Brad Bacon, Phil Ingrassia and Bob Been at the RVDA Annual MeetingThe atmosphere at the RVDA Con/Expo at the Paris Las Vegas this week was less “cautiously optimistic” — as has been the popular refrain in recent years — and more “steady as she goes.”
From economic outlooks to integrating AI in more ways, dealers took in educational sessions and on Wednesday attended the RVDA Annual Meeting over breakfast, applauding for new members of the board of directors and its new chairman-elect, Brad Bacon of PleasureLand RV Center, St. Cloud, Minnesota.
The biggest news to come out of Wednesday’s Con/Expo may have been RVDA President Phil Ingrassia’s announcement that he will retire next year.
“I informed the RVDA board earlier this year that we needed to start a transition process and I plan to retire at a date to be determined in 2027,” Ingrassia said during a call with RV PRO Thursday. “The board has formed a search committee, chaired by … Brad Bacon, and the search committee has begun its work. We will be setting up a page on the website, rvda.org, to update members and industry partners on the progress and there will also be a form where people can ask questions or express interest in the search process.
“It’s a planned retirement, and I’m making the announcement so we can have plenty of time for a smooth transition,” said Ingrassia, who has been president of RVDA since 2012 and has 30 years of experience with the association.
Also during the RVDA Annual Meeting, current RVDA Chairman Bob Been announced that a $4.5 million budget was approved by the board of directors; the budget encompasses RVDA, the RV Assistance Corporation and the Mike Molino RV Learning Center.
Following a rush of dealer activity at the expo during the opening hours Tuesday afternoon and evening, the expo floor was busy again Wednesday, with suppliers, aftermarket companies and OEMs stating that business was consistent.
Walt Burns at EasyCare said that dealers need to be sharper this year with their conversations about why they’d invest in certain products. He noted that for EasyCare, “having a plan B when it comes to warranty coverage is a good start.”
Attendees ranged from stalwarts of the industry who are constant staples at the con/expo, such as Wells Fargo and Lightspeed, and dealers such as Moix RV and Blue Compass, to newbies to the industry with startup dreams, hitting the carpeted exhibition floors to get the word out about their new brand.
The con/expo continued Thursday; the expo closed at 12 p.m. and sessions continued through early Friday morning.
