RV News On Line - The Voice of the RV Industry


December 2001		Volume 27 - Number 5

RV News Feature

WDA becomes RVAA

RV Aftermarket Industry Meets in Arizona

Blue Ox Honored as 'Supplier of the Year'

By Don Magary, Editor

In October, the Recreational Vehicle Aftermarket Association (RVAA), formerly WDA, completed its 28th Annual Executive Conference and Annual Meeting in Mesa, AZ. Aside from the RV warehouse distributor-supplier conferences, the highlight of the meeting was the official name change from 'WDA-The RV Aftermarket Association' to the 'Recreational Vehicle Aftermarket Association, ' a name that more clearly identifies the scope and mission of the association.


Supplier of the Year Award Jay Hesse (right), president, and Ellen Kietzmann, both of Blue Ox, Inc., Pender, NE, accepted RVAA's Supplier of the Year Award. Also pictured is Ron Dempster, president, BRD Supply, Inc., Bristol, IN - RVAA awards committee chairperson.	Person of the Year Stan Sunshine (center), president of, Stag-Parkway, Inc., Atlanta, GA, is RVAA's Person of the Year. Looking on are Stan's wife Luci, and stepfather Ted Kaplan.

Members also adopted a new Strategic Plan.

Always a highly anticipated event, the Awards Dinner is when the association gives out its annual awards. This year, Automatic Equipment Manufacturing Company's Blue Ox divi sion was named "Supplier of the Year," the most prestigious award available to a supplier member. Jay Hesse, president, and Ellen Kietzmann of Blue Ox, were on hand to accept the award.

In the Distributor Category, the association always selects two warehouse distributors to honor, one from east of the Mississippi and one west.

In the East, Distributor of the Year went to Keller RV and Marine (Port Trevorton, PA), and the honor went to Allied Leisure Products (Denver, CO) in the West.

This year the association added a new award category, Manufacturers Agent of the Year, and the inaugural award went to Kenneth L. Shepherd Company, also of Denver, and Jerry Sheppard, owner, accepted the award on behalf of his company.

In the "Most Improved Catalog" award for distributors Dave Burns, president, Carter Distributing, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, took home the honors.

The crew from StagParkway took home the rest of the awards Catalog of the Year and Person of the Year, which went to Stan Sunshine, president.

Each award presented acknowledged certain specific achievements made during the year by an individual or company.


Catalog of the Year StagParkway took home the award with Mike Mckay (left). vp sales/marketing, Stan Sunshine, president, and Bobby Waldrop, director of purchasing accepting.	Distributor of the Year Eastern Winner Accepting the award are Mike Keller, president, Keller Marine & RV who was joined by Melissa Bilger and John Fisher, director of purchasing.	Distributor of the YearWestern Winner Craig Waugh (right), VP/GM Allied Leisure Products accepted the award. Also pictured is Ron Dempster, awards chairperson.

New - Manufacturers Agent of the Year Jerry Shepherd owner/ president, Kenneth L. Shepherd Company, Denver, CO. accepts the Agent of the Year award.	Most Improved Catalog Dave Burns (right), owner/ president of Carter Distributing, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, and Randy DeLamare accepted the award.

In other business, the association elected new association directors. Directors elected to the board for two-year terms include: Dave Berger, The Coast Distribution System, Morgan Hills, CA; John Fisher, Keller Marine & RV, Port Trevorton, PA; and Bill Fudale, Carefree of Colorado, Broomfield, CO.

Following the election, the new board elected President George Cargo, Dana Towing Group, Tekonsha, MI; Vice President Ellen Kietzmann, Blue Ox, Pender, NE; Secretary Jess Fowler, DTI RV Parts & Appliances, Middlebury, IN; and Treasurer Ron Dempster, BRD Supply, Inc., Bristol, IN. Immediate Past President Gary Chancy of Leisure Time Marketing, Inc., Huntington Beach, CA, and who will continue on the board as chair of the Strategic Planning Committee.