In Tow with RV PRO

The RV industry is, at its heart, about helping people have fun. For the vast majority of RV buyers, a dealership is their first entry into the lifestyle. Sometimes, relationships are formed that last years, if not generations. Phil Ingrassia is president of the RV Dealers Association and represents those dealers, whether it’s a husband-and-wife operation on a 2-acre lot or a dealer with 300 units onsite. Who better to talk to about what’s on dealers’ minds at the moment than the person that works with them every day?

EV technology continues to evolve, and Volta Power Systems is among the companies pushing for its increased adoption into the RV world. Advancements are being made every day and Jon Mulder, vice president of sales for Volta, is bullish on EVs’ future and the technology’s ability to deliver the power that RVers want in an efficient, safe and effective manner. And thankfully, he’s got a talent for explaining this complex subject so even a podcast host can understand it!

The RV and camping industries have always been married at the hip. Not everyone wants to go off-grid, and when you decide to camp at a KOA instead of, say, a private campground, you can expect a certain level of comfort and service that Kampgrounds of America has refined over the past six decades. President and CEO Toby O’Rourke guides this venerable company and knows that outdoor enthusiasts have choices in where they stay. And the company has so much more to offer these days than just a firepit and a spot to put an RV or a tent.

Ep. 66 – Alexis and NeVelle Skaggs Keep Their Dealership in the Family

NeVelle Skaggs’ exposure to RVs dates back to camping with his family when he was a kid, and then in high school working at a dealership, where he cleaned, detailed and eventually did PDIs. In 1983, he launched Skaggs RV Outlet in his home state of Kentucky, and then a few years later his wife gave birth to the person that sits in the general manager’s chair today – their daughter, Alexis. It was an indirect route to finding her career, but she was quickly hooked. She relishes the ability she and her staff have as a key role in their customers’ happiness. Listening to her pop, you won’t wonder where that attitude comes from. Like father, like daughter.

The past few years have been record breaking for Performance Brokerage Services, a family-owned company specializing in brokering the buying and selling of dealerships of all types. Jesse Stopnitzky heads up the RV and marine division for the company, and said that the past three years was a time of unprecedented activity in terms of dealerships changing hands. That time has passed, he said, but it’s far from coming to a halt – things now are just different. In terms of the inside scoop on where M&A activity stands for the summer of ’23, you can’t get a better perspective than Jesse’s.

As head of the RV and marine division for Wells Fargo, Chad Lyon had a ringside seat to the chaos created in the industry during the height of COVID-19 and its aftermath. It was a boom unlike the industry had ever seen before, but almost just as quickly the days of record shipments every month faded away and returned to something more resembling pre-COVID days. But even today, in the summer of 2023, the shadow of the pandemic hasn’t completely faded away. Lyon’s job it to make sense of it all, and that’s what he did for us here on In Tow with RV PRO.

Darry Searer stepped in to run the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Indiana, more than a decade ago at a time when many people had written the hall off as all but dead – it was loaded down by debt with no realistic prospects of digging its way out. But the industry veteran accepted the challenge ¬– working pro bono – and methodically turned it around to where it is today: fiscally healthy and expanding. We caught up with Darryl in advance of the two biggest events on the hall’s calendar: the induction of the Class of 2023 in August and the Suppliers Show that coincides with Open House Week in late September.

Many different elements go into establishing and maintaining a successful dealership, but at the core is the parts and service department. “Fixed operations” – as they’re called – are all consultant Don Reed and his company, DealerPRO Training, are concerned with. For him, an effective fixed ops department can make – and just as easily break – an otherwise strong operation. He’ll explain his fascination with fixed ops and why they are so critical to a healthy dealership.

Sponsored by Blue Ox

Jack Kay is president and CEO of Torklift, a company specializing in hitch- and tow-related products that was founded by his late father, Jon, and recently celebrated the 47th anniversary of its launch. Lots of business owners say they put their people first, but top to bottom Torklift really does take a different approach with its staff. Kay said that not only leads to happier employees, but it helps drive the constant innovation so necessary in such a competitive field.

Decades ago, LaDonna Meadows applied for a job that turned into a successful career. Meadows founded Tacoma RV Center in Tacoma, Washington, 34 years ago, and her roots in the industry go back another decade-plus from that. Like so many others, she was bit by the RV bug and never looked back. Meadows has a simple yet effective philosophy about how she runs her store, both in terms of the customers and her employees. She’ll share what she’s learned and offer her perspective on women in the RV industry then and now.