Fun Town RV, one of the nation’s largest family-owned recreational vehicle dealership groups, announced that Jason Lippert has been named chief executive officer. Current Founder and CEO Jarrod McGhee will move to the role of founder/chairman of Fun Town RV, Fun Town RV said in the release. Lippert joins Fun Town RV following a 32-year career with LCI Industries, where he started on the manufacturing floor and, with his team, built LCI Industries into one of the world’s most prominent suppliers to the recreational vehicle, marine and transportation industries.
The appointment brings together two highly accomplished leaders with distinctly complementary backgrounds, Fun Town RV said: Lippert, a seasoned executive who spent decades building and leading a multibillion-dollar public company, and Fun Town RV founder Jarrod McGhee, a self-made entrepreneur who built Fun Town from a single dealership into a 32-location organization with operations across multiple states.
Together, Lippert and McGhee intend to build upon Fun Town RV’s entrepreneurial business and strong foundation while developing the people, processes, technology and operating capabilities required to support the company’s next stage of growth.
“This is an important new chapter for Fun Town RV,” said McGhee. “We have built this company by working hard, moving quickly, taking care of our customers and never losing the entrepreneurial spirit that got us here. Jason understands this industry at a level very few people do. Even more importantly, he understands people, structure, leadership, culture and what it takes to build an organization for long-term success and sustainability.”
“Bringing his experience and leadership to Fun Town RV gives us an opportunity to take what we have built and make it significantly stronger. Getting from one store to 32 required one set of skills,” McGhee said. “Getting from where we are today to where we believe Fun Town RV can ultimately go requires us to keep evolving. Jason has already helped build and lead an organization at a scale far beyond where we are today. That experience is incredibly valuable as we think about the next decade of Fun Town.”
From the Weld Shop to the CEO’s Office
Lippert’s career represents one of the RV industry’s more remarkable leadership journeys, Fun Town RV said.
He began his career approximately 32 years ago working in the weld shop of his family’s business, learning manufacturing and the supply industry from the ground up. After the family business was acquired by a publicly traded company, Lippert continued to advance through the organization, ultimately becoming CEO in 2003.
Under his leadership, LCI Industries grew from approximately $100 million in annual revenue to revenues reaching approximately $5 billion at their peak. During that period, the company expanded its product portfolio, capabilities and geographic reach and became a leading global supplier to the RV industry while establishing significant positions in the marine and broader transportation markets. Lippert helped orchestrate significant organic growth but also led over 75 acquisitions during his 23 years as CEO.
Lippert’s tenure was defined not only by substantial financial growth, but also by an emphasis on leadership development, organizational culture, operational excellence, customer relationships and strategic expansion.
“Fun Town RV is a remarkable entrepreneurial success story, and what Jarrod and his team have built is extremely difficult to replicate,” said Lippert. “To grow from one location to 32 dealerships, largely through organic growth, requires tremendous energy, conviction and an exceptional understanding of the consumer. I have known and collaborated with Jarrod for over a decade and watched them become one of the dominant players in the retail side of this great industry, and I see an enormous opportunity to combine Fun Town’s entrepreneurial DNA with the operating disciplines and organizational capabilities that can help a great company become even better. I feel I will bring an energy level, experience and passion to the Fun Town family that will help get them to the next level.”
Lippert added, “I’m excited to work alongside Jarrod and the entire Fun Town team. My focus will be on our people, our customers and building the infrastructure that allows Fun Town to continue growing without losing what makes their business unique. I know I can help Fun Town become one of the most coveted and respected dealership franchises in the entire industry as we look to innovate and improve the entire customer ownership experience.”
An Entrepreneurial Growth Story
McGhee founded Fun Town RV in 2010 with a single dealership and a vision to build a different kind of RV retailer. Rather than relying primarily on acquisitions to create scale, Fun Town has grown predominantly through organic expansion, developing new locations and building its brand one market at a time, the company said.
Today, Fun Town RV operates 32 dealerships across multiple states. In Texas — one of the largest RV retail markets in the United States — Fun Town has established an especially strong presence, with seven of the state’s top 20 dealerships.
The company’s growth has made Fun Town one of the most significant family-owned RV dealership organizations in the country while retaining the entrepreneurial approach established by McGhee, Fun Town RV said. As Fun Town enters its next stage, McGhee will continue to play an important leadership role in the business, working closely with Lippert on the company’s long-term vision, strategy and growth opportunities.
Building the Next Generation of Fun Town RV
Lippert’s appointment reflects Fun Town RV’s ambition to build upon its successful entrepreneurial foundation and create an organization capable of operating at substantially greater scale.
For Lippert, the opportunity represents a return to the entrepreneurial environment in which his career began, now informed by more than three decades of experience building and leading at scale.
“I’ve spent my career believing that great businesses are ultimately built by great people who are aligned around a clear purpose and take exceptional care of their customers,” Lippert said. “Fun Town has the entrepreneurial foundation, market presence and ambition to build something truly special. I’m looking forward to helping write an incredible next chapter.”
