RVDA Unites an Action Packed Slate of Speakers with Education Opportunities for Attendees

The Recreation Vehicle Deal-ers Association (RVDA) continues to put the finishing touches on its 1998 RV Dealers In-tenational Convention/Expo, scheduled for September 24-27, at the Minneapolis, MN Conven-tion Center. RVDA plans to present more than 40 workshop and roundtable speakers.

Opening the convention will be motivational speaker Jim Jacobus who is president of Champion Edu-cation Re-sources. He brings a unique and practical perspective that will help dealers and their top managers motivate employees to extraordinary performance levels. Jacobus was rated as one of the top five workshop speakers at the 1998 National Automobile Dealers Association Convention.

On September 25, RV retailers will be invited to attend a thought-provoking and informative exchange on major issues facing the RV industry today. RVDA is inviting the six Quality Circle Award recipients from the association's 1997 Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) to take part in an RV Industry Forum reviewing the current state of the RV industry and its prospects for the future. The format of the forum will include remarks from each manufacturer and a question and answer period. The audience will be invited to submit their questions in writing to the moderator, who will screen the questions and then address the question to the appropriate manufacturer or manufacturers. Coachmen, Lance, Newmar, Nu Wa, Tiffin, and Winnebago Industries have been invited to participate.

Tom Grathwohl, executive vice president/division president of Deutsche Financial Ser-vices (DFS) Hou-sing, Recreation and Equipment Division will speak at the RVDA of America annual meeting on September 26. Grathwohl has played a major part in the company's expanding presence in the RV market and will give dealers insight into future financial trends specific to the RV industry.

This year's Super Sales Seminar will feature sales trainer and author Kerry Johnson on September 27. Johnson will discuss how RV dealers can achieve and maintain the principles of "Peak Performance Selling." Johnson has written sales training and motivational articles for a number of RV-related publications, including RV Executive Today.

"To bring this type of expertise to your dealership would cost thousands. RVDA has put together a fantastic program at an incredibly affordable price," said RVDA Convention/Expo Chairman Lou Luttrell of Avalon RV & Marine in Medina, OH. "More and more dealers are bringing their top managers to the Convention/Expo so they can take back even more knowledge to their dealerships."

Also, RVDA is inviting all RV dealers and other RV retailers looking for the latest in management education to attend the "RV Dealers University" during the convention.

At the RV Dealers University, or RVDU, RV retailers can choose from an extensive educational curriculum of 70 workshop sessions covering five management tracks - general operations, finance and insurance (F&I), rentals, and service and aftermarket. This year's convention features more than 40 speakers from inside and outside the RV industry.

Special roundtable and panel discussions led by industry experts give attendees valuable opportunities to interact with their peers on important issues specific to the RV Industry. More than 130 exhibitors will display the latest in RV products and technology in the expo and many will offer product-specific seminars and education materials right in their booths.

Presented by RVDA of America and RVDA of Canada, the RV Dealers International Convention/Expo drew more than 1,370 industry representatives last year during its four-day run in Reno. Nearly 700 dealer personnel representing 313 dealerships attended the event, making it one of the largest Convention/Expos in RVDA history. Companies interested in Convention/Expo exhibitor information can contact RVDA's Scott Myers at (703) 591-7130 (ext. 107). Dealer registration materials for the convention will be mailed in this month.

RVN