NEWS

HIRES & PROMOTIONS

Chris Eppers

Grand Design RV

Grand Design RV promoted Chris Eppers to product manager for Solitude and Influence. In his new role, Eppers will lead product strategy, innovation and development for the Solitude and Influence model lines. “[Chris’] experience across multiple facets of the industry, paired with his collaborative leadership style, makes him a natural fit for this role,” said Rob Groover, general manager of Solitude, Influence and Momentum.

Mary Pouliot

The RV Factory

Mary Pouliot, former executive vice president at Thetford, has joined The RV Factory and its Luxe Fifth Wheels brand as president. In conjunction with this leadership transition, the company also announced two other leadership moves: Oscar Montiel Baez, production manager, has taken over operations of the factory floor, and Ean Frederick assumed the position of lead engineer.

Charity McGuire

Dometic

Dometic promoted Charity McGuire to regional sales manager, supporting Land Vehicles Americas customers across the Midwest. Michael Walsh, business director of service and aftermarket, said, “The team is thrilled that Charity has accepted the regional sales manager role.”

Suppliers & Aftermarket

On June 30, Patrick Industries and LCI Industries announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock merger, forming a component solutions provider for the outdoor enthusiast, housing and transportation markets. Upon closing, Patrick Industries CEO Andy Nemeth will serve as CEO of the combined company. The board of directors of the combined company will consist of 12 directors, with six designated by Patrick and six designated by LCI Industries. Following completion of the transaction, Patrick shareholders will own approximately 52% of the combined company and LCI shareholders will own approximately 48%. At the time of publication, the transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2027.

Prior to the merger announcement in June, LCI Industries announced that Jason Lippert was retiring and stepping down as the company’s president and CEO and as a member of the board of directors after 32 years in the business. The board of directors appointed Independent Director Johnny Sirpilla to serve as interim CEO. Lippert agreed to serve in an advisory capacity for a period of one year to support the transition.

Giving Back

As part of its ongoing partnership with Care Camps Foundation, Forest River employees joined campers, counselors and staff at Camp Watcha-Wanna-Do in June. Forest River volunteers assisted with camp activities and spent time with campers, counselors and staff. The company also provided a Surveyor 252RBLE travel trailer that served as a retreat space for counselors and volunteers.

Later in June, representatives from Kampground of America and Care Camps Foundation joined the Dynamax team for a behind-the-scenes look at how Dynamax motorhomes are built.

THOR Industries supported the construction of the Ihring family home through its partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County, Indiana. THOR volunteers completed their seventh panel build, which was hosted at the company’s new corporate headquarters near the RV/MH Hall of Fame.

RV MANUFACTURING

AEONrv unveiled its new AEONrv EXT, an extended wheelbase model. Built on the 2026 Ford Transit AWD 11,000-pound GVWR 178-inch wheelbase chassis, it supports a four-person sleeping configuration, a larger convertible dinette and an expanded garage with room for up to four bikes.

ATC Trailers announced the launch of the new Plā 650 fifth wheel toy hauler. It features a deck-over frame that eliminates interior wheel wells and increases ground clearance, a redesigned front living area, three additional inches of bedroom headroom, frameless windows with integrated shades throughout the coach, a larger, consolidated pass-through storage compartment and more.

Renegade RV debuted the new Renegade Explorer TS, a Class 8 Super C coach. Built on the Freightliner Cascadia 116 chassis, the Explorer TS comes standard with three air conditioning units, a 12.5kW generator, Aqua-Hot 450D hydronic heating, 540Ah lithium battery system, 600-watt solar package, recordable 360-degree camera system, electric dump valves and factory-installed Starlink.

Soaring Eagle Campers reported in June that YTD shipments for 2026 have already exceeded the total number of campers they shipped during all of last year. “We believe that consistent, sustained growth is the best kind of growth. To accommodate that we have been adding new dealers only as we are able to support their sales needs,” said Soaring Eagle partner Scott Tuttle.

In June, Encore RV celebrated five full years in business. “Five years in business is something we are incredibly proud of, especially considering everything our team has worked through,” said Rich Schnippel, founder/partner of Encore RV. “We are grateful to our customers, dealers, vendors and team members who have supported Encore over the past five years. This milestone is not just about where we have been — it is about where we are going.”

EarthCruiser and Overland Van Project (OVP) announced the dual-cab EarthCruiser BSC by OVP. It provides four full vehicle doors, forward-facing passenger seating, factory-engineered seating positions and OEM restraint systems. “People are spending more time on the road, carrying more equipment and traveling with more passengers. Eventually the conversation shifts from where people are going to sleep to how they’re going to travel,” said EarthCruiser founder Lance Gillies.