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2005 marks the 25th anniversary of DTI RV Parts & Appliances. Started January 1, 1980 by Hal Fowler, the company’s current CEO, and Sue Fowler, DTI began as a source for hard to find parts in the Recreational Vehicle industry with a single product line. Today, DTI distributes products from hundreds of brands and manufacturers to the RV, Marine, Trucking and Specialty Vehicle markets and has grown to become the largest wholesale distributor of parts in the RV industry.

DTI is headquartered in Middlebury, Indiana and has branches located in Lakeland, Florida; Dallas, Texas; Albany, New York and Bakersfield, California. Along with a nationwide network of warehouses, DTI maintains an inventory of over 1,000,000 parts, appliances, components and accessories, including parts for nearly all current model appliances and discontinued models up to thirty years old.

Along with distributing parts and appliances to nearly 5,000 retail outlets, DTI created and distributes the most widely used electronic parts reference program in the RV industry, the MagniFinder. This system is currently being used by 1,000 dealerships and service centers throughout the world.

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DTI is an active participant in industry associations including – RV Dealers Association, Florida RV Trade Association, RV Industry Association, Texas RV Association, Pennsylvania RV & Camping Association, California RV Dealers Association, Indiana Manufactured Housing Association/RV Indiana Council, National Marine Distributors Association and RV Aftermarket Association. DTI has also received numerous industry awards. Including, being named the Distributor of the Year for the eastern division by the RVAA three times, DTI’s CEO being named the RV Industry Executive of the Year and receiving the RVAA Jim Barker Person of the Year award and DTI’s President, Jess Fowler, being named as an RVDA Chairman’s Award winner.

Jess Fowler, DTI’s President commented, “We are very excited to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. Everyone at DTI has worked very hard throughout the years to get to this point. From the early days of distributing to a handful of dealers out of a barn in Middlebury (Indiana) to providing products to nearly 5,000 dealerships and service centers throughout the world from a nationwide network of warehouses, DTI has definitely grown. We are planning to celebrate the 25th anniversary throughout 2005 and we have several events planned to honor the contributions everyone has made to the company’s success. I would also like to personally thank the manufacturers, suppliers, dealerships, service providers and employees who have partnered with DTI throughout the years. We couldn’t have done it without all of you and we look forward to a fantastic 25 years to come.” 

Park Cabins, Inc. Unveils Industry’s First Spanish Style Unit

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For the past two decades, the nation’s park model manufacturers have built either rustic, cabin-style units, which are popular in wooded campgrounds, or vinyl-sided units, which are popular in upscale RV parks.

Cairo, GA-based Park Cabins, Inc., in fact, has spent the past two years focusing solely on the production of cabin-style units. But that’s about to change.

The southern Georgia company has quietly designed the park model industry’s first Spanish style park model, drawing inspiration from the popular Spanish style homes that are commonplace across the Sunbelt.

“I don’t know why we didn’t think about this sooner,” Jack London, co-owner of Park Cabins said of the company’s new “Casa del Sol” units, adding, “We think we’ve come up a unit that will appeal to consumers who want a seasonal cottage that is more in keeping with the historical architecture that is popular in many areas across the Sunbelt, especially in Florida, Texas, Arizona and California.”

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Dealers, for their part, can’t wait to get their hands on the units.

“I think its going to be a great little park model for RV parks near the Colorado River and throughout the Western region,” said Marsha Crawford, owner of Triple DJ Homes in Parker, Ariz., who collaborated with Park Cabins on the design of the Casa del Sol product. “This is the kind of unit that will appeal to people who are looking for a park model that fits in architecturally with the region.”

Mark Johnson, who is developing the La Belle RV Resort in La Belle, Fla., thinks the Casa del Sol unit will perform well in the Southeast part of the United States as well. “They’ve designed something that’s not just unique, but warm and comfortable,” he said.

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Johnson plans to open the La Belle RV Resort by fall of this year, offering consumers a mix of overnight RV sites and park models, including the Casa del Sol unit.

Park Cabins, for its part, believes the new Casa del Sol product line will even out its production levels throughout the year. The company historically produces most of its cabins between January and July, largely in response to the orders it receives from campgrounds across the country as they prepare for the coming summer season. But Park Cabins believes that snowbirds will help stimulate demand for its Casa del Sol units during the August to December period, when the company’s cabin production typically declines.

“We think this Casa del Sol product is going to be a good fit for us because it will help us keep our crews busy all year,” London said.

Park Cabins initially unveiled the Casa del Sol unit in December to more than 700 campground and RV park operators, who attended the annual meeting of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds in Savannah. The units have a base price of about $30,000.

For more information about Park Cabins, Inc., please contact Mike Fannon or Jack London at (800) 897-0421 or visit their company’s website at www.parkcabins.com. For information about business trends in the recreational park trailer industry, for digital photos or to speak with consumer, campground and dealer sources, please contact William Garpow at (770) 251-2672 or visit the association’s website at www.rptia.com

Jayco Travel Club Plans Annual Rally

Jayco RVs will roll into the Missouri State Fairgrounds, Sedalia, Mo., as the Jafari International Club gathers for its 2005 rally. A few hundred Jayco RV owners are expected to attend this annual event June 20-24. With RVs parked, members will be able to reacquaint with old friends and make new ones.

“Jafari members are like a large extended family,” said John MacDonald, Jayco’s marketing services manager. “Anyone who owns a Jayco is invited to join the club. The annual rally is a time for members to get together, have fun and just enjoy their RVs.”

The four days will be packed full of events and activities, including evening entertainment, informative vendor seminars, an arts and crafts show, and book exchange. Attendees will be well fed with a pancake breakfast, catered dinner, ice cream social and farewell continental breakfast. They will also have the opportunity to tour historic Sedalia.

A major success of the 2004 rally held in Centreville, Mich., was the Red Hat Society Luncheon for women ages 50 and over. “That has been a real success for us at Jafari and other rallies, so we plan to do that again this year,” MacDonald added. As always Jayco products and corporate staff members will be on hand. These rallies are a time for Jayco users to provide the company with product improvement ideas and suggestions. MacDonald explained, “We value the thoughts and opinions of our consumers. This is an opportunity to receive valuable feedback and discover ways that we can better serve them.”

Jayco is one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of recreation vehicles and produces a complete line of camping trailers, lightweight travel trailers, conventional travel trailers, fifth wheels, sport utility trailers and Class C motorhomes under the Jay Series, Select, Baja, Jay Feather, Jay Flight, Eagle, Designer, Talon, Escapade, Greyhawk, Granite Ridge and Seneca brand names. For more information call 1-800-RVJAYCO, visit www.jayco.com, or write Jayco, Inc., P.O. Box 460, Middlebury, Ind. 46540.

Yamaha Introduces Wireless Remote Option of Portable Generators

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. announced their newest product for 2005 at this year’s 42nd Annual National RV Trade Show, a wireless remote option for all electric start generators in the premium line including the best selling model of 2004, the EF3000iSEB. The key fob wireless transmitter allows the operator to start and stop the generator from up to 250 feet away.

The introduction of the wireless remote option adds even more appeal to the already popular EF3000iSEB. The remote will also be available for other Yamaha models including the EF3000iSE, EF2800i The remote will also be available for other Yamaha models including the EF3000iSE, EF2800i and the EF1000iS. It’s a great convenience in an RV when the furnace fan dies after drawing the batteries down during those cold winter nights or when you need to fire up the hair dryer or coffee pot in the morning.

Since the introduction of the EF3000iSEB at the RVIA show last year, the EF3000iSEB has become Yamaha’s most popular and best selling model. “All four models sell well, but the EF3000iSEB is the model that our towable customers ask for the most,” said Jared Schultz, parts manager at Paul Evert’s RV Country in Fresno, Calif. “The generators have been great for us, the customers are happy with their purchase and it makes a great add on item for us to sell at our dealership. The EF3000iSEB is unbelievably quiet and the Power Boost will start the air conditioner while the microwave is running. Our customers love it.”

The success of the EF3000iSEB in 2004 is attributed to the revolutionary Power Boost Technology®. Yamaha Boost Technology® automatically senses when extra power is required and boosts the output for up to 10 seconds, plenty of time for tools and appliances to start quickly and efficiently. The additional boost increases the output making it comparable to a conventional 3500-watt generator.

RV Alliance America Changes Name to Aon Recreation Insurance

RV Alliance America (RVAA), an Aon company, is changing its name to Aon Recreation Insurance, effective March 1, 2005.

RV Alliance America wrote the first specialty- RV insurance policy in 1966 for a founding FMCA member and has been the leader in protecting the lifestyle of RVers ever since. The name change simply reflects the company’s expansion into offering many more types of recreation insurance including, boats, motorcycles, snowmobiles, personal watercraft, collector cars and all-terrain vehicles, in addition to motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth-wheels, bus conversions, campers, medium-duty trucks, autos and pick-ups.

Aon, the parent company of RV Alliance America, is a leading provider of risk management services, insurance and specialty insurance underwriting worldwide.

RVAA has built its business on developing and delivering insurance reflective of the unique needs of recreation vehicle owners. With the Aon brand, that tradition will continue with even more effectiveness as Aon Recreation Insurance offers coverage for more recreation vehicles than ever before.

Marketing Director, Monique Thibodeaux explains, “Our customer base has developed over time into recreation enthusiasts of all kinds, and while we’ve offered boat and motorcycle coverage for years, we need a name that truly reflects our product offering. But no matter what the name, we’ll continue to be focused on making the purchase of insurance for all types of recreation needs easy for our customers.”

Managing Director, Susan Corscadden agrees, “It’s time our name suggests what we really do—insuring not only our customers’ personal recreation vehicles but also commercial insurance products such as vendor, exhibitor and event liability. Aon is a world leader in brokering insurance solutions for all types of individuals and businesses, and we’re proud to be carrying the name.”

Bellevue, Washington-based RV Alliance America has offered specialty-RV insurance to RVers for nearly four decades. Now offering specialty-recreation insurance for boats, motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles and personal watercraft, RV Alliance America is the largest specialty-recreation insurance provider in the United States. For more information about Aon Recreation Insurance, RV Alliance America or a no-obligation quote call 800-521-2942 or visit rvaa.com, soon to be renamed aonrecreation.com.

Dealer reps can win NASCAR race weekend through Workhorse

RV dealer sales representatives can now earn an all-expense paid NASCAR race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway April 16- 17. Workhorse Custom Chassis has announced a nationwide sales competition from Jan. 11 to March 15 for anyone selling motor homes built on a Workhorse chassis.

Sales representatives will accumulate points based on the model of Workhorse chassis customers buy with their motor home. The top point winners in each sales region across the country will receive a weekend race package for two. Also, additional winners will be randomly chosen from qualifying sales representatives to receive the same prize.

The race packages each include airfare, lodging, meals, race tickets and VIP seats in the Workhorse suite for both the Saturday Busch race and the Sunday Nextel Cup race. Workhorse is the campground sponsor at Texas Motor Speedway.

Sales representatives can find out more information and register for the promotion online at www.workhorsenascar.com. Once registered, sales reps will have access to their personal entry page to log in each sale of a motor home built on a Workhorse chassis. Sales reps will also be able to instantly see the current top five sales leaders in their region and their own current point totals.

The leaders in each region at midnight on March 15 will be the winners, and all who have accumulated the minimum point total by that time will be automatically entered in the random drawing.

“No chassis manufacturer has ever had a broader range of chassis offerings than Workhorse does now,” said Jon Krider, senior RV marketing manager for Workhorse. “From our market-leading W Series, to our diesel R Series, to our P Series and now our Class C offering, there are a lot of options for reps to sell. And to make it more fun, they’ll be able to see how well they are doing each time they log on to their personal entry site.”

“Texas is one of the outstanding tracks on the NASCAR circuit. With the VIP accommodations we’re offering, we think it will be a memorable weekend for anyone,” continued Krider. “Workhorse has always been a leader in providing dealer support. This is the latest example of the dealer benefits Workhorse is always looking to provide.”

Towing World Offers High-Pressure Tire Monitors

Towing World now offers SmarTire highpressure sensors/transmitters for RV’s and trailers. Until recently, the monitors were only available for towed vehicles. The addition of high-pressure sensors/transmitters will give RV’ers the peace of mind that they will be alerted to possible tire problems before they happen. “We installed SmarTire systems on our trailers and have averted several potential problems” says Kim Schuetze, purchasing. “We’re very pleased to offer a product that not only incorporates a safety aspect but a real savings when it comes to expenses associated with blowouts.”

SmarTire features a wheel-mounted sensor/ transmitter that accurately gauges tire pressure and temperature. Tire information is transmitted via radio frequencies from the wheel to a receiver located near the driver. SmarTire’s full function remote display mounts near the driver to provide accurate information at the touch of a button, providing real-time tire pressure, temperature, and status information.

To find out more about SmarTire and Towing World.com visit www.towingworld. com, or call (800) 566-9869.

Fleetwood Breaks Ground With Launch of Fleetwood Vacation Club Vacation Ownership Program Will Be an RV Industry First

Fleetwood Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: FLE), a leading manufacturer of recreational vehicles and a leading producer and retailer of manufactured housing, has announced its plans for a spring 2005 consumer launch of Fleetwood Vacation Club, the RV industry’s first-ever national motor home shared-ownership program.

Fleetwood Vacation Club (FVC) will be a points-based membership program that will provide its members numerous benefits, including access to Class A diesel motor homes, such as Discovery, and Class C gaspowered motor homes, such as Tioga, from participating Fleetwood franchise locations. These motor homes will be fully appointed and will be owned by Fleetwood Vacation Club. Members will have the right to use these motor homes for periods ranging from one week per year to several weeks per year, over a 10-year period.

One of the benefits Fleetwood Vacation Club features is an exclusive affiliation agreement with RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange. RCI will support Fleetwood Vacation Club with RCI®Points, enabling FVC members to exchange their FVC points for vacations at resorts within RCI’s global network. In addition, Fleetwood Vacation Club members can use their points to obtain a wide variety of other travel products, including airfare, car rental, hotel stays, cruises, golf outings and tickets to theme parks.

FVC has been awarded RCI Gold Crown status, an award earned by a select number of RCI affiliates that have achieved excellence in quality, amenities and service standards.

“Fleetwood is recognized as an RV industry innovator and the upcoming launch of Fleetwood Vacation Club is yet another example of our drive to expand the reach of RVing to broader audiences through new products and programs,” said Ed Caudill, president and chief executive officer of Fleetwood Enterprises, Inc.

“Fleetwood Vacation Club will open the doors to the RV lifestyle to a whole new group of consumers,” said Chris Braun, executive vice president of Fleetwood RV. “More people will be able to experience and enjoy the RV lifestyle in a flexible way that fits their schedule, lifestyle and budget.”

Michael J. Puntoriero, who joined Fleetwood Enterprises in May 2004, will head Fleetwood Vacation Club as president. Puntoriero, formerly a managing partner with Arthur Andersen, is working with a management team that blends Fleetwood veterans with industry experts in timeshare and franchising.

“This is truly an exciting time for Fleetwood,” said Puntoriero. “Dealers will have the opportunity to participate in a true franchise that we believe will help drive their enterprise value.

“The popularity of RVing has never been greater,” added Puntoriero. “Our franchisees will be able to provide all the freedom of RVing and all the quality of our premium products to a much broader consumer audience. It’s about having a great vacation experience in the comfort of our luxurious products - at a price within reach of families, couples, and anyone with a taste for adventure."

Specific details on FVC locations, membership levels and costs will be released closer to the opening of membership sales in spring 2005. Further information on Fleetwood Vacation Club is available at www.fleetwoodvacationclub.com.

Home & Park Motorhomes Celebrates Three Years of Registration to the ISO9001:2000 with a Clean Record

Home & Park is extremely excited to announce that on December 10, 2004 an independent audit team from QMI (Quality Management Institute) completed a three year re-assessment audit of our "Quality Trek" management system. This was in support of our registration to the ISO9001:2000 Quality System standard. A requirement of being registered to the ISO Quality System standard is that every six months an outside independent auditing body audits your organization to ensure compliance and that your company remains focused on continuous improvement. The six month audits are capped at the end of a three year term with a reassessment audit. The ending of our three year term was especially satisfying in that every audit was passed with no non-compliances providing us with a clean record throughout.

Home & Park became the first North American recreation vehicle manufacturer to acquire this internationally recognized, prestigious registration in January, 2002.

“I would like to congratulate every Home & Park employee with the work we have been doing to maintain and improve our "Quality Trek" system and the work we continue to do to build a better Roadtrek. We should all be proud of this accomplishment of three years and a clean record because it is not common in the manufacturing world,” commented Doug Porter, Quality Assurance Manager.

“Gaining ISO 9001: 2000 registration was part of our overall goal to have policies, procedures and systems in place to enable the company to build camper vans that delight our customers by offering the highest quality in the market,” stated Jeff Hanemaayer, Chairman.

Home & Park Motorhomes manufactures Roadtrek, #1 selling class B motorhome (camper van) in North America (since 1990). For additional information, visit www.roadtrek. com or contact Andrew Knowles, Director - Sales & Marketing at 888-ROADTREK (762-3873) ext. 106 or andrewk@roadtrek.com.

East Penn Receives Future Vision Award

East Penn Manufacturing was honored with the Future Vision Award presented by MAC Engineering on September 29, 2004. The Future Vision Award recognizes East Penn for its commitment to continuous improvements in battery manufacturing technology and its partnership in exploring new processes and methods.

MAC has been supplying East Penn for over 25 years with battery manufacturing equipment including pasting, plate preparatory and stacking machines, cast on strap systems, and flash dry and hydroset ovens. MAC has always been committed to delivering reliable engineering concepts and costeffective solutions to East Penn’s automation and ergonomic objectives. These improvements have enabled East Penn to remain at the forefront of innovative manufacturing technology.

This award is a tribute to all East Penn employees and their dedication towards technological change and continuous improvement which benefits not only the entire company, but also the worldwide battery industry.

East Penn is a leading manufacturer of high quality lead-acid batteries and accessories for the automotive, industrial, marine, telecommunications, commercial, and stationary markets. The company’s quality systems for its entire 480-acre complex have been certified to ISO 9001:2000 and ISO/TS 16949:2002 requirements.

CMI Builds First Civilian Nuclear,
Biological and Chemical Defense Vehicle

Since 9/11, more Americans are taking their personal safety seriously. At the very least, the Department of Homeland Security recommends that all Americans keep a kit of emergency supplies, make an emergency plan and remain informed about types of terrorist threats. But some folks are taking even greater precautions: they’re purchasing a vehicle designed to withstand attack. Creative Mobile Interiors, a custom motor coach modification company, recently delivered the first tactical military defensive vehicle released for civilian use. The unit is designed to warn and shield occupants from nuclear, biological or chemical (NBC) assault, and is capable of operating worldwide on roads, trails and cross country in weather extremes from -50 to +120 degrees Fahrenheit. The unit’s tires are designed to remain inflated through an up-to-50-caliber bullet strike, and can be inflated and deflated while in motion. The vehicle can drive through up to five feet of water and be airlifted by helicopter with no additional exterior modification.

The vehicle is called the Bad Boy, and is 21 feet long, 8 feet wide and 10 feet high. The Bad Boy weighs 18,000 lbs., and has a Caterpillar heavy-duty 6-cylinder diesel turbo engine and Allison automatic 7-speed transmission. It is the biggest, longest, heaviest, street-legal military conversion in existence.

CMI upgraded the military interior with carpeting and three black leather upholstered seats. CMI also installed a mirrored ceiling accented with LED lighting in the original machine gun recess. CMI also designed and created an automotive style dashboard with rounded corners and brushed stainless steel panels. Chrome trim, polished aluminum rims and stainless steel cab fenders add style to the black exterior. In addition to its NBC resistant cabin and detection and warning system, the vehicle features a personal safe with keypad combination, cab roof rails and a remote joystick controlled floodlight. An infrared three-camera system, in-motion satellite system, satellite phone, shortwave radio, GPS, C.B. and P.A. system complete the security features. A pioneer sound system with subwoofer, two LCD screens and satellite radio are also onboard.

“Our designers sought to add to the unit’s security features while improving its style,” said Owen Connaughton, president of Creative Mobile Interiors. “Most military vehicles aren’t head-turners, but this one sure is. It makes the Hummer look like a VW Beetle.” The unit was modified for Bad Boy Trucks and Homeland Defense Vehicles, LLC of Newton, Texas, who plan to market similar vehicles to members of the general public who are interested in the highest possible degree of personal protection. While the price of the unit was undisclosed, similar units are expected to sell for just under $500,000.

CMI was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in two plants totaling 14,000 square feet in Grove City, Ohio. The company specializes in converting motor coaches, vans, trailers and mini-coaches into luxury, commercial and specialty vehicles outfitted with custom top-of-the-line amenities and electronics. CMI can be reached at (614) 539-4600, or at www.creativemobileinteriors. com. More information on the NBC vehicle is available at http://www.BadBoyTrucks.com.

Lazydays Exceeds $795 Million In Sales

For calendar year 2004 and the first time in its history Lazydays RV SuperCenter ("Lazydays"), the nation's number one single- site RV dealer, exceeded $795,000,000 in sales. Unit sales including wholesale deliveries were approximately 9,110 in 2004.

"Almost $800 million dollars in annual sales revenue is a very important milestone toward the achievement of our ultimate goal of $1 billion in annual sales revenue. I am very proud of the accomplishments of our employee partners and also very grateful to our wonderful customers for helping us to achieve this record level in annual sales," says Lazydays' Founder and CEO, Don Wallace.

Lazydays was founded in 1976 in Tampa, Florida and relocated in May 1996 to a much larger RV destination complex in Seffner, Florida, which is just east of downtown Tampa. The dealership is located on 126 acres with an 83,000 sq. ft. main building, over 1,200 RV display sites, 273 service bays and 300 RV campsites. Lazydays' expansive complex requires a fleet of 170 golf carts to move both customers and employees throughout the property. Additionally, the dealership serves over 300,000 meals annually to its customers, prospects and employees. To serve our customers, our site includes a nearby 40,000 sq. ft. Camping World store, a Cracker Barrel Restaurant and a Flying J RV Travel Plaza operated by our marketing partners; all the amenities needed for the world's number one RV experience.

Our estimates for fiscal year year 2004 sales and unit sales reported in this release represent preliminary estimates for our full year results and have not been audited.

Buffalo-Niagara RV & Camping Outlet Grand Opening

The Buffalo-Niagara RV & Camping outlet, New York State’s largest indoor showroom for RVs, has opened in the Eastern Hills Mall. A Grand Opening celebration and ribbon cutting was held at 4 p.m. Feb.2.

Located next to the food court, the new outlet will feature 40,000 square feet of RVs, motor homes, travel trailers and tent campers from leading manufacturers like Holiday Rambler, Allegro, Forest River, Gulfstream and Fleetwood.

The outlet will be managed by Colton RV as a separate location from the North Tonawanda showroom. “The new outlet location provides us with access to a broader market and traffic at the Eastern Hills Mall location. We are delighted with the initial response so far,” stated Joe Cascio, Director of Marketing. Ellen Kaminsky, Marketing Manager of the Eastern Hills Mall, was equally pleased. “The feedback from our customers has been extremely positive. Having a full time RV store provides us with an opportunity to reach out to a broader group of customers within our trade area.”

The Buffalo-Niagara RV & Camping Show preceded the outlet’s opening, and the location has been converted into a full-time mall location. The Grand Opening will feature refreshments, appearances by dignitaries and more.

For more information, call 565-0170 or log onto www.buffalorvshow.com.

President and First Lady Join with Dozens of Celebrities in Using RVs for Inauguration Festivities

On a wintry Inauguration Day in the land where “RV” tops eBay’s search terms, where do you find President Bush and the First Lady?

In “RV-One,” naturally—a Type A motorhome provided for the First Couple along with two dozen more RVs requested by the Presidential Inauguration Committee for use during the frigid week of festivities. Not only have RVs made their mark on mainstream America via eBay, now even the nation’s most elite celebrities and politicians are selecting RVs as their “vehicles of choice” when it comes to celebrating in style.

The donated motorhomes served as high-tech, climate-controlled headquarters for President Bush, Vice President Cheney, their senior staff and celebrities such as Ryan Seacrest, Kenny Chesney, Patti LaBelle, Andrea Bocelli, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Hillary Duff, Angie Harmon, Gary Sinise, Rubben Studdard, and The Temptations. Members of RVIA and RVDA donated the RVs, and RVIA had some of its PR staff on hand at the inaugural activities to answer questions from politicians and celebrities about the motorhomes and RVing in general.

“This is without a doubt the most RVs ever used for a presidential inauguration,” said Derrick Crandall, president of the American Recreation Coalition (ARC), who assisted with the recreation community involvement in many of the inaugural events. “We had an incredible response from RV manufacturers and dealers who were eager to contribute to the nation’s celebration.”

Some of the important purposes the RVs served during the three-day event included:

• Two RVs were set up at the Washington Convention Center for President Bush, the First Lady, Vice President Cheney and Mrs. Cheney’s personal use during the festivities.
• Twelve RVs were used by performers Hillary Duff and Rubben Studdard (from American Idol) at the “America’s Future Rocks Today” youth concert held January 18 at The Washington, DC Armory. Over 10,000 young fans attended the concert.
• Eleven RVs were used as VIP holding rooms and as staff offices for the Presidential Inauguration Committee (PIC) and the White House, at the “Celebration of Freedom” ceremony held January 19 on the Ellipse, just south of the White House.
• Some of the RVs were also reused as mobile headquarters for the PIC staff and as holding rooms for top officials at other events at locations ranging from RFK Stadium (the staging area for the parade and entertainer transport), to the midpoint of today’s parade route, which proceeded down Pennsylvania Avenue.

“When the inauguration committee needed to keep all the dignitaries comfortable during a frigid Washington winter, they turned to the RV industry and the industry delivered,” explained Crandall. “RVs played a large role in making the inauguration activities a great success.”

“From being the top search term on eBay to having a key role in the inauguration festivities RVs are truly everywhere,” said RVIA President Dave Humphreys. “2004 was a banner year for the industry and 2005 is shaping up to be another great year as RVs solidify their place in the forefront of American culture.”

RVIA and ARC would like to thank the following RV manufacturers and dealers for their generous support during the 2005 inaugural events: Monaco, Winnebago, Thor, Airstream, McGeorge’s Rolling Hills RV Center Supercenter in Richmond, Va., Parkview RV Center in Smyrna, Del., and Cruise America in Manassas, Va.

TengoInternet Adds Louisiana To Wi-Fi Territory

TengoInternet, the oldest and largest provider of high-speed wireless Internet access networks to the outdoor camping industry, today announced the expansion of Tengo’s territory into Louisiana with the acquisition of three new customers in the state. The new Louisiana customers include Lakeside RV Park in Livingston, Pavilion RV Park in West Monroe, and Poche’s Fish-N-Camp and RV Park in Breaux Bridge.

“We’re continuing to grow in our target service areas. With our entry into Louisiana, TengoInternet is now TengeauxInternet as well,” said Eric Stumberg, president and CEO of TengoInternet. “RVers are demanding wifi as an amenity and operators are responding to our reputation for providing excellent service experience, flexible contracts and maximizing our customers’ return on their amenity investment.”