The RV Industry Association (RVIA) welcomed Anthony Hasse as its new inspector.
The RV Industry Association’s Standards program is one of its greatest member benefits. The Standards Department maintains a professional team of full-time inspectors who promote safety by monitoring adherence to the standards adopted by the board of directors for the construction of RVs and park model RVs.
The team conducts more than 2,000 unannounced inspections of member company RV manufacturing plants annually and provides educational resources and hands-on training to manufacturer members to support their commitment to comply with these adopted codes and standards, RVIA said.
Born and raised in Indiana, Hasse served five years in the Air Force following high school. “After that, I was trying to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, because my training didn’t apply outside of the military,” he said. “I started in the RV industry around 1996. I spent a lot of time in customer service and warranty, and I also worked in production for various manufacturers and in engineering. I’ve done a lot of different jobs, all relating to the RV industry. I started with Forest River almost five years ago, where I focused on quality.”
Now employed with the RV Industry Association’s Standards department, Hasse travels to manufacturer members. “I make sure they’re following codes and standards so that they’re building a safe unit for customers,” he explained. “My first trip was to Nevada and Utah. I spent a little over a year in Las Vegas when I was in the Air Force, so it was nice to see some of my old stomping grounds.”
Hasse thrives on the dynamic, ever-changing landscape of his new role. “I enjoy being in the various manufacturing plants and seeing how they all build their products, as well as meeting new people,” he stated. “I also love the travel aspect. The idea of this year’s upcoming travel is pretty exciting. And the group of people that I’m working with is amazing. They’ve been incredibly helpful. Every aspect of this job has been enjoyable!”
The RV industry holds special meaning for Hasse , having enriched both his own life and his family’s. “I’ve been around RVs basically my entire life,” he said. “Without the RV industry, my life would be completely different. I don’t know what it would look like because my dad has worked for the RV sector since he was 19, and so did his father and his brothers — everything from sales to production, to sweeping the floors. We would go to annual company picnics in the summertime when I was a kid.”
“My maternal grandfather was one of the leading manufacturers in chassis modifications in the early days,” Hasse added. “He was one of the largest chassis modifiers in the RV industry for quite a long time. So that’s why I’ve been around RVs my entire life. So, it’s a very meaningful industry to me. It’s extremely humbling that I’m able to be part of it, especially at this level. It’s been an amazing journey.”
