Lance Wilson, executive director of the Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA), recently announced his upcoming retirement from the position he’s held since 1993. He will formally retire this August.
Among his many duties with the FRVTA, Wilson helped bring the popular FRVTA Florida SuperShow to life. RV owners and prospective buyers travel to Florida for the event from across North America, Europe and the Middle East each year.
“Someone once said, ‘Do something you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.’ I tell people all the time that if I weren’t doing this, I’d have to get a real job,” Wilson said. “The RV industry is so exciting and vibrant. The people are just the best.”
Wilson’s career in the RV industry launched in 1971, when his father-in-law bought Foss RV Sales, an RV sales and storage facility in Florida. The company started out selling travel trailers and later added park models. Wilson began working part-time in sales, service and whatever else needed doing. In 1974, he moved to full-time and then became General Manager in 1976.
Wilson stepped up as president of Foss RV Sales in 1982 when his father-in-law passed away. By 1993, he had become the full-time director of FRVTA, and his wife Joy ran the family business while it was on the market. The business sold in 1994.
Wilson is also a member and past president of the RV Executives Council. Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Florida are longtime participants, and other states, such as Oklahoma, California, and Texas, have recognized the merit of inclusion and have joined in. RVIA, RDVA, RVDA Canada plus several Provinces are members as well. Wilson has also served on the Go RVing committee since its inception.
Although Wilson’s achievements in the RV industry lead to his induction into the Hall of Fame in 2019, he’s said his proudest accomplishment is his family. He and his wife, Joy, have been married 49 years and are the parents of three sons, Chris, Mark and Travis, and grandparents of six.
Wilson said he knows he wouldn’t be where he is without their love and support.
