The Family RV Association (FRVA) named longtime employee Doug Uhlenbrock as executive director, effective immediately. The association’s executive board unanimously approved the appointment.
Uhlenbrock replaces Chris Smith, who left FRVA in July 2024 after eight years as the CEO and executive director.
Uhlenbrock joined FRVA in 2001 as an associate editor for Family Motor Coaching magazine, now called Family RVing.
“I am honored and excited to step into this new role at FRVA,” Uhlenbrock said. “We face many challenges, but also great opportunities to reinvent the ways we provide the education, benefits and community involvement that RVers want and need from a membership group.”
FRVA National President Paul Mitchell said Uhlenbrock’s experience helps him uniquely understand the association.
“We believe that Doug will bring stability to FRVA and keep us moving forward as the premier RV association,” Mitchell said. “With 24 years of experience, he understands our needs, is dedicated to growing the association, and meets one of our major criteria: a desire to remain with us long-term.”
In 2014, Uhlenbrock became events manager, working with the director of events to plan international conventions. FRVA said Uhlenbrock has overseen 15 conventions since his promotion to director of events in 2017.
“With the support of our national leadership and the dedicated effort of our national office staff and volunteers,” Uhlenbrock said, “I am optimistic that FRVA is ready to shed the reputation as ‘the best-kept secret in RVing’ and prove that we are the leading RV association in North America.”
