The RVDA Convention/Expo continued Tuesday with numerous evening networking events.
Leaders at Brown & Brown and RVDA said they find almost equal value in every aspect.
RVDA Chairman Larry Troutt III said Brown & Brown’s Cheetah Party, which is in its fifth year in 2025, can have as much value as a workshop.
“For me, it’s 50/50. You normally do not get this opportunity,” Troutt said. “It can be hard to get a hold of some of these guys, but you get an invite to the Cheetah Party, and they are all here.”
Troutt was happy with the convention’s attendance numbers and the level of engagement from attendees.
“The engagement was ideal. That’s what I wanted. I wanted people to get more involved,” Troutt said. “We had an increase in attendance over last year; that was my goal there. Overall, I am totally happy with it.”
Brown & Brown Dealer Services President of RV and Marine F&I Shawn Moran said good professional relationships are similar to good personal relationships.
“There are two components to any good relationship,” he said. “There is the relationship itself, and then the work you put into it. We put the work into it with the workshops, and now we get to enjoy each other’s company and build some relationships. Without one, the other does not work.”
The Brown & Brown party was among multiple networking events Tuesday night. Forest River began the evening with a jam-packed event for dealers. RVDA of Canada hosted its annual network gathering as well.
Trout and Moran agreed the RVDA Convention/Expo is a unique gathering.
“This is one of the only events that brings together an entire industry,” Moran said of Brown & Brown’s party. “Many people in here are foes, many people in here are friends. For one night, we are all friends. We are all part of the same group at the same moment.”
