RV Business Honors Top 50 Dealers
Tue Oct 13, 2009
Source: Motorhome Magazine
RV Business Honors Top 50 North American Dealers
MotorHome, October 13, 2009
Fifty North American RV retailers were honored Wednesday (Oct. 7) for their professionalism and dedication to consumer care as part of the 2nd Annual RV Business Top 50 Dealer Awards reception and dinner. The dinner, at which 380 dinner guests honored dealers and heard remarks from keynote speaker Mike Huckabee, was held during the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association’s (RVDA) annual RV Dealers International Convention at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
In this, the first year including Canadian dealers, the response was significant given the general economic atmosphere.
"Our goals are two-fold and really very simple," Mike Schneider, CEO of Affinity Group Inc., publisher of RV Business, told attendees prior to the presentation of the 2009 awards. "We want to showcase some of the finest examples of top-notch dealers in this country and at the same time help raise the bar for the entire industry. And we do so at a time when – as you are well aware – the RV industry has been hit hard by what is arguably the worst economic time in the last 30 years."
But Schneider pointed out that recent indicators have indicated to an upswing in the market that may again lead the nation out of a downturn. And this resurgence in the case of the RV arena, he maintained, is being accompanied by an accelerated pace of product development on the part of a number of companies that may put the industry on a more competitive footing in the years ahead.
"Add all these positive signs to perhaps the most important factor – that RVers continue to be out there in droves using and enjoying their RVs – and the future does indeed look good for the RV marketplace," noted Schneider, who was joined at the podium during the program by RVIA Chairman Jim Sheldon, RVIA Public Relations Chairman BJ Thompson and RV Business Publisher Sherman Goldenberg.
"Certainly, we may not be looking at a meteoric ramp up out of The Great Recession — and there are still soft geographic pockets of the country — but it’s clear to many of us that it is happening and, to use the old cliche, 'the ship is turning.'
"That said," he added, "we’re convinced more than ever that celebrating excellence and highlighting professionalism is always the right thing to do, regardless of the times — perhaps now more than ever as we emerge into what could be a new era of growth for the RV industry in 2010 and beyond."
As for the Top 50 selection process, Schneider in his pre-dinner comments explained that an independent panel of industry veterans coordinated by RVB had selected the top 50 dealers based on applications submitted by dealers who had been nominated by North American RV builders. Winners were deemed to be among North America’s best in terms of F&I, technician training, aftermarket stores, civic involvement and – more than anything else – consumer care.
"What really makes this story amazing is that even with the headwinds of 2009, we received about 40% more applicants than in 2008," said Goldenberg. "The competition was a lot tougher this year, which tells us that those who applied — and especially those who were selected by the judges — are truly exceptional. You know they have to be doing something right to not only withstand the down economy, but to exemplify best business practices at the same time."
The 50 finalists collectively generated approximately $1.6 billion in sales last year and have received hundreds of awards from manufacturers and their local communities.
The following (in alphabetical order) are the other Top 50 retailers, all of whom will be promoted in the national press, in dealers' hometown newspapers and in the pages — and on the Web sites — of Affinity’s trade and consumer magazines, RV Business, Trailer Life, MotorHome, Highways, Coast to Coast and Camping Life:
Aberdeen RV Center: Aberdeen, Miss.
Aloha RV: Albuquerque, N.M.
Altmans Winnebago: Carson, Calif.
American RV Sales & Service: Grand Rapids, Mich.
Apache Village RV Center: Hazelwood, Mo.
Beckley’s Camping Center: Thurmont, Md.
Big Country RV: Bend, Ore.
Bill Plemmons RV World: Rural Hall, N.C.
Boat N RV Superstores: Rockwood, Tenn.
Can-Am RV Centre: London, Ontario
Carolina Coach & Camper: Claremont, N.C.
Coachlight RV Sales: Carthage, Mo.
Coates RV Center: Columbus, Minn.
Colonial Airstream & Itasca: Lakewood, N.J.
Crown RV: Conyers, Ga.
Curtis Trailers Portland, Ore.
Dandy RV Superstore: Anniston, Ala.
Dixie RV Superstore: Newport News, Va.
Dodd RV, Yorktown, Va.
Giant RV: Montclair, Calif.
Greenway RV Sales & Service: Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
Hilltop Trailer & Sales: Fridley, Minn.
Kings Campers: Wausau, Wis.
Little Dealer Little Prices: Phoenix, Ariz.
Modern Trailer Sales: Anderson, Ind.
Mount Comfort RV: Greenfield, Ind.
Pleasureland RV Center: St. Cloud, Minn.
Quality RV Center: Draper, Utah
Reines RV Center: Manassas, Va.
Richardson’s RV Centers: Riverside, Calif.
Rick’s RV Center: Joliet, Ill.
Roy Robinson Motorhome & RV Center: Marysville, Wash.
RV America Inc.: Johnstown, Colo.
Steinbring Motorcoach: Garfield, Minn.
Tennessee RV Sales & Service: Knoxville, Tenn.
Terrell Camping Center: Terrell, N.C.
Thompson Family RV: Davenport, Iowa
Trafford’s RV: Center Conway, N.H.
Veurinks' RV Center: Grand Rapids, Mich.
Woody’s RV World: Red Deer, Alberta
