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SERVING CANADA’S RV INDUSTRY SINCE 1971 VOL 47 NO 1268 - 44 Crawford Cres., Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0Publications Mail Agreement #40010957RVDealerNEWSCANADA’S FOREMOST RV INDUSTRY MAGAZINELOUISVILLE SHOW CANCELLED So What Happens Now?www.rvldealernews.comWCANADIAN INDUSTRY ICON TO BE INDUCTED INTO RV/MH HALL OF FAMEROGER FAULKNERPLUS:Canadian RV Show ReportsRV Sales Up Across CanadaMercedes-Benz Launches New Sprinter Chassis Industry Event CalendarAnd More!!!001 RVDN 47-1.indd 12018-03-12 9:57 AM© 2018 Wells Fargo Commercial Distribution Finance®. All rights reserved. Products and services require credit approval.Wells Fargo Commercial Distribution Finance® is the trademark for certain inventory financing (floor planning) services of Wells Fargo & Company and its subsidiaries, including Wells Fargo Capital Finance Corporation Canada. IHA-5381301Relationships that are invested in your successYou set goals for your business, and we want to help you reach them. Our Wells Fargo Commercial Distribution Finance® team will take the time to understand your business and will use these informed insights to provide you with relevant inventory financing solutions and service. With our in-depth experience, proprietary analytical tools, and commitment to dealers and manufacturers of RVs, we’re focused on your success now, and for the long term. To learn more about how we can work together to move your business forward, visit cdf.wf.com/rvdcn or give our RV team a call at 1-888-609-5550.5381301-CDF-1Q2018-Business-RV-Dealer-News ad-Canada.indd 11/24/18 5:03 PM3Volume 47 Number 1 | RV Lifestyle Dealer News contentsIN THIS ISSUE382230 IN THE SPOTLIGHT: 6 Transitions Appointments, changes, awards and more. 8 Retaining Top People Attracting and retaining talented people is a growing challenge for many organizations 11 One Last Message To The RV Industry Value your people 13 10 Things Confident People Won’t Do Dr. Travis Bradberry explores the habits of the most successful business leaders. 22 Canadian Hospitality Night Looking back at over 20 years of RV Lifestyle Magazine, RV Dealer News, and Vie en Plein Air parties in Louisville. 38 NTP-Stag Expo The highlight of the winter season for a record number of attending dealers. 43 New Product Showcase Great new gear for your accessories store. INDUSTRY NEWS: 26 Roger Faulkner Inducted To RV/MH Hall of Fame 29 Canadian RV Sales Way Up 30 Mercedes-Benz Launches All-New Sprinter Platform 34 Saskatchewan group plans to 3D print a camperContentspub page.indd 32018-03-13 4:45 PM4RV Lifestyle Dealer News | Volume 47 Number 1VOLUME 47 NUMBER 1PublisherWilliam E. TaylorAssociate Publisher Melanie Taylor-WallisV.P. Special Projects/Editorial Director Norm RosenEditorCraig RitchieTechnical Director Garth CaneProduction CoordinatorGiselle BansalOnline EditorTravis KingdonDigital Content ManagerSteve SansfordADVERTISING SALES Norm Rosen Roy BairdMelanie Taylor-WallisADMINISTRATIONWilliam E. TaylorPresidentMelanie Taylor-WallisGroup PublisherRoy C. BairdVP/General ManagerNorman RosenVP/Special ProjectsNancy MuellerAccountingEXECUTIVE OFFICES Toronto:268 - 44 Crawford Crescent., Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0Tel: 905-844-8218 Fax: 905-844-5032Montreal:Tel: 514-856-0788 Fax: 514-856-0790Vancouver:1745 Rufus DriveNorth Vancouver, BC V7J 3L8Camping Canada’s RV Lifestyle Dealer News is published by Camping Canada Magazine Ltd. Reproduction of any mate-rial appearing in this magazine in any form is forbidden without prior consent of the publisher. Advertising rates available on request.Camping Canada Magazine reserves the right to refuse any and all advertising and disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statements of facts made by its advertisers or independent columnists.PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #40010957Undeliverables to: 268 - 44 Crawford Crescent., Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0MONTREAL, QUEBEC© 2018 CAMPING CANADA MAGAZINE PRINTED IN CANADARVDealerNEWSCANADA’S FOREMOST RV INDUSTRY MAGAZINEPUBLISHERS MESSAGEThe Numbers Don’t LieOver the years, the Canadian RV Industry has seen its share of highs and lows. Right now, it’s on a very big high and sales are up – way up – as more and more people discover the RV lifestyle. The news from the RVDA of Canada’s 2017 Economic Report is all positive, with sales up over the previous year for virtually every category of RV. From entry-level pop-ups to luxurious high-end motorhomes and park models, RVs are selling and demand continues to grow. High employment levels, low interest rates and a stable economy are translating into an all-new boom in the RV business. Across North America, RV sales in 2017 topped the half-million mark, with 504,600 units shipped. This is a 12 percent increase over 2016. The Canadian indus-try is outpacing that growth however, with a 14 percent year-over-year increase according to the RVDA of Canada data. That’s not surprising, since RVs aren’t just for that annual summer vacation, they’re something people use every weekend to enjoy our incredible country. With no shortage of beautiful places to visit across Canada, there’s plenty of incentives for Canadians to join the RV lifestyle. The reports from RV shows all over the country this winter echo the same pat-tern, with sales up in both unit numbers and overall dollars spent. Sales are all across the board, split evenly between motorized and towables, from entry-level to top-of-the-line. We’re only halfway through the RV show season, and manufacturers, deal-ers and show producers alike are already hailing this as a highly successful season. While these numbers are encouraging, they’re only the tip of the iceberg. As you will read in this issue, we’re only beginning to enter a new age of what will be unprecedented growth as literally millions of millennials reach prime earning years and begin to contribute directly to the market. Instead of just influencing buying decisions, millennials are now at the stage in life where they have the means to buy RVs for their young families directly. No other demographic group is as large, or will inherit anywhere near the same amount of money from their parents, as the mil-lennials. New market data suggests that this influx of buyers will grow the Canadian RV market by as much as $1.5 billion over the next six years. Those are huge numbers, and the numbers don’t lie. There has never been a better time to be in the RV business. Forget the 1970s, people. The glory days are right now. WBill Taylor, PublisherContentspub page.indd 42018-03-13 4:47 PMIt’s not about having time,it’s about making time.www.gohymer.com /gohymer /gohymer /gohymer/ /gohymer /gohymer6 YEARIndustry LeadingTransferable6RV Lifestyle Dealer News | Volume 47 Number 1TRANSITIONSPat O’Neill, chief operating officer for Wayfarer Insurance Group, retired in mid-February following 13 years with the company. O’Neill’s responsibilities will be overseen by Debora Hendrickson, who was recently appointed as Wayfarer Insurance Group CEO. Hendrickson brings considerable experience to the new role, having most recently served as a senior vice president at Aviva Canada.Peter Lavergne and Brian Campbell have joined Châteauguay, Quebec-based Entreprise Robert Thibert Inc. as sales rep-resentatives. Lavergne will cover the com-pany’s Manitoba and Thunder Bay terri-tories while Campbell takes on a new role as an RV and trailer specialist covering the Ontario market. Chantal Robin has joined Northpoint Commercial Finance, assuming the role of director of business development for Canada. Based in Quebec, Robin will lead business development efforts in la belle province, bringing 15 years of floorplan financing expertise to the new position, with past experience at TCF Commercial Finance and Deutsche Financial Services. “We are very excited about Chantal joining the Northpoint team,” said Bob Eddy, vice president of business development for Northpoint Commercial Finance in Canada. “We continue to experience significant growth, and having Chantal on our team, focused on developing business in Quebec is a huge plus for us. Chantal’s knowledge, experience, and energy will be a great fit, and we are thrilled to have her on board.”Jeff Sather has been appointed president and CEO of Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC). Sather was previously a financial business partner for Daimler Truck North America’s operations and specialty vehicles group, as well as the company’s aftermarket division. Daimler is the parent company to Freightliner Custom Chassis.Hopkins Manufacturing Corp. has named Pat Tuttle as its new vice president and human resources officer, with responsibility for the company’s entire HR operations, spanning 10 locations worldwide. Tuttle was previously vice president of human resources at Reichhold LLC. Christina Garvey joins ASA Electronics as an RV OEM account man-ager. Garvey brings several years of sales experience to the position, along with pre-vious experience as a retail district man-ager. In her new role, Garvey will work closely with ASA’s OE clients throughout central North America, and will be based in Elkhart, Indiana.Also new at ASA in a similar role is Stacey Black. With more than 10 years of sales experience in the tools and supplies sector, Black will also focus on the company’s OEM clients in the Midwest.Lippert Components, Inc. (LCI) has announced that Lois Swartzendruber has joined the company as an inside sales rep for its Aftermarket Division. In her new role, Swartzendruber will work to introduce new and existing products and programs to meet the needs of both new and existing customers. Swartzendruber has over 16 years of experience working in the RV industry, with previous roles at DTI, Reese Products, Coast Distribution, Meyer Distributing, and National RV Supply.IN MEMORIAMWalter Hutchison, founder of Truro, Nova-Scotia-based parts and accessories distributor H & A Travelways, passed away in early November. Beginning with selling and renting tent trailers, Hutchison developed H & A Travelways into a successful parts and accessories distribution company, serving Atlantic Canada. He also founded a second successful business, Kingston Aluminum Products Ltd., manufacturing and installing custom windows, doors and vinyl siding. He served for two terms as Truro Town Councillor from 1980 - 1987. Hutchison was known for his strong work ethic, strong personality, and sense of fun. He is survived by companion Joan Carrigan, and children Laura, Spencer, Jean, Brenda, Robbie, Earl and Marilyn. WCHANTAL ROBINLOIS SWARTZENDRUBERJEFF SATHERCHRISTINA GARVEYTransitions-47-1.indd 62018-03-12 10:19 AM® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Personal lending products are offered by Royal Bank of Canada and are subject to its standard lending criteria. VPS100312 115968 (01/2018)Contact your RBC Account Manager today for more information, or email us at autosales@rbc.com. Get more clients on the open road.RBC® financing has everything you need to succeed. ■ Experts across Canada who understand your recreational vehicle business■ Outstanding dealer support available when you need it ■ Fast loan approvals to keep your sales moving and your customers happy ■ Longer amortization options, fast direct deposit funding and other flexible financing optionsRBC.indd 12018-03-12 10:20 AM8RV Lifestyle Dealer News | Volume 47 Number 1“A leader will only command the level of loyalty he or she is willing to give to others.” — WINSTON CHURCHILLAttracting and retaining talent-ed people is a growing chal-lenge for many organizations. Demographic projections show that this issue will become ever more criti-cal as the large baby boomer cohort begins to retire. Competition for the best people will intensify, and it has already began to do so in some sec-tors. The most successful organizations will be those so-called ‘magnet com-panies’ that attract and hold on to good people. Their management reputation will become as critical to their success as the company brand they are selling in their marketplace. Internal-cultural and external-marketing brands will become ever more intertwined. Many managers badly under-estimate the high costs of turnover. However, reducing turnover clearly boosts profits. One trucking company found that it could increase profits by 50 percent by cutting driver turnover in half. And one study entitled “Costly Turnovers,” published in The Globe and Mail, estimated it costs a typi-cal information technology company $34,100 for each lost programmer, $10,455 to replace a specialty store retail clerk, and $6,926 for a call center representative. Using these figures as a baseline, imagine the cost of replacing a talented sales rep with a deep level of product knowledge? Other estimates of the cost of turn-over range from 25 percent of salary to as much as a full year’s pay. This wide variation can be attributed to the difficulty of estimating the impact of customer dissatisfaction and reten-tion, and the lowered efficiencies for everyone who works with, trains, and supports the new replacement. In high-turnover organizations, the prob-lem is complicated and compounded by a vicious circle. On the one hand, they don’t invest heavily in people because they might leave and take all that expensive training with them. On the other, if they don’t invest in people, the chances increase that they won’t stick around when a better offer comes along. In “Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay,” Beverly Kay and Sharon Jordan-Evans write about creating commitment cultures. After 20 years of research and more than 60,000 exit interviews, the Saratoga Institute reports that 80 percent of turnover is related to unsatisfactory relationships with the boss. Talent retention and engagement will remain one of management’s highest priorities over the coming years. Indeed, in the so-called new economy with its ever-increasing reliance on talent and tech-nology, retention and engagement are critical to an organization’s survival. Organizations therefore need to focus on three areas to retain and engage their talented people:1. EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT – SUPPORT LEARNING AND GROWTH Find ways to continuously devel-op and grow workers’ talents. Enrich and enliven employees’ work, mak-ing every effort to increase the time they spend on desirable and innovative work. Help workers identify opportuni-ties for moving laterally and vertical-ly. Link workers to mentors, coaches, leaders, or colleagues who can offer guidance and support.2. MANAGEMENT STYLE – INSPIRE LOYALTY Ask employees what they want from their work, and what it takes to keep them. Provide constant feedback – clearly, truthfully, and respectfully – and, in return, listen closely and carefully. Look for cre-ative, meaningful ways to recognize and reward workers. Create a cul-ture of inclusion – valuing not only differences of race and gender, but thoughts, experiences, and attitudes as well. Hold managers accountable for retention and then give them the training and the tools to do it.By Jim ClemmerSTRATEGYRETAINING TOP PEOPLEcomment_V2.indd 82018-03-12 10:20 AM9Volume 47 Number 1 | RV Lifestyle Dealer News 3. WORK ENVIRON-MENT – CREATE ONE THAT PEOPLE LOVE Let fun happen. Share information freely and regularly. Give people space – providing the freedom to get the job done in ways that work best for them, from their schedule and attire to their approach and process. There are many complex reasons why some organizations are more suc-cessful than others in attracting and retaining the best people. However, studies reveal some common patterns. The most significant of these clearly boil down to questions of leadership. A Work L i fe D esig n su r vey reviewed the characteristics that made organizations employers of choice. Only 34 percent of surveyed employ-ees named pay as a key characteristic. About 56 percent said flexible benefits were a major factor. A whopping 80 percent of respondents said the work environment was the biggest factor. This was described as servant lead-ership, trust and cooperation, family friendly policies, work-life balance, and credible and fair management. Curt Coffman, co-author of First, Break all the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently and Follow this Path: How the World’s Greatest Organizations Drive Growth by Unleashing Human Potential, reflects on key findings from the Gallup organization’s massive study of leadership practices in hundreds of companies: “So, how do we build loy-alty among our most productive and talented people? It begins and ends with the manager. Gallup research shows that people join companies, but they leave managers and supervisors.” He explains that great world-class companies create work environments that are “more profitable (44 percent higher), more productive (50 percent higher), and have higher degrees of customer loyalty (50 percent higher).” Based on a study of over one million employees in 330 organizations world-wide, Ernst & Young concluded that “ineffective managers are a major fac-tor in the increasing departure rates … poor managers have a huge impact on employee turnover.” That’s not a statistic anyone wants to be part of. Make attracting and retaining top talent a key priority for your organization. The rewards more than justify the cost and effort. WFor over three decades, Jim Clemmer’s keynote presentations, workshops, management team retreats, seven bestselling books, articles, and blog have helped hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. The Clemmer Group is the Canadian strategic partner of Zenger Folkman, an award-winning firm best known for its unique evidence-driven, strengths-based sys-tem for developing extraordinary leaders and demonstrating the performance impact they have on organizations.“Ask employees what they want from their work”comment_V2.indd 92018-03-12 10:21 AMNext >