40 Under 40: Jeremy Yoder
Jayco Director of Electrical Engineering - Motorhomes, With Company: 14 years
What Jeremy Yoder does at Jayco is mostly behind the scenes. Most people won’t recognize how important Jeremy’s role is until something goes wrong with the electrical on their motorhome — but considering the complexity of the components inside what is essentially a home on wheels, electrical engineering is essential.
“This award is so well deserved for someone whose role is typically behind the scenes. In this industry, sales/product development is most celebrated,” a nominator wrote.
Born and raised in Elkhart, Indiana, Jeremy was always around the RV industry. His father, grandfathers, uncles and friends all worked in RV manufacturing.
“I’m thankful for support from my family that gives me opportunity to learn and grow,” Jeremy says. “I’m curious to know how things work and find satisfaction in improving them, whether that be a machine or a process.”
In his current role, Jeremy leads internal product development to correct decisions, staving off shortsightedness for the greater good of consumer experience and quality execution.
He leads a team of electrical engineers of all ages, showing them the path to success and fostering trust with his team.
“He displays strong leadership in navigating challenges with poor electrical system execution (decisions that were made before he had oversight/was responsible for correcting the problems). He brings premium products to his team with success in getting them spec’d in units and overseeing the quality execution in engineering, customer service. He does well at aiding the product development team’s understanding of new solutions.”
One nominator writes that from the vendor side, “it’s unanimous — Jeremy Yoder is the best electrical engineer in the industry, ask any vendor. He leads all vendors toward a path of quality and success.”
For fun, Jeremy enjoys cycling, travel, concerts and the occasional football game.
Jeremy’s advice for upcoming leaders in the RV space:
“Leadership is a journey for every individual. There is no shortcut, no quick fix. You must learn how to work with people and how to get them to work together for a common goal. Talk to people in your organization and your network, find books and articles to read. I still have a lot to learn myself. I’m convinced that good leadership is the key to success for individuals, business and the community, all by providing solutions that satisfy customer needs.
Stay humble — it’s good to celebrate wins, but be sure to share recognition with people on your team. Stay hungry — be curious to learn more, be willing to help others and don’t stop until the root of the problem has been addressed. Learn to work with people, practice empathy and read some psychology — you’ll also learn more about yourself.”
