Attendees at the 2025 Aftermarket Conference in San Antonio took time away from meetings Wednesday to celebrate members who RVIA said are “committed to excellence and growth in RV parts and accessories.”
The Supplier of the Year Award went to AP Products.
The award is voted on by all distributor members, who review customer service, employees’ expertise, fill rate and the ability to launch new products to determine the finalists and winner.
AP Products was founded in 1994 by Tom Manning Sr. to assist a supplier that the Tom Manning & Associates manufacturer’s rep group represented. The company is based in Coldwater, Michigan.
Finalists in the Supplier of the Year category included Genesis Products and Thetford.
Power Watchdog, formerly known as Hughes Autoformers, won the Product of the Year Award for its Watchdog Power Center. The product topped more than a dozen entries in the category, with the winner determined by a panel of dealers and distributors.
RVIA said the panel considered innovation, value and usability to determine the finalists.
Other finalists in the category included MORryde’s EzSstor Hitch and Valterra Products’ E-Valve 3-inch Electric Waste Valve.
Atlas Trailer Coach Products won Distributor of the Year, which is voted on by all supply members. The win comes two years after Atlas Trailer Coach General Manager Art Tischer won the Jim Barker Lifetime Achievement Award. On Monday, Atlas Trailer Coach President Garry Bewernick will be inducted into the RV/Manufactured Housing Hall of Fame.
Finalists in the category included NTP-Stag and Meyer Distributing.
Derema Group won the Rep Group of the Year Award for the second consecutive year.
The award is voted on by aftermarket distributors, who consider work ethic, customer service, product knowledge, training and support to determine the finalists and winner.
Finalists included Dealer Resources Group and Tom Manning and Associates.
Mike Thompson’s RV claimed the Chairman’s Award.
Carlson President Bob Brammer and BAL RV Products Aftermarket Sales Manager John Hawkins hosted the awards ceremony.
Previous Jim Barker Award/Aftermarket Lifetime Achievement Award winners are:
2023 Art Tischer, Atlas Trailer Coach Products
2022 Donna Martin, NTP-STAG
2021 Jerry Edwards, Roadmaster Inc.
2019 George Grengs, Valterra Products Inc.
2018 Bob Brammer, Stromberg Carlson Products
2017 Darryl Searer, Ultra-Fab Products
2015 John Spaulding, NTP-STAG
2014 Tom Manning, Tom Manning & Associates
2013 Jerry Shepherd, Shepherd Sales Inc.
2010 Ron Dempster, BRD Supply
2008 Mike Keller, Keller Marine & RV
2007 Ellen Kietzmann, Blue Ox
2005 Shirley Prest, Prest-O-Fit Manufacturing, Inc
2004 George Cargo
2003 Gary Chancy, Leisure Time Marketing
2001 Stan Sunshine, Stag-Parkway
1998 Jay Hesse, Blue Ox
1997 Hal Fowler, DTI RV Appliance Parts
1996 George Keller, Keller Marine & RV
1995 Max Waugh
1994 Robert Brammer, Sr., Stromberg Carlson Products
1993 Dan Holt, RV News magazine
1992 Raymond M. Arth, Jr.
1991 Jack McDonald/Chris Treiber
1990 Larry Boyd
1988 John Roba
1987 Ken Oaks
1986 Joe Tyson
1985 Marvin Whetter
1984 Marlene Sine
1983 Paul Tweedy
1982 A. Ben Long
1981 Jim Kirchner
1980 L. Vernon Trabert
1979 John Meredith
1978 Ted Kaplan
1977 Chuck Sisk
1976 Jack Budrow
1972 Brownie Hardison
