Derald Bontrager

Jayco president and CEO Derald Bontrager’s parents, Lloyd and Bertha, founded the company in 1968 on the family’s Middlebury, Indiana, farm. When he turned 16, Derald started working at Jayco during summers and, since, has held jobs in sales, marketing and manufacturing at the family company.

Derald was 27 when his father Lloyd died in a 1985 plane crash. Al Yoder, who previously was Lloyd’s company partner and Executive Vice President, became Jayco President. Lloyd’s sons started taking on larger leadership roles as Derald’s brother Wilbur became Executive Vice President.

Derald was appointed Jayco President and Chief Operating Officer in 2002, graduating to CEO in 2013. In 2014, he became RVIA’s Chairman of the Board of Directors and, three years later, was presented with Distinguished Service to the RV Industry, the RVIA’s highest honor. Derald was inducted into the RV/Motorhome Hall of Fame in 2018.