Women in Business: Samantha Newcomb

Samantha is responsible for the interior design and product procurement for all materials for Forest River’s Pause / Reboot product.

How has Samantha demonstrated leadership and innovation within her field?

Samantha strives to be at the leading edge of her career’s workforce, with constant product and design research, market analysis, and retail customer needs at the forefront of her workload. Her ability to see an environment and then tailor that to the needs of those utilizing the product is something to admire, her nominator says. Her attention to detail, facts-based decisions and her uncanny ability to transform a space into something out of a magazine is mesmerizing. Throughout her tenure, Samantha has proved that she is a designer/purchaser capable of anything and can produce results that are comparable to those of an individual who has spent their entire life in this career field. Her nominator says she is always willing to tackle any situation and does so with a level of detail, understanding and communication benefits everyone. Samantha also temporarily stepped into a sales role for the Pause product line during a time of transition for the sales team. On top of performing her normal job functions, she executed the tasks associated with a regional sales manager. Her steadfast devotion to Forest River and Pause, specifically those she works with, is something to be admired and certainly shows her caliber of leadership.

What measurable impact has Samantha had on Forest River?

“From an interior design standpoint, there is not one dealership or customer that I’ve spoken to that wasn’t absolutely head over heels in love with the choices that Samantha made for our product,” her nominator says. Along with that, she kept the Pause product line afloat by performing the duties of a regional sales manager for several months during 2024. If Samantha had not taken on this role with such a fierce desire to succeed, her nominator says, there would have absolutely been a very large financial impact on Forest River and Pause’s production and office crew.

How does Samantha contribute to the ongoing support and growth of women in the RV industry?

While Samantha’s responsibilities revolve around product design and procurement, she has grown up in the industry serving in many different capacities. She has been instrumental in providing guidance and educating those around her, and she does so with grace and understanding. She is the type of person who will put her duties and responsibilities on hold if it means she can assist in developing a skill set of someone she works with.

What challenge(s) has Samantha faced in her career and how did she overcome it?

Due to some changes organic to Pause’s sales team and the relationships she built with its dealer network, her nominator says Samantha was the person best suited to perform the functions as a salesperson. She tackled each task like a seasoned pro, reaching out to those who could teach her, constantly striving to better the product, never taking “No” for an answer, and did so without letting her normal day-to-day responsibilities suffer. Her nominator says she showed “true grit and determination to succeed” during that transition period.

What else should we know about Samantha?

In spite of the weight of Samantha’s responsibilities within the organization, her nominator says she does an amazing job raising her family of five. Watching her teach her children, through her actions, about the responsibilities that a young man or women holds in this world is something everyone can benefit from. She is able to seamlessly transition from successful businesswoman to a mother and wife the minute she leaves her office and steps foot into her home — and she does so with maturity and calmness, her nominator adds.

From Samantha

What advice do you have for women in the RV industry?

“Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally — it comes from what you do consistently.”

Advice I would offer to women in the RV Industry is to remain consistent in your efforts. Mistakes are inevitable, but the way you respond to those challenges can truly distinguish you from the rest.

What does it mean to you to be a Women in Business honoree?

Being a Women in Business honoree is truly meaningful to me. It feels rewarding to have my efforts recognized and appreciated. I don’t come to work each day just to focus on my individual tasks; I also think about what I can do to contribute to the success of this product. This product is important to both my coworkers and me, and I am more than willing to take on additional responsibilities to ensure its success. This has shown me that even if you feel like your actions aren’t significant, to someone else, you may be providing more value than you realize.

For more 2025 Women in Business honorees, click here.