Forest River’s Eric Sharp To Retire, East to West Restructures Brand Management
Forest River, Inc. announced April 8 a strategic restructuring of its East To West division as a result of the upcoming retirement of its current group general manager, Eric Sharp. Sharp worked in partnership with Lisa L. Rees to initially develop and launch the East To West family of products in 2018.
Sharp, a 47-year veteran of the RV industry, has spent nearly 30 years with Forest River and worked alongside founder Pete Liegl for more than four decades. He began his career in 1979 at Coachmen, prior to its acquisition by Forest River, and joined Liegl at Cobra in 1986. When Forest River was established in 1996, Sharp remained with the company and has continued his tenure ever since.
Over the course of his career, Sharp has held a range of leadership positions. He spent 20 years as a plant manager across Cobra and Forest River operations, followed by 12 years focused on operations and special projects. He currently serves as group general manager of East To West, where he played a central role in building the division from the ground up.
Sharp partnered with Lisa L. Rees to launch the East To West brand as co–group general managers. Together, they introduced a broad product portfolio spanning entry-level travel trailers to luxury Super C motorhomes. Throughout his career, Sharp has been instrumental in launching and developing multiple brands within the Forest River portfolio, including Sandpiper, Wildwood, XLR, Work and Play and Cardinal.
“Starting East to West from the ground up was something I took a lot of pride in,” said Sharp. “We built a division with a great team that cares about what they do, and we’ve worked hard to deliver quality products our dealers believe in. I’ve always enjoyed the people I’ve worked with over the years more than anything; I’d encourage dealers and customers to keep believing in the East To West brands. It’s a strong product with a team that’s committed to doing a good job every day.”
Sharp will remain with the company through July 2 to support continuity across operations and maintain alignment with dealers, partners, and internal teams, while tasked with leading one last key product related project.
“Eric’s operational background is unmatched and the number of people that he’s mentored in his career is an extremely long list,” said Doug Gaeddert, president & CEO of Forest River, Inc. “Eric was here at the beginning, and he was always a trusted confidant of the ‘Big Guy’ — Pete. It’s taking five people to replace Eric with East To West, and someone else will have to step up and take his place picking on Quake in the Group General Manager meetings. Eric’s contributions have been countless over the years, and he’s a big reason we’ve grown to become the company that we are today. His legacy will live on at “The River,” especially with his son Nick serving as one of our key BOM and costing managers. Nick has two kids now, so generation number three of the Sharp family is looking good!
“Like other Forest River ‘alumni,’ Eric will be called on from time to time for special projects, and I’m sure he’ll be at our expo this year for folks to catch up with,” said Gaeddert.
Transition & Future
From a management standpoint, Forest River will transition each of the East To West product segments to a seasoned group general manager that enjoys a leadership position in the specific product category they’ll be overseeing. This team includes:
“Stick and Tin” Travel Trailers: Acclaim, Della Terra
- Group GM: John Quake
- GM: Jason Hershberger
John Quake: John started with Forest River in 1999 as a salesman for Salem and Sierra. He was promoted to Cherokee sales manager in 2000, GM in 2009 and group general manager in 2024. His portfolio includes Cherokee (Wolf Pup, Grey Wolf, Black Label, Timber Wolf, Arctic Wolf, Alpha Wolf, Wolf Pack), as well as Sabre, Rogue/Vengeance, Avenger, Tracer, Sanibel, Crusader, LaCrosse and Campsite.
Jason Hershberger: Jason earned his first Forest River paycheck working in landscaping during summer breaks and spent the past 25 years in different positions, working his way up to the role of general manager for Cardinal/Wildcat in 2024 and for Prime Time in 2025. He currently oversees six production facilities and 11 brands and has been on the board of Care Camps for five years.
“We welcome Della Terra and Acclaim to the family,” said Quake, group general manager. “Finding ways to provide the best industry value is what Cherokee is known for. Jason Hershberger, who will oversee these brands, is managing brands that are outperforming the competition in a tough market so I’m confident he will do the same here.”
“I am honored to take the lead with these East To West brands,” said Hershberger. “Our goal is to quickly assist in adding efficiencies and ensure a strategic purpose for their dealer partners. We will incorporate the strengths of the Quake brands and make them stand even taller among their competitors.”
Laminated Travel Trailers: Alta, Longitude
- Group GM: Karl Miller
- GM:Todd Grubb
Karl Miller: Karl has been with Rockwood/Flagstaff for 24 years, including 22 years spent in production and sales leadership. He assumed the role of group general manager in 2024, and has continued building Rockwood and Flagstaff into retail brands that both dealer partners and retail consumers recognize for its quality craftsmanship from its base in Millersburg, Indiana.
Todd Grubb: Todd brings nearly two decades of RV industry experience, including nine years with Forest River. He played a key role in building the Alta brand from its early stages and has held roles in sales, product development and leadership before being named general manager.
“I’m proud of the team we’ve built,” said Grubb. “Most of the group has been together since the beginning, and that says a lot. We’ve stayed focused on building a product we believe in.”
“I’m honored to provide leadership and oversight for Alta and Longitude, and I look forward to supporting a smooth transition while positioning the East To West brands and all those involved for continued success and growth,” said Karl Miller, group general manager.
Fifth Wheels: Ahara, Blackthorn, Takoda, Tandara
- Group GM: Fred Hershberger
- GM: Aaron Good
Fred Hershberger: Fred brings more than 30 years of RV industry experience, beginning his career in 1991 and holding leadership roles across Cobra, Keystone RV, Winnebago Towables and Forest River. He currently serves as group general manager, overseeing multiple brands across the Puma and Palomino groups.
He will now take on oversight of the Ahara, Blackthorn, Dakota and Tandara fifth wheel brands as part of the East To West transition.
“I’m most proud of the people and the teams across these divisions,” said Hershberger. “Our role is to support them, remove obstacles and help them continue building great products.”
Aaron Good: Aaron brings more than 20 years of RV industry experience and has been with Forest River since 2019. He helped launch the East To West fifth wheel division and now serves as General Manager overseeing the segment. Under his leadership, the brands have focused on building a strong team and delivering quality products that drive customer satisfaction and long-term brand growth.
“We’ve created something from the ground up, and today we’re building fifth wheels that customers are proud to own,” said Good. “If they need support, we want them to feel taken care of, that’s how you build a brand.”
Motorized: Alita, Bravado, College Avenue, Entrada
- Group GM: Brian Clemens
- GM: Tony Young
Brian Clemens Brian joined Forest River in 2004 and has spent more than two decades growing within the company, working his way from sales into leadership roles, including sales manager, general manager and, most recently, group general manager over the motorized division.
During that time, he was part of the team behind the growth of Forest River’s Class C motorized segment and later stepped into the role of general manager of Dynamax, where he helped guide the brand back to profitability and strengthen its position in the luxury Super C market. In 2019, he was promoted to Group General Manager, overseeing Forest River’s motorized products and most recently the OGV luxury van division.
Throughout his career, Clemens has taken a hands-on approach to understanding the customer, spending time in online forums and social platforms where owners are actively sharing their experiences, asking questions and looking for support. He said that same approach will carry into the East To West brands, with a focus on learning what each team does well and applying those strengths across the broader group.
“We try to meet customers where they are and be part of the conversation,” said Clemens. “That helps us build better products and respond faster when something isn’t working the way it should.”
“I’ve seen more change in the past three years than in the previous 18,” he said. “Every bit of it has been focused on making it easier to do business with Forest River, building a better product and being a stronger partner. This transition is just another step in that direction.”
Tony Young: Young joined Forest River in 2013 after nearly 20 years as a business owner, bringing an entrepreneurial perspective to the company’s motorized division. He began as a regional sales representative before helping launch the East To West motorized segment in 2021 and was promoted to general manager in 2023.
Under his leadership, the East To West motorized lineup, including Entrada, Alita, Bravado and College Ave., has been developed from the ground up, with each product built to serve a specific segment of the market. Young said the team has stayed focused on keeping things simple and consistent, which helps both customers and dealers.
“We focus on building a quality product and doing it well every time,” said Young. “By keeping our floor plans and options more streamlined, it allows our team to stay focused and gives dealers a cleaner, easier way to manage inventory.”
“We’ve got a strong group of people stepping into these roles who have been part of Forest River for a long time,” he said. “That makes the transition seamless for our dealers and customers, and it keeps us moving forward in the right direction.”
“Having our East To West general managers operate with a team of seasoned group GMs that I believe are among the best in the industry makes a ton of sense,” remarked Gaeddert. “Todd, Aaron and Tony do a great job, and with the experience and long-term relationships that John, Jason, Karl, Fred and Brian bring to the mix, and their expertise in these specific product segments — this will be an extremely successful blend of talents!”
