(Fairfax, VA) – Mary Anne Shreve will join RVDA -- The National RV Dealers Association -- as editor on August 10. Shreve, a former senior editor at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), is an award-winning editor with more than 20 years of experience producing print and online content for trade associations, publications, and newspapers.

“Mary Anne will be a superb addition to the RVDA staff team,” said RVDA President Mike Molino. “She has a keen understanding of the business issues facing dealers which will enable RVDA to enhance the content we deliver to members and the industry through RV Executive Today magazine, our website, social media, and online newsletters.”

Shreve is a two-time recipient of the Washington Automotive Press Association’s Golden Quill Award and has also earned recognition for journalistic excellence from the Missouri School of Journalism (Magnum Opus Award) and the American Society of Association Executives (Gold Circle Award).

Shreve succeeds Melissa Broadus, who is moving on to become Communications Director for the Air Conditioning Contractors of America in Arlington, VA.

RVDA is the national association representing RV retailers. The association's members include RV dealers, RV rental operators, and RV AfterMarket sales and service locations.

The truck-and trailer-rental industry lost a long-time advocate and innovator on July 22, with the passing of John Abromavage Sr. He was 78.

Abromavage, a 52-year employee of U-Haul International, Inc., was the director of the Company's Engineering Services Department for more than 40 years.

Abromavage also was an Air Force flight engineer during the Korean Conflict, flying approximately 152 missions in B-25s, B-29s, C-46s and C-119s, to name but a few.

Abromavage was active in the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for more than 30 years, serving as chair of its Trailer and Standards Committees. Abromavage worked closely with, and presented U-Haul Company's and the industry's viewpoint to legislative bodies, regulatory agencies, enforcement agencies, and automotive and engineering societies and organizations.

Abromavage enjoyed a national reputation for his expertise in vehicle safety and design. He received numerous awards and commendations from state governments for helping to improve vehicle safety standards. His knowledge and experience in accident-prevention methods were sought out by law-enforcement agencies throughout the country.

His list of engineering accomplishments is impressive and extensive: 31 U.S. and Canadian patents, 75 international patents and 24 solidly proven truck and trailer designs. (A sketch pad was never far from Abromavage's side, and he was forever jotting down notes and drawing up product-improvement ideas.)

In 1959, Abromavage was involved with the design and manufacturing of the U-Haul HV trailer, which was the first tandem trailer with brakes.

And in 1967, following the birth of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Abromavage led testing to prove that towing with a trailer was, indeed, an efficient and effective option for do-it-yourself movers.

Though not many people have heard the word "luten," millions of people know them as "Mom's Attic" on the front of the van box over the cab of U-Haul trucks. Abromavage was there for that one, too.

In an interview in 2008, Abromavage explained. "Back in 1970, (U-Haul co-founder) L.S. Shoen went to Europe and saw what was on the road in England. During seven days in June, we spec'd out a whole new van body. Now, of course, you see that truck style everywhere, but U-Haul was the company that brought the convenience and extra storage capacity of overcab space to the self-moving public."

"John stood up for the U-Haul customer for decades," stated U-Haul CEO Joe Shoen. "His passing is sad. He has left a legacy of work product and a work ethic. We should honor him by maintaining these standards."

Abromavage is survived by his son, John, and his daughter, Tammy.

John will be interred at the National Cemetery in Phoenix in a private ceremony.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in John's name be made to one of the following:

ALS Association Arizona Chapter
4643 E. Thomas Road Suite 1
Phoenix, AZ 85012
webaz.alsa.org

Hospice of the Valley
1510 E. Flower St.
Phoenix, AZ 85014
hov.org/donations.aspx

ELKHART, Ind. - Vixen Composites, LLC has announced its management team in anticipation of start-up operations this quarter at 2965 LaVanture Place. The newly established company announced last January that it was investing $6.1 million in equipment and improvements to the 98,000-square-foot LaVanture Place facility, which will serve as Vixen's manufacturing headquarters.

Gregg Fore, president of Vixen, said start-up plans are on schedule and the new company is primed to make an impact in the RV industry. Vixen specializes in structural and exterior composite panels that allow RVs to become more lightweight while also improving structural integrity and durability. Vixen will also serve the commercial trailer, trucking and marine markets. It is affiliated with Dicor Corporation, a long-time supplier for the RV industry located in Elkhart. Fore is also president of Dicor.

"We see this as a great opportunity to work with our RV manufacturing partners in building a better RV. We intend to be on the leading edge of wood-free, composite technology. Lighter, sturdier, and trouble-free after the sale is what the market is demanding," said Fore. "We're very confident the core management group we have assembled will enable us to expertly serve that demand."

Leadership Team
Gordon Frost will serve as Vixen General Manager. Frost has more than 21 years of engineering, manufacturing and marketing experience, most recently serving as Dicor's Product Manager, Construction Materials. Prior to his association with Dicor, Frost worked nine years for Owens Corning - Fabwel Division/Crane Composites. During that tenure he served as Technical Director/Technical Leader, Manager of Research and Development, and Application Engineer. He also received the Slayter Award for Innovation for his work in developing the CTEC™ all-composite, wood-free, high-gloss exterior sidewall RV sidewall panel. He holds multiple U.S. patents and is Six Sigma Black Belt trained.

Joe Kromkowski will be Director of Operations. Kromkowski comes to Vixen from General Sheet Metal Works of South Bend and Tomah, Wis., where he served as Director, Production Operations. In this capacity he led an operations team that included Production, Engineering, ISO 9001 Quality Management, and Continuous Improvement of both the South Bend and Tomah facilities. Prior to that he was Vice President, Operations for Tydenbrammall, Angola, Ind., where he directed financial/business and operational enhancements for the manufacture of high volume cargo security seals. Other positions over his 28-year career have included Director of Corporate Engineering and Quality, Project Engineer, and Senior Automation Engineer. He is also Six Sigma Black Belt trained.

Tom Conn has been named Director of Sales. Conn has 25 years of industry sales experience, including Sales Manager for Alpha Systems LLC of Elkhart, a manufacturer of products for the RV, marine and manufactured housing industries. He has also held the position of Vice President for Mito Corporation, a distributor of 12-volt automotive aftermarket products.

Vixen plans to create up to 34 new jobs by 2012. "We expect our team to make Vixen a leader in its field, and that includes the same service, resourcefulness and reliability that Dicor Corporation and its affiliated companies are known for."

For more information about Dicor Corp., its products, and affiliated companies, visit www.dicor.com.

Keith Corson, who founded Coachmen Industries with his brothers, died Wednesday afternoon in Elkhart General Hospital.

Although Corson retired from the recreational vehicle industry more than a decade ago, he still was regarded with respect and affection.

"We certainly always viewed Coachmen and the Corson family as personal and professional friends," said Derald Bontrager, president and chief operation office of Jayco. "We had a tremendous amount of respect for the Corson family and the legacy they have left the industry."

In an interview with The Elkhart Truth in 2008, Corson talked about running the company with his brothers and sister, then added a touch of his trademark humor.

"We all had strengths and weaknesses," he said. "I had most of the weaknesses."

Sid Johnson, director of marketing for Jayco, joined Coachmen in 1975 and reported directly to Corson. He considered Corson a personal friend as well as a professional colleague and credited him with much of Coachmen's success.

"There aren't many people in the RV industry or anywhere that I have as much respect for as I had for Keith," Johnson said. "He was not only an RV industry leader, he was the backbone of Coachmen Industries in its early days and its growth period."

Corson's passing follows the death of his brother, Claude, who died in May 9 at the age of 80. According to his obituary, Keith Corson, 74, had been battling an extended illness.

In 1964, the three Corson brothers, Claude, Keith and Tom, started Corson Car and Coach Co. A short time later, they changed the name to Coachmen Industries and built the company into a leader that provided a training ground for many of the managers and company owners working in the industry.

"It was wonderful," Corson told The Truth. "It was just a lot of fun starting a company from scratch."

Corson left Coachmen in the early 1980s to pursue other business interests but returned in 1991 as president. He retired in 2000.

Johnson described Corson as having a "wonderful sense of humor" and remembered the days when Corson would use the companywide paging system to call him ("Sid Johnson. Sid Johnson. 206, please") instead of just picking up the phone.

"He brought integrity, honesty, a great deal of contemplation and thought process to do things the way they should be done," Johnson said. "I think probably the biggest thing he drove home to me was the importance of honesty in all your dealings in business and doing what you say you're going to do."

During the Annual Membership Meeting at the Century Center in South Bend, Ind. on June 9, RVIA honored industry leaders who exhibited outstanding contributions to the association and the RV industry this past year.

“RVIA’s Awards program was established to recognize individuals in a variety of areas who have gone far beyond the call of duty to work for the betterment of the RV industry,” said RVIA Chairman of the Board Jim Sheldon. “With our industry celebrating its Centennial, those we are honoring today are the type of leaders who have allowed the industry to prosper for the last 100 years.”

Distinguished Service to the RV Industry Award – Recognized as the Industry’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual within the RV Industry who sets themselves apart through outstanding service. This year’s recipient was Gregg Fore of Dicor Corporation.

“RVIA and the RV industry have benefited tremendously from Gregg’s considerable service,” Sheldon said. Fore currently serves as a member of the RVIA Board and holds the office of First Vice Chairman on the Executive Committee. In addition, he chairs the Strategic Planning Committee and has chaired the Standards Steering Committee.

“With his sharp intellect, a pragmatic, no-nonsense point of view, and the ability to provide timely and insightful opinions, Gregg’s influence has been positive and far-reaching,” Sheldon continued.

The David J. Humphreys RV Industry Unity Award – Sherm Goldenberg was named the fourth recipient of the David J. Humphreys RV Industry Unity Award, named after the long-time RVIA president. The award honors those who continuously strive to encourage the multiple constituencies of the RV Industry to work collectively for the growth and betterment of the industry.

“As publisher of RV Business magazine, he holds tremendous influence, deciding what news and topics are covered and read by the industry. He could easily instigate tension and sow disagreement between industry segments, but that’s not Sherm,” said Sheldon. “His coverage of the industry is fair, open-minded and examines all sides of the issues. In this way, understanding and cooperation are fostered.”

In the mid-1980s, Sherm Goldenberg was the news editor of RV News.

Special Award – Pete Liegl of Forest River was honored with the Special Award for his extraordinary contributions to the RV Industry’s overall success. “Pete is a visionary entrepreneur reminiscent of the early pioneers that formed and built the RV industry,” said Sheldon.

Forest River grew into one of the industry’s largest and most successful companies drawing the attention of Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway, who bought the company. The sale generated significant exposure and enhanced credibility to the RV industry.

Distinguished Achievement in RV Standards – The Distinguished Achievement in RV Standards Award, honoring an individual making outstanding contributions toward the advance of standards in our industry, was presented to Jeff Christner, director of codes and standards at Forest River.

“His dedication to serve and assist in the development of standards and policies greatly helps our industry build safer RVs” Sheldon said. “Jeff has shown unrivaled commitment to the RVIA standards department for a decade.”

National Education Service Award – The National Education Service Award is presented to recognize those who have been instrumental in the development of educational programs in the RV industry. This year’s recipient is Gary Bunzer, honored for his service on the review committees for several textbooks as well as for his efforts to make technical education available to technicians and consumers through magazines, book and websites.

“You will find no greater champion for RV technical education than Gary Bunzer,” said Sheldon.

In the 1980s, Gary Bunzer was the technical editor of RV News.

National Service Award – John Regan of Fabric Services was the honoree for the National Service Award, presented to an individual, company or organization outside the manufacturing segment who has contributed to the industry. John has contributed in many outstanding ways to RVIA as a very active and engaged member of the association.

“John is well-respected, energetic and can always be counted on to bring a fresh, big-picture point of view to critical discussions,” Sheldon said. “He has a very strong belief in the role the association plays in representing the membership and advancing the RV industry.”

Doug Whyte, president of Dometic Corporation, was recently appointed to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association board of directors in representation of industry suppliers.

“It’s a great honor to be appointed by the RVIA board of directors to represent Dometic and the association’s best interests,” said Whyte. “I take the responsibilities and importance of this position very seriously, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve on the board.”

Board members fill seats from a variety of categories in the RV industry and serve three-year terms to effectively manage the affairs of the association. “It will be a privilege to join with the other board members and RVIA executives to deal with current issues as well as long-range planning for the greater good of the industry,” Whyte stated. “I will do my utmost to continue the legacy of unification and market-viability for our industry’s well-being.”

Prior to his position at Dometic, Whyte held leadership positions with companies such as Ford Motor Company and Ingersoll Rand, including serving as president of the Wenzel Company, where he was responsible for commercial and consumer products for outdoor leisure, home comfort, camping, hiking, hospitality and other applications.

Heartland Recreational Vehicles, LLC (“Heartland”), the fastest growing manufacturer of towable RVs in America, today announced that it has expanded its management team with the appointment of 25-year industry veteran, Jeffery Kime, to the newly created position of President.

In this capacity Mr. Kime will help oversee Heartland’s operational, sales and marketing activities, reporting to Brian Brady, Heartland’s Chief Executive Officer.

“As Heartland’s founders and senior management team, Tim Hoffman, John Rhymer, Jack Culbertson and I are extremely proud of the exceptional growth Heartland has achieved. The expansion of our management team reflects this growth as well as the significant upside opportunities that remain ahead,” said Mr. Brady.

“Heartland has established itself as the fastest growing company in our industry, counter to the trends that many of our peers have faced. We are differentiated by our innovation, solid dealer relationships and strong market position. We believe Jeff’s industry experience and record of execution will help us capitalize on our strengths to further extend Heartland’s leadership,” continued Mr. Brady. Heartland’s management style has always been collaborative and collegial. Jeff will be part of this collaborative effort and will work closely with the founding partners to achieve long-term sustainable growth.

“I am pleased to join the Heartland team at such an exciting time of growth and opportunity for the Company,” said Mr. Kime. “I look forward to partnering with Tim, John, Jack and Brian as well as the entire management team as we work to drive the Company’s continued success.”

Prior to joining Heartland, Mr. Kime worked for 19 years at Four Winds International Corp., a subsidiary of Thor Industries Inc., including serving most recently as Four Winds’ President for almost 15 years. Over this period, Mr. Kime helped position Four Winds’ Hurricane brand as the market leader in Class A motorhomes and helped establish the Company as the #2 market share leader in Class C motorhomes.

Well-known RV dealer Tadd Jenkins has been named national sales manager for Entegra Coach, the luxury motorhome division of Jayco, Inc.

In making the announcement, Jim Jacobs, general manager of the Starcraft RV and Entegra Coach divisions, said Jenkins will be responsible for developing and implementing strategic sales plans to achieve the company’s objectives in the motorhome market. “For the past two years, we have combined the sales staff for Starcraft and Entegra Coach. We have now reached the stage in the development of our motorhome operations where we believe it is appropriate for us to place added management emphasis in the sales department at Entegra Coach. Since 2008, Brent Froman has served as sales manager of both Starcraft RV and Entegra Coach; this change will allow him to concentrate his efforts on sales development of the Starcraft brand. Tadd Jenkins brings a unique perspective to our company’s operations. He has extensive experience as an RV dealership owner and we’re pleased to have the benefit of his leadership and knowledge of the business,” Jacobs said.

Jenkins started Bish’s RV Center in Twin Fall, Idaho in 1992. Since that time, the dealership has grown to three locations and is today the largest volume RV dealer in the state of Idaho. He has served on the Board of Delegates of the national Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association and currently is a member of the Board of Directors of RVDA. He serves on the Governor’s Council on Travel and Tourism in the state of Idaho and over the years has been a member of various local and state boards and advisory councils. He and his wife, Tamra, and their family will reside in the Middlebury area.

Entegra Coach is a member of the Jayco family of companies, the world’s largest privately-held manufacturer of recreational vehicles. Headquartered in Middlebury, Indiana, Entegra Coach manufactures and markets luxury diesel-powered motorhomes under the Cornerstone, Anthem, Aspire and Insignia brand names. For additional information about Entegra Coach or its products, go to www.entegracoach.com or call 800-945-4787.

Dometic LLC announces the promotion of Nick Johnson to e-commerce/Web manager for the Americas. In his new position, Johnson will be responsible for directing the implementation of Dometic’s Web projects and e-commerce channel strategies, both business-to-business and business-to-consumer.

He will also work in conjunction with Dometic Group Web leadership on global Web and e-commerce initiatives.

“I am excited to work with our different customer groups in constructing successful Web programs,” said Johnson, who has been with the company for four years. “It has been a rewarding process to communicate with our customers to find solutions to their needs. Dometic will continue to leverage the strength of our global Web program, while also focusing on country-, market- and channel-specific initiatives.”

Jayco, Inc. announced changes in its senior management team. David Turner has been named director of corporate services and chief product engineer and Mark Fortney has been appointed general manager of the company's JET transport division.

Turner has nearly 20 years experience in the RV industry. He joined Jayco in 2004 as chief corporate engineer. Prior to joining Jayco he was chief design engineer for Fleetwood Folding Trailers and had served in various engineering roles for Fruehauf Corporation and the Army Corps of Engineers. He is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, with degrees in Civil Engineering and Structural Analysis. As director of corporate services, he replaces Marc West, who was recently promoted to Vice President, Customer Service. Turner and his family reside in Middlebury, IN.

Fortney joins Jayco after a twenty year career in finance, planning and operations management with Onan Corporation and FMC Corporation. Most recently, he served as general manager of the Elkhart, IN operation of Onan Corporation. He is a graduate of Moorhead State University in Moorhead, MN with a BA degree in Accounting and Finance. He and his family live in Granger, IN.