Gerald Vince has been in the RV business his entire adult life. He got his start 52 years ago as a technician, entering the industry with zeal and an eagerness to learn. Today he’s the founder and president of The RV Shop, Inc. in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Despite being the owner of the company, Gerald isn’t afraid to get in the trenches to get the job done. At nearly 74 years old, he’s still hands-on with many of the day-to-day operations of his business. His colleagues call him “innovative” and note that he’s a problem-solver and a pioneer in the industry.
Through the years, Gerald has built many unique units for customers from the ground up, including handicap-accessible units (long before laws from the Americans with Disabilities Act were in place), all-terrain RVs, mobile classrooms and even a Crisis Pregnancy unit.
Gerald believes in leading by example. He’s done practically every job in the business and has taught others how to execute those jobs with excellence. Furthermore, his love for the RV industry and his commitment to offering his customers top-notch service are contagious. Most of his employees embody the same dedication to the job and work with a sense of purpose, thanks to Gerald’s leadership. He has hired, trained and mentored many technicians that have remained with the company for 20 years or longer. In fact, one technician at The RV Shop has been with the company for 45 years. Beyond creating a corporate culture of unity, Gerald seeks to nurture a sense of family among his team members.
“Looking back over my 52 years in this blessed lifestyle and industry, one of the things I always go back to is the relationship I built with people along the way,” Gerald says.
Many of his customers have his cell number and call him at the first sign of any RV trouble. Gerald doesn’t mind at all.
“I’ve always been happy to oblige,” he says. “This has paid off as the more I give away, the more it comes back to me. It is still flowing to this day. God is good!”
