Life hasn’t always been this good at Gulf Stream. Brian Shea, president of the company’s motorized division, said, "We had some issues early in the formative years of the company and have worked very hard to overcome the perceptions that some had formed about Gulf Stream products. I think we have done that, as evidenced by the tremendous acceptance of our products by the dealer community and the consumers who are purchasing them in record numbers."  

Brian Shea, president, and Claude Donati, vice president of sales for Gulf Stream’s motorized division

The company was founded by James. F. Shea, Sr., a successful attorney in Detroit, Michigan. Shea founded Fairmont Homes, a manufactured housing company, in 1971. Twelve years later, in 1983, Gulf Stream Coach was launched during one of the most difficult periods in RV history. Although he had looked at acquiring other companies, Mr. Shea chose to do it his way, and started the company from scratch … building new facilities and incorporating improved construction technology.

Although Jim Shea’s imprint is all over Fairmont Homes and Gulf Stream RV, the company is now run by his three sons; Brian (motorized division), Dan (towables division) and Jim (Fairmont Homes.)

Gulf Stream has arrived as a major player in the RV industry. Still privately held, the company has caught the attention of industry observers, dealers, and many proud new owners of a Gulf Stream RV.

The company enjoys a top ten position in both motorhomes and towables and generates approximately $500 million dollars in annual sales, with $300 million coming from the Gulf Stream RV groups. At the time of this interview, the company was enjoying 38% year-to-date growth and last year was up 60% from 2001. The numbers speak for themselves, far exceeding industry averages and the performance of many publicly- held corporations.

Amazingly, the company was able to produce the increased demand for the products without having to build any new facilities. Shea noted, "Our adoption of lean manufacturing in all our plants, allowed us to increase production without having to make capital investments in new facilities."

Gulf Stream is the 16th largest privately- held company in Indiana. Shea notes, "We can do what’s right for the industry and don’t have to worry about what Wall Street thinks."