Val is the third-generation owner of RV Sales. She has knowledge that surpasses most men in the industry when it comes to servicing RVs, her nominator says. Val has kept this small business going through COVID-19 as well as, through the aftershocks of COVID-19 and J.D. Power plummeting. She not only runs this business, but she is also not afraid to jump up on a roof and tell the customer if this is a lap sealant job or if they’ll need a new roof. She’s straight up and honest from the word go, according to her nominator. She keeps the service department on schedule, she keeps sales moving and she makes sure that our relationship with our biggest manufacturer stays top priority.
How has Valerie demonstrated leadership and innovation within her field?
Sales have slowed drastically in the last year or two, and Val has combatted that with a full-service shop that has a national reputation for being fair and knowledgeable, her nominator says. Val requires excellent work out of the service department and has, on several occasions, taken over a job to show how she expects it to be done.
What measurable impact has Valerie had on RV Sales?
Every year Valerie puts on a Halloween trick-or-treat trailer to trailer. “We live in a rural town,” her nominator says, “and there are not a lot of places for kids to trick-or-treat.” So, she lines up her RV inventory in a large horseshoe where there are at least 40 doors to walk to and get candy. With the help of local sponsors and volunteers, she spends close to $5,000 on candy and decorations to make the event bigger and better and allows community families to walk through a well-lit, safe environment to trick-or-treat. She asks for $1 or a can of food to enter and then donates 100% of the proceeds to a local food pantry before the holidays. She has continued this tradition that her parents started in 1993, and it is a traditional stop for so many families.
What challenge(s) has Valerie faced in her career and how did she overcome it?
When Val took over the business for her parents in 2016, the dealership’s biggest manufacturer at that time was Peterson Industries Excel. RV Sales was the top dealer in sales for 25 years in the nation. The change was supposed to be an easy transition, and Val would continue a legacy that stood for so many years. Two months after taking over, Peterson Industries called Val and told her they were closing. She not only had to take care of her long-time Excel customers but also find a manufacturer that was going to provide the quality that Excel did, her nominator says. She quickly went to Smith Center, Kansas, and purchased everything she could from the Excel production department. Cabinetry, wall panels, drawers, etc. These items have kept Excel customers going for many years now. Then she found a manufacturer that built a strong coach and something her family could stand behind and stepped into a long relationship with Northwood Manufacturing. Times have been hard, but she is relentless in pursuing quality RVs and customers that become family. Val also camps with her customers every year — the dealership sends out a Christmas letter inviting everyone to come camp with them at the rallies they will be at that year. She is not an RV dealer — she is an RVing friend.
From Valerie
What advice do you have for up-and-coming women in the RV industry?
My grandfather, who started in the RV industry in 1967, always advised, “If you take care of your customers, they will take care of you.” Almost 60 years later, that advice is more relevant than ever. For women entering the RV industry, my advice would be: customers often expect only men to be able to answer technical questions. Learn as much as you can to become an expert in your field. It’s always a great feeling to see the shock on men’s faces when the women in our office can answer questions they expect only a man would know. Finally, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t succeed, because you can. If you’re prepared to work hard, you’ll meet some of the nicest people in the world and thrive in this industry.
What does it mean to you to be a Women in Business honoree?
My family has been in the RV business for three generations. As a small business owner, I always hope that I can live up to the legacy that my parents and grandparents built. To be recognized nationally as a female leader in our industry, is more of a testament to the determination and success of my co-workers. I am blessed to work with people who care about our customers and our reputation as much as I do. Without them, this couldn’t be possible.
For more 2025 Women in Business honorees, click here.
