The RV Industry Association has laid off three executives, including Senior Vice President of Shows Liz Crawford, two trusted sources told RV PRO.
In addition to Crawford, RVIA also laid off Chris Fanning, senior vice president of finance, and Beveryly Whitely, executive assistant to Crawford. All three women were hired while Frank Hugelmeyer was president of RVIA.
RVIA acknowledged Monday that it made personnel changes, although it did not specify which employees were let go. It has confirmed, though, that the positions have been eliminated and no replacements will be made.
In response to a request by RV PRO for more information, the Association issued a short statement, saying, “… in evaluating the feedback the organization received in our most recent member satisfaction survey, a decision has been made to make changes to our organizational structure. The changes include a reduction in workforce in our events and finance departments, as well as a restructuring. We don’t anticipate any further changes. These moves are intended to better align our resources behind the programs our members value most, and to more effectively focus on best serving their needs and those of the RV industry.”
The statement from RVIA also addressed how the changes to management would better align with RVIA’s vision: “On the events side, the member task force, in concert with RVIA staff and possible industry partners, will continue its work to determine the future potential for industry events. Decisions to reduce and realign resources are never easy, but as a membership organization the needs of our members ultimately drive our direction.”
RVIA stressed that the layoffs were not an easy decision and would like to thank the three staff members for their service to the industry, wishing them the best on future endeavors.
Before joining RVIA in 2016, Crawford had an extensive career in the trade show industry across the world, from B2B publishers to trade shows for hospitality and sports licensing.
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