Winnebago Industries announced that Don Clark, president of Grand Design RV, has been promoted to group president of Towable RVs, and will now lead the Winnebago brand’s towable RV division in addition to the Grand Design RV brand, leveraging the company’s significant overall towables expertise and skills in northern Indiana, effective Nov. 1.
“Don is a hall-of-famer with an unmatched track record of success and understanding of the RV industry, especially the towable RV market,” said Winnebago Industries President and CEO Michael Happe. “Don’s insights, operational acumen and extensive knowledge of what it takes to win in this space make him the ideal and logical choice to lead the team during their next evolution. With the recent appointment of Chris West as the president of Winnebago Motorhome and Specialty Vehicles, I am confident we have in place the strong leadership needed to propel our flagship brand forward.”
Grand Design and the Winnebago brand’s towables division will remain separate, independent business units and continue to compete in the market. Niles Whitehouse, Winnebago’s vice president of sales and service, will continue to serve as interim general manager of the Winnebago towables business, reporting to Clark, while the leadership team identifies and onboards a new leader to join the team in Indiana.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to play a part in the continued growth of such a storied brand,” said Clark. “We believe collaboration enhances what we can achieve and elevates what our customers can expect from us. We have a chance to build something really special, creating premium outdoor products defined by their high quality, best-in-class reliability and innovative designs that delight our customers and enhance their time outdoors.”
West and Clark are responsible for working together to ensure one Winnebago RV brand is consistently communicated in the market, enhancing the brand’s influence, impact and market share through new products and technology innovations.
“For Winnebago Industries to realize our ambition to be the trusted leader in premium outdoor recreation, each area of our business must be operating to its fullest potential,” said Happe. “The Winnebago brand is one of the most respected and iconic brands in the industry and we need to make sure we are capturing that value in the market.”