Independence RV Center in Winter Garden, Florida, was sold to General RV Center, according to a release from Performance Brokerage Services.
Independence RV was founded in 1985 by Ronnie Jordan on a 1-acre leased facility in Orlando, Florida. Four years later, Ronnie relocated the dealership to its present location in Winter Garden. Independence RV is Central Florida’s only authorized Newmar dealer and its factory service center and has become one of the top Newmar dealerships in the nation.
For 16 years, Independence RV has been the recipient of the coveted Mahlon Miller Service Excellence Award for achieving above 95% customer approval in post-service customer surveys. The facility also has received Newmar’s Diamond Award since its inception in 2019.
“Seeking advice when I decided to sell the store, I called a friend who had sold his. This was a great decision as he recommended Jesse Stopnitzky and Performance Brokerage Services,” said Ronnie Jordan, president of Independence RV. “Jesse was the glue that held the transaction together from beginning to end. We laid out the guidelines of the type of buyer we would like to take over our 38-year-old highly awarded store and that is exactly who he brought to the table. He brought me the right buyer, got the price I wanted, and was there with his wealth of knowledge and experience to guide me through the entire process! I couldn’t ask for more and I would highly recommend Jesse Stopnitzky and Performance Brokerage Services.”
Over the last five years, Performance Brokerage Services has advised on the sale of over 300 dealerships, making it the highest volume dealership brokerage firm in North America. Stopnitzky, co-owner and director of the RV Division for Performance Brokerage Services and Jon Couwenberg, partner, were the exclusive advisors for this transaction.
“For nearly four decades, the Jordan family delivered on their commitment to excellence, earning countless awards and recognitions as one of the nation’s leading Newmar dealers. We are honored to have been entrusted by the Jordan family to manage this lifetime milestone and ensure their best interests were protected through the complex selling process,” Stopnitzky said. “Understanding and valuing the legacy our client built, we are proud to have identified the perfect buyer in General RV from a cultural and strategic fit. This transaction was consummated at an incredible speed, without any delays, which was a testament to the professionalism and sincerity of all parties involved. We wish Ronnie & Julie Jordan the enjoyable retirement they deserve and wish General RV tremendous success with the acquisition.”
General RV Center out of Wixom, Michigan, is a family-owned dealership group founded in 1962 by Abe Baidas. The group started with a Mobil gas station, which later transformed into a small sales and manufacturing facility. It has since become one of the largest RV dealership groups in the country, employing over 2,000 team members across locations in Michigan, Ohio, Florida, Utah, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Virginia, with a 150,000-square-foot inspection facility in Indiana. The family legacy continues with Abe’s son, Robert Baidas acting as Chairman and Abe’s grandson, Loren Baidas as CEO.
“We have a great relationship with Jesse Stopnitzky at Performance Brokerage Services. We’ve completed two deals with him, and he’s managed both transactions at a high level,” said Loren Baidas, CEO of General RV Center. “From matching the right buyer and seller to navigating the unique challenges of each deal, he’s a true professional and we enjoy working with him. Most importantly, he’s honest and has integrity. He’s the kind of person we want to work with.”
Independence RV will remain at its current location at 12705 West Colonial Drive in Winter Garden, Florida.