If you weren’t in your seat at 08:00 sharp this morning at the kick-off breakfast for the NTP-STAG RV & Marine Expo 2026, then you might have been wondering “what does this former military guy have to do with leading companies like ours?”
Well, Anthony “AB” Bourke was fired up to tell us how “briefings,” “debriefs” and “standards” could help RV and marine organizations during times of change. Bourke was a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, a commercial pilot for United Airlines and also became the top producing mortgage broker in the Western U.S. for a key lending institution. His advice to professionals in the RV and marine industries, who gathered at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida, this week for the expo and educational sessions, was to learn from top pilots like those for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels who “never allow themselves to become complacent.”
Bourke said that setting standards, such as always starting on time and ending on time, helps drive efficiency. A briefing clearly expresses the plan of action so everyone is on the same page—and it’s never interrupted by questions until the end.
But even more important than the briefing is the debriefing, he said. This is when organizations have to set aside titles and hierarchies and learn how they can do better—as individuals and as a team. People have to be ready to say, “I made this mistake and I’ll fix it,” Bourke said. This type of meeting can help raise the bar on how you give and receive feedback.
After starting the day with this mental “oorah,” attendees scattered to the educational sessions hosted by well-known companies such as Airxcel, ICON, MORryde and more. Those sessions continued on into the afternoon, followed by the opening of the exhibit hall from 5-9 p.m. ET.
The crowds of dealers, suppliers and association members from the RV Dealers Association and more seemed enthusiastic, with many commenting that the positivity coming off last week’s Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa was invigorating. NTP-STAG attendees who had also been at Tampa said the show went well, and they’re hoping that upbeat feeling continues into the rest of 2026.
Wednesday, Jan. 21, the NTP-STAG RV & Marine Expo will continue in the exhibit hall from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., after a keynote breakfast.
If you are at the NTP-STAG Expo, please come visit the RV PRO team at booth No. 1104 (listed as Cahaba Media Group).
