40 Under 40: John Eaton
National OEM Sales Manager; Airxcel; With company: 6 years | Industry experience: 13 years
As national OEM sales manager for Airxcel, John Eaton, 39, serves as the face of both the Suburban and InVision product families for the company’s OEM customers, playing a crucial role in representing the Airxcel family of brands.
“When challenges arise — such as late deliveries, quality issues or communication gaps — John takes full ownership of the situation rather than shifting responsibility,” says General Manager Chris Robinson. “His hands-on approach ensures that every issue is resolved with the company’s brand reputation and customer satisfaction as top priorities.”
Under John’s leadership, Suburban’s noncooking sales revenue has achieved significant growth despite challenging cost headwinds — rising by 13.2% from FY2023 to FY2024 and by 10.7% from FY2024 to FY2025.
“This sustained performance underscores John’s strong impact on organizational success,” Chris says.
Since joining the RV industry 13 years ago, John has achieved several notable promotions. He advanced from inside sales to outside sales representative at Lippert in 2014. At Airxcel, he progressed from account manager to national OEM sales manager in 2022.
“John Eaton is widely recognized for his enthusiastic, can-do attitude and proactive approach to problem-solving,” Chris says. “He consistently demonstrates respect and conscientiousness in his interactions with both customers and colleagues. John’s leadership is further characterized by his sound judgment, dependability and courage, earning him respect within the Airxcel family of brands and throughout the RV industry.”
On weekends, John can often be found boating on the river or golfing, but fall is his favorite time of year because football season. John is a proud Indiana University alumnus and a die-hard Hoosiers fan. Sports have always played an important role in John’s life, and he now enjoys introducing his children to a variety of sports and supporting them at their games. John values traveling and exploring new places and quality time with his family.
John says he’s proud of the time he’s dedicated to his family, saying, “Whether it’s supporting my kids in their activities, fostering strong relationships at home, or balancing family life with my career, I believe those moments truly define my journey.”
“John Eaton is a highly effective leader who drives the business forward with both discipline and passion,” Chris says. “His leadership style inspires those around him and consistently contributes to the company’s ongoing growth and success.”
John’s advice for up-and-coming leaders in the RV industry:
Success in business comes from building meaningful relationships and being a collaborative team player. These foster trust, innovation and long-term growth.
What it means to John to be a 40 Under 40 honoree:
Being recognized as a 40 Under 40 honoree in the RV industry is a huge honor. It signifies that you’ve made a noticeable impact at a relatively young age in a space that has both tradition and evolving trends. For me, personally, it [means] that my contributions — whether in innovation, leadership, community involvement or other aspects — have been acknowledged by peers and industry leaders. It’s a recognition of hard work, creativity and a drive to shape the future of the industry.
