40 Under 40: Shannon Calkins
Director of Marketing; Clear Creek RVs; With company: 4 Years | In industry: 7.5 Years
Shannon Calkins has spent seven and a half years directing marketing efforts for Clear Creek RVs (CCRV), serving as an official employee for the past four years. Her strategic oversight has helped navigate changing market conditions and maintain steady business growth for the dealership since its founding in 2019.
While overall industry retail trends faced headwinds in recent years, Shannon’s marketing strategies drove continuous sales expansion. After selling approximately 320 units annually during the peak years of 2021 and 2022, CCRV achieved roughly 350 sales annually over the subsequent three years, maintaining an upward trajectory toward 365 units. Beyond marketing, Shannon manages internal operations, including CRM systems, compliance and HR duties, while helping drive growth that saw parts and service revenues triple since 2022.
“The last few years have been a struggle for everyone in the RV industry. As a young company that was started in 2019, CCRV could have easily fallen into the struggling — or worse, failed — RV dealership list that has consumed many dealerships,” her nominator says. “But her guidance through the ever-changing marketing landscape has helped keep CCRV not only maintaining but also growing.”
Shannon’s comprehensive management of promotional channels and dealership events has established strong brand visibility in her regional market, leading vendor partners and peer dealerships to rely on her leadership during collaborative industry events.
Her holistic contribution to internal systems and customer acquisition has provided operational stability, ensuring the dealership continuously expands its customer base and maintains multidepartment growth across both sales and fixed operations.
Shannon’s advice for up-and-coming leaders in the RV industry:
My advice is simple: do the right thing, even when it’s not the easiest or most popular choice. Work hard, treat people well, be willing to speak up and don’t be afraid to challenge the way things have always been done. In a male-dominated industry, I’ve heard strong female leaders described as “bulldogs,” and I’ve never loved the negative connotation that can come with that. Women shouldn’t have to choose between being strong and being respected. We can be confident, direct, compassionate leaders and still get things done. Although, for the record, I do think bulldogs are pretty cute.
What it means to Shannon to be a 40 Under 40 honoree:
Being recognized as a 40 Under 40 honoree is incredibly meaningful to me because so much of what I do happens behind the scenes. I have the privilege of working alongside people I genuinely respect and admire, including my husband, Jason Calkins, and leaders like Zach Bollinger, Clay Anderson and Mark Connally, who each play an important role in making Clear Creek RVs what it is today. I’m grateful to be part of a team that trusts me enough to run with my ideas and, more often than not, goes along with them and makes me look pretty good in the process. This recognition may have my name on it, but I see it as a reflection of the people I work beside every day and what we’ve been able to build together.
