NEWS
HIRES & PROMOTIONS
Adam Gudger & Simone Silva
Winnebago Industries
Winnebago Industries announced the promotion of Adam Gudger to general manager of the Winnebago-branded towables division and the appointment of Simone Silva to vice president, aftermarket and enterprise customer experience. In his new role, Gudger will lead the division’s strategic direction and product portfolio, guiding the continued growth and evolution of the Winnebago brand’s towables business. Silva will lead the company’s efforts to grow its aftermarket business across its portfolio of premium brands while advancing a unified vision for customer experience excellence.
Shawn Kaylor, Austin Groves & Joe French
Forest River
With the retirement of longtime Puma General Manager Todd Martin, Shawn Kaylor has been named general manager of Puma stick-and-tin travel trailers. Austin Groves will become general manager of the Palomino Overlanding division, consisting of Pause travel trailers and Palomino truck campers. Both appointments are effective Oct. 1. Joe French, who served as Rockwood’s Southeast sales representative, has been promoted to sales manager for Puma.
Ken Walters, Mike Ritchie, Trey Miller & Troy James
THOR Industries
Ken Walters assumed the role of president of THOR Industries North American RV operations in September. Mike Ritchie was named CFO of North American RV operations, and Trey Miller was promoted to chief marketing officer of the THOR North American RV operations. Troy James was named president of Keystone.
Nic Martin, Ryan Eash, Brendon Gendel, Mary Nally & Devon Miller
Jayco
Nic Martin was appointed president and CEO of the Jayco Family of Companies. Ryan Eash was promoted to vice president of sales, and Brendon Gendel takes over as general manager of the Motorhome Group. Mary Nally was named vice president of finance, replacing Mike Ritchie. Devon Miller was promoted to chief operating officer.
Jenna Berneck
Care Camps Foundation
Care Camps Foundation announced the promotion of Jenna Berneck to executive director on Oct. 1, following the retirement of Gwynn Sullivan, who led the nonprofit for four years. Berneck joined Care Camps Foundation as director of development in April 2025 and brings more than two decades of nonprofit fundraising and business development experience.
RV Manufacturing
Forest River has formed Forest River Financial Services, a corporate subsidiary designed to provide its dealer network with expanded tools and support while improving the customer experience. The subsidiary will launch two distinct programs developed through partnerships with Octane, a fintech unlocking the power of financial products for retailers and consumers, and Aven, a consumer finance company that builds lending, credit and banking products.
Aliner announced the return of one of its most requested models, the Alite, after nearly a decade out of production. The 2027 Alite is the lightest and most compact hard-sided camper in Aliner’s lineup, weighing 672 pounds and measuring 11 feet in overall length with an 80-inch interior peak height.
RV Dealers
RV Connection celebrated the opening of its second location in Wichita Falls, Texas, in September, expanding the dealership from its longtime location in Lawton, Oklahoma, into North Texas. The new location offers RV sales, service and parts, and represents RV Connection’s next chapter after serving customers throughout Southwest Oklahoma and North Texas for nearly four decades.
Premier RV celebrated five years in business in September, marking a significant milestone for the family-owned RV dealership and the Thompson family, whose roots in the RV industry span generations. “We’re extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished, but even more proud of the people who have helped make it possible,” said Brad Thompson.
Airstream of Arkansas, Airstream’s newest exclusive dealership, located in Conway, Arkansas, is now open. Operated by Moix RV, this expansion marks Airstream’s return to Arkansas after more than six years without dealership representation in the state, restoring dedicated coverage and increasing accessibility for both prospective buyers and current owners throughout the region.
Rossmönster has partnered with Sandy, Oregon-based Johnson RV. “Partnering with Johnson RV allows us to reach more people who are ready to embrace the road less traveled. Their team understands what makes a great overland vehicle, and they share our passion for helping customers explore without limits,” said Luke Farny, Rossmönster CEO.
EVENTS
Suppliers & Aftermarket
In late September, Patrick Industries launched Patrick Printing Solutions (PPS). Featuring direct-to-panel printing technology, PPS can print high-quality graphics and physical textures directly onto a wide variety of panel materials. The process works across a range of panel materials including composites (specifically Patrick’s proprietary composite panel NTXT), MDF, particleboard, wood products and other compatible materials. RV manufacturers now may source from a broader range of substrates while digitally changing the finished “look and feel.”
Lightspeed DMS announced the launch of a fully automated unit registration integration with Forest River. The Forest River integration operates entirely in the background. Forest River will pull sales and customer data directly from Lightspeed on a daily basis and automatically register units on behalf of the dealer, with no additional steps, logins or data entry required. The integration is covered under existing Forest River dealer consent.
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