietary aspects of the training industry. With these obstacles, we are unable to jointly develop curriculum for the RV Learning Center.

“We are also unable to meet the expectations of faculty for providing direct training or referral business,” he continued. “The decision to suspend the program is not a reflection on the value the board feels faculty members provide the RV industry, or their relationship with RVDA. The board hopes that without the constraints of the foundation faculty program, the RV Learning Center will be in a better position to work on an individual basis with training providers.”

Through the certification programs provided by the RV Learning Center, which is “supported by dealers, manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and other RV industry members committed to dealership education and the high levels of customer service that is provided by educated employees,” dealership employees hone skills in specific areas, including service manager, service writer/advisor, warranty administrator, parts manager, and parts specialist.

Among the Learning Center’s training and professional development options:

• Educational opportunities via the Internet, audio, DVD/CD-ROM, and print publications, e.g., manuals.
• Learning Guides (available both in print and on CD-ROM) as preparation for the RV Learning Center’s five certification tests.
• Live classroom training and custom dealership consultation.
• RV Technician magazine – published online, six times a year.

Ingrassia, again, emphasized that the faculty decision will impact neither programming nor educational offerings. “There’s nothing that’s changed for the core learning center programs,” he said. “The faculty program was designed to work with trainers for mutually beneficial training opportunities for dealers. And as Rick pointed out in his letter, what we didn’t’ take into account was the competitive nature of the training. You know some of this stuff is proprietary. The level of cooperation was good, but it didn’t come out the way we expected. So the board just decided to suspend the program.”

Diversified Ups Pledge to RV Learning Center

Diversified Insurance Management Inc., headquartered in Plano, Texas, has kicked off the RV Learning Center’s 2010 Fundraising Challenge campaign with a major pledge of $11,000, which will bring the company’s total contribution to $21,000, according to a news release.

“Diversified Insurance Management’s pledge is an outstanding way to begin the RV Learning Center’s 2010 Fundraising Challenge effort,” said Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) Education Foundation Chairman Rick Horsey of Parkview RV Center in Smyrna, Del. “The RV market is entering a period of growth and RV dealership employees need access to continuing education resources to provide world-class service to our common customers.”

“Our team at Diversified Insurance Management recognizes that RV Learning Center provides important programs for dealership personnel that are on the front lines with our mutual end-use customers,” said Diversified Insurance President Ed Wilkins. “We want this pledge to challenge others in the industry to support RV dealership education.”

The RV Learning Center is dedicated to providing dealers and their employees with innovative ways to operate RV dealerships through an array of education resources including publications, distance learning, live workshops, online products, training, and certification programs for RV dealership personnel.

Participation in RV industry certification programs was a key recommendation of the Go RVing Coalition’s Committee on Excellence Task Force reports, which studied consumer satisfaction.

For more information on the Foundation’s RV Learning Center, visit www.rvlearningcenter.com, send an e-mail to info@rvda.org, or send a fax to (703) 359-0152. The RVDA Education Foundation is a tax exempt organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions may be tax deductible as charitable donations.

RV Learning Center Offers $2,500 Scholarships

The RV Learning Center is now accepting applications for its 2010-2011 scholarship program, according to a release from the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA).

The RV Learning Center scholarship program awards $2,500 scholarships to deserving college sophomore, junior, and senior undergraduate students majoring in business, finance, economics, accounting or other RV related subjects.

The scholarship is for RV company employees and their dependents. Dealer principals and their dependents are not eligible. A factor for awarding the scholarship may be an applicant’s background of RV industry employment or a desire to work in the RV business after completing post-secondary education. The application deadline is June 4.

The RV Learning Center scholarship program is possible through the generosity of the Newt and Joanne Kindlund family. The Kindlunds are the founders of Holiday RV Superstores — the first publicly traded RV dealership. The Kindlunds sold the company in 1999. Newt Kindlund remains an active participant in RV industry affairs and currently serves on the RVDA Education Foundation board of directors. The Kindlund family has fully funded the $270,000 foundation scholarship endowment.

“The purpose of the RV Learning Center scholarship is to help students acquire knowledge and skills that will contribute to the future of the RV industry,” said Newt Kindlund. “Joanne and I urge all eligible students to apply and take advantage of this excellent opportunity to advance their educational goals.”

“On behalf of the RVDA Education Foundation’s board of directors, I am pleased the RV Learning Center is able to continue to recognize outstanding students with its scholarship program,” said RVDA Education Foundation Chairman Rick Horsey of Parkview RV Center in Smyrna, Del. “It is another example of the RV Learning Center’s continuing commitment to our industry’s growth.”

Here are the RV Learning Center scholarship requirements. The applicant must:

• Have a 2.8 or better cumulative grade point average, and a 1050 minimum SAT score (1575 minimum on the 2400 point scale). A minimum ACT composite score of 22 is also acceptable.
• Be a rising sophomore, junior, or senior college undergraduate student.
• Complete a 500-word essay on their goals and objectives for attending college.
• Submit a copy of Pre-Application Worksheets. These forms are available from guidance counselors or may be downloaded for no charge from the U.S. Department of Education at www.fafsa.ed.gov (FAFSA forms) or at www.fafsa.ed.gov/fafsaws01bw.pdf (pre-application worksheet).
• Demonstrate the ability and willingness to fund a portion of their educational expenses on their own.
• Attend an accredited four-year college or university as a condition of receiving the scholarship.

All requirements must be met by the application deadline of June 4. For an application and more information, visit www.rvlearningcenter.com.

For more information on the RV Learning Center, visit www.rvlearningcenter.com, send an e-mail to info@rvda.org, or a fax to (703) 591-0734. The RVDA Education Foundation is a tax-exempt organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions may be tax deductible as charitable donations.

RV Tech Prep Course Ups Chances of Passing Test

RV technicians who complete the online RV Technician Certification Prep Course available through the RV Learning Center are significantly more likely to earn technician certification from the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA)  and Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) than those who do not take the course, according to an RVDA news release.

Seventy-nine percent of RV technicians who completed the online prep course passed the RVDA-RVIA Technician Certification test, compared to 61% of technicians who did not use the course to prepare for the test. The percentages are based on technicians who took the certification test between July 1, 2008, and Jan. 1, 2010.

“My opinion of the course is that it’s excellent,” said Don Crawford of Full Service RV Inc. in San Antonio, Texas. “It did a good job of preparing me for the certification test and the course is well-designed and thought out.”

The RV Technician Certification Prep Course, developed by RVIA, and available at www.rvlearningcenter.com, is an interactive online course. It combines text, audio, graphics, video and a mentor-led technician community forum. The sections within the certification preparation course correspond to the certification test sections. These sections include propane, electrical, plumbing, brakes, suspension and towing, appliances, generators, hydraulics, exterior, interior, expandable rooms and miscellaneous tasks. There are also practice tests after each chapter and section that will provide immediate review and feedback.

“When all instructional content is complete, the student takes a certification practice test. The questions on the certification test are representative of the actual test,” said Bruce Hopkins, RVIA vice president of standards and education. “The practice test is timed so a technician can determine how he will perform under the three-hour time restraint of the certification test.”

The course is self-paced and based on the individual’s time and motivation. The course automatically tracks the individual technician’s progress. Completion of the course also applies to recertification requirements for existing certified RV technicians.

“This is a great course for the service technician that wants to advance himself through the certification process. It is extremely easy to use and easily accessible,” said Tony Yerman, RV Learning Center service consultant.

The new RV Technician Certification Preparation Course is available anytime, anywhere with high-speed Internet access. The price for the course starts at $249 for each technician with discounts available for registering four or more technicians. For more information or to register, visit www.rvlearningcenter.com.

The RV Learning Center is dedicated to providing dealers and their employees with innovative ways to operate RV dealerships through an array of education resources including publications, distance learning, live workshops, online products, training, and certification programs for RV dealership personnel. For more information on the RVDA Education Foundation’s RV Learning Center, visit www.rvlearningcenter.com, send an e-mail to info@rvda.org, or send a fax to (703) 359-0152. The RVDA Education Foundation is a tax-exempt organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions may be tax deductible as charitable donations.

RVDA Education Foundation Elects Dan Pearson

 

The Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) Education Foundation board of directors elected Dan Pearson of PleasureLand RV Centers Inc. in St. Cloud, Minn., as vice chairman at their meeting on Nov. 30 in Louisville, Ky., according to a news release.

Pearson has a long record of service to RV dealers. He is a participating past chairman of RVDA, serves on the RV Assistance Corp. board of directors and is active in the Minnesota RV Dealers Association. He is also a major financial contributor to the Foundation’s RV Learning Center. Pearson succeeds Jim Sheldon of Monaco RV LLC, who will remain on the board.

“Since the formation of the RVDA Education Foundation in the early 1990s, Dan Pearson has been instrumental in the development of continuing education programs for dealership personnel,” said RVDA Education Foundation Chairman Rick Horsey of Parkview RV Center in Smyrna, Del. “Dan is one of the best minds in RV retailing today, and we are fortunate to have him serve as vice chairman while the foundation develops programs that meet the challenges the RV industry faces today and in the future.”

The board also re-elected Horsey as chairman and Bill Koster of Protective, as secretary/treasurer.

The RVDA board elected Jeff Pastore of Hartville RV Center, in Hartville, Ohio, as a director at its meeting in Louisville on Nov. 30.

The RV Learning Center is dedicated to providing dealers and their employees with innovative ways to operate RV dealerships through an array of education resources including publications, distance learning, live workshops, online products, training, and certification programs for RV dealership personnel. For more information on the RVDA Education Foundation’s RV Learning Center, visit www.rvlearningcenter.com, send an e-mail to info@rvda.org, or send a fax to (703) 359-0152.

The RVDA Education Foundation is a tax exempt organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions may be tax deductible as charitable donations.

« Previous Page — Next Page »