(Left to Right) Gary Labella, RVIA Vice President of Public Relations; John Jones, Airxcel, Inc.; Wilbur Bontrager, Chairman and /CEO, Jayco, Inc.; Tom Faludy, President, Carefree of Colorado; John Margalski, Director of RV Sales, Workhorse Custom Chassis; Dianne Farrell, RVIA Vice President Government Affairs; Becky Lenington, Ececutive Vice President, Pennsylvania Recreation Vehicle and Campground Association.

Walt Bennett, Sr. Vice President, Thor Ind. (left) presented the Distinguished Service to the RV Industry Award to Wilbur Bontrager (center) while David Humphreys, RVIA’s President, looks on.

RVIA presented its most prestigious honor, the Distinguished Service to the RV Industry Award, to Wilbur Bontrager, chairman of the board and CEO of Middlebury, Ind.-based Jayco, Inc. The Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to an individual within the RV industry who has set himself apart by outstanding service.

RVIA’s Annual Awards committee recognized Bontrager, who has been at Jayco since 1985, for his business leadership and success at Jayco as well as for his role in producing quality products and maintaining excellent relations with consumers and dealers. "If there is an important issue facing the industry, Wilbur is the first to offer his assistance and expertise," said Walt Bennett, RVIA board immediate past chairman.

RVIA’s Special Award is presented to an individual who has made extraordinary contributions to the industry’s overall success. This year’s designee was Tom Faludy, president, Carefree of Colorado, (Bloomfield, Colo.) since 1989, whose exemplary attention to customer satisfaction earned him the honor.

"Tom Faludy is one of the brightest marketing minds in our business and we have been fortunate to have had him as an active participant on RVIA’s Public Relations Committee since the early 1980’s and a member of the RVIA Board of Directors from 1994," explained Bennett."

The National Scholastic Award was presented to Becky Lenington, executive vice president of the Pennsylvania Recreation Vehicle and Camping Association (PRVCA) in Camp Hill, Penn. The award recognizes state or regional association directors within the RV industry who have contributed most to the advancement of the industry in their area. Lenington has been with PRVCA for 26 years.

"Becky successfully instituted a formal high school service technician program through the Pennsylvania Department of Education and has helped move service technician training into a whole new arena," mused Bennett.

The Automotive Achievement award recognizes someone from the automotive industry who has made outstanding contributions to the RV industry. This year’s honoree was John Margalski, director of recreation vehicle sales at Workhorse Custom Chassis Corp., in Highland Park, Ill. Margalski has been at the Troy, Mich. Sales and Service office for four years.

"Since Workhorse’s entrance into the RV market, John has not only been the brains but also the brawn behind the company’s success and its ability to keep the RV industry supplied with quality products," praised Bennett.

The National Legislative Award honors an individual who has distinguished herself in legislative matters pertaining to the RV industry. This year’s recipient, Dianne Farrell, is vice president of government affairs at RVIA. Farrell has been with the association for 20 years.

"At a time when the nature of the legislative arena seems even more important to the success of the RV industry, it is reassuring to know we have Dianne Farrell," shared Bennett.

The Outstanding Achievement Award is a special recognition honoring excellence, diligence and unwavering commitment. Vice President of Public Relations and Advertising with RVIA, Gary LaBella, a 25 year veteran of the association, is this year’s recipient. "Gary was a principal architect in turning around our perception and garnering the respect of the media. He has played a significant part in creating communications tactics that have had a major impact in developing the industry’s positive message," raved Bennett.

The National Education Service Award recognizes an individual who has been instrumental in the development of educational programs for the RV industry. John Jones, director of marketing and customer satisfaction, RV Products Division, at Airxcel in Wichita, Kan., was named recipient of this year’s honor. Jones has been with the outfit for thirty five years.

"As chairman of the Industry Education Committee, John’s dedication to furthering the education mission of the industry is unmistakable," remarked Bennett.

The National Service Award salutes an individual, corporation or organization outside the RV industry who has contributed in outstanding ways. This year’s honoree, John DeWolf, is the retired president and founder of DeWolf Associates in Reston, Va.

"John was a pioneer in developing forecasting models that helped unlock the complexities of projecting RV shipments," confirmed Bennett.