EDITORIAL
Persons of the Century It's always interesting at the end of each year when the media attempts to do a 'year in review' and names the top ten this or that of the year or names a person of the year. This past year has been even more interesting since it's the last year of a decade as well as the last year of the 1900s. So it is certainly an opportunity for the media to name recipients of the best this or that of the century. Notably, Sports Illustrated magazine named the Sports Figure of the Century, naming Mohammed Ali. And as might be expected their choice received some criticism. Anytime you attempt to do this, people will have other ideas and use different criteria to make up their own minds so controversy is inevitable. Fans of 60 Minutes' Andy Rooney saw in December what Andy thought of Sports Illustrated's choice. RV News thought about naming a Person of the Century; however, we backed off since obviously our perspective is limited to the short time we have been observing the industry nearly 25 years. Further, the Person of the Century in one industry segment fails to recognize that someone in another segment might be just as important, but not in the limelight as much as the other person. For example, if we were going to start a selection process, names of RV manufacturing pioneers such as Dick Klingler (Holiday Rambler), John K. Hansen (Winnebago), Tom Corson (Coachmen), and John Crean (Fleetwood) would certainly be among those on the list. Not to diminish their contributions, but in truth these great men didn't invent our industry; they merely capitalized on what others had already put in place. And even today innovators and entrepreneurs are carving out impressive niches in the industry. Names such as Wade Thompson (Thor), Kay Toolson (Monaco), Cole Davis (Keystone), and Mat Perlot (SMC) pop into mind. But as we look back, we wonder what the industry would be without people such as Bud Sargent (Thetford), who helped pioneer indoor plumbing for RVers. And how important was the role of people such as Art Rouse (Trailer Life) in propagating the RV lifestyle story to millions of people. So you see our dilemma. In our opinion, it's nearly impossible to name just one person who really qualifies as person of the Century. However, we do believe this is an opportune moment in history to recognize our pioneers and leaders from whom we have inherited this great industry. So we propose continuing our quest to honor those who have gone before by dedicating this year to telling their stories. This not only in a small way bestows our gratitude for what they gave us, but also will help educate those who carry the torch today. So rather than a Person of the Century, why not Persons of the Century? And rather than RV News making all these critical decisions, we invite you to send in your nominations for Persons of the Century, along with a page or two (typed or e-mailed) justification for why your nomination should be included. As space permits, we will publish your nominations and comments. Help us in this quest, and honor those who have made your industry, your company or your profession what it is today. It truly is a year for reflection, and a time to honor our pioneers whether they are our contemporaries or our predecessors. Send to: Persons of the Century RVN |
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