Newmar’s new head of design has a varied career background, with his experience coming from outside the RV industry.
Eric Beak was hired as Newmar’s head of design in the fall of 2025. He works closely with Pat Carroll, Newmar’s Type A product marketing manager, and Kevin Erdman, the Type C product marketing manager.
The trio, all hired within the past year, had the opportunity to put the finishing features on Newmar’s 2027 model year RVs, but will have a much greater role in the 2028 model year.
“In my second week, I was pulled into the coach and asked, ‘Eric, how can you solve this?’” he said. “It was immediate, but this is my personality. If I can stay day and night, or stay during the weekend, to shorten the time that I can bring the best product to market, I will do it.”
Beak has a design background with prominent roles in the automotive industry. After graduating from college, he was hired at the Audi Design Studio in California. He worked on 13 brand designs for Audi and the Volkswagen Group, including Bentley, Bugatti, Porsche and more. He spent six years with Audi and Volkswagen.
He said the exposure to so many different brands so early in his career was incredible.
He asked, “How many young designers can sketch one day for Lamborghini and another day for Porsche?”
He moved from Audi to Volvo, where he spent the next decade. He said the Volvo experience exposed him to design focused on ergonomics and human orientation. He said Volvo’s automotive DNA consists of safety and human-oriented design solutions. He said he learned how to combine visually appealing designs with a user experience that makes people feel happy.
“During the Volvo work, I solidified my design principles and philosophy,” he said, “which is, form follows the function and function follows the human being.”
During his time with Volvo, Beak was called to Sweden, where Volvo is based. He spent three years with the corporate headquarters as the lead exterior designer. Beak could not remain in Sweden any longer without gaining a residence card, which would have meant a permanent move for his family.
In his time overseas, he learned the third prong of his design philosophy: strategic design, which defines a company’s vision and goals. He said the process created continual incremental success rather than the traditional highs and lows he experienced with new designs annually.
“In that way,” he said, “our brand can be kept attractive and visibly different from so many of our competitors.”
He returned to California in 2019 to serve as Volvo’s head of design USA, tasked with transforming the core strategic work he led in Sweden to the North American market. After the promotion, his design scope expanded to include user experience (UX) and user interface (UI).
Eventually, a market slowdown required the Volvo USA design division to shut down. Once again, Beak was offered the chance to work in Sweden permanently. Again, he declined, citing family concerns.
A colleague connected Beak with Chicago-based International Motor, a commercial vehicle division of the Volkswagen Group. Beak joined the company as its chief designer.
He said the fit was not exactly right. The premium luxury experiences and products he designed before then were different from the commercial vehicles he worked with at International Motor.
“They are like Costco,” he said. “I know how I can make this truck look $100,000 more expensive. If you ask me to make it look expensive while de-contenting, and to put more storage and baggage in instead of comfort …”
The experience he gained was in organization and chassis. The lessons would fit in when he got a call for his new role at Newmar.
“One of my colleagues said there were some really good guys there and asked if I wanted to get connected,” he said. “The next thing, Ryan (Buurstra, Newmar’s vice president of marketing) called and asked if I wanted to expand my portfolio.”
Beak said Newmar’s intersection between heritage and consumer-forward focus was the perfect fit for his skills.
“Newmar has all three,” he said. “We are holding really good brand equity and reputation as a brand who listens to customers. I design for customers’ needs, so it is completely great.”
At the same time, he said Newmar values a premium luxury experience, which Beak has built his career around. He was so excited to jump into 2028 model year planning that he joked he had begun working on it two days before he started with Newmar.
“It is a very meaningful job,” he said. “It is somewhat more meaningful than my previous career.”
He said in Los Angeles County, the average driver spends 49 minutes a day in their car.
“Here, you have to live with it,” he said. “A comprehensive design solution is needed.”
Beak told the story of a consumer he met at the Florida RV SuperShow in January in Tampa. The consumer talked with Beak about her RV, then followed up to share pictures of her RV and her friends’ RV to get his opinion.
“I feel very happy, because this kind of dialogue becomes my brainstorming ideas,” he said. “My sketch is helping people.”
Newmar Vice President of Sales Matt Ellinger has worked closely with Beak since the head of design joined the manufacturer. Ellinger said their bond has been forged in part by working after hours, usually until 7:30 p.m. on weekdays.
“What Eric brings is this new automotive set of eyes,” Ellinger said, “that gives us the ability to think differently. Thinking about exteriors, interiors and what ergonomic means. We have had some really cool late-night phone calls about getting updated on the industry.”
