Congratulations to the RV/MH Hall of Fame – Class of 2025
Lead photo: The RV/MH Hall of Fame – Class of 2025 – top row, L-R: Steven Schaub, Mark Raukar, Jason Lippert,. Front row, L-R: Chad Reece, Kurt Kelley, Nelson Steiner, Larry Troutt, Justin and Byrdon Bewernick, accepting on behalf of their father, Garry Bewernick.
The RV and Manufactured Housing Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held August 18, 2025, at the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum facility in Elkhart IN.
More than 400 guests and family members were in attendance to celebrate the Hall of Fame class of 2025.
RV Dealer News was on hand to chronicle the ceremonies.
The RV/MH Hall of Fame induction dinner was hosted by Darryl Milnikel, recently appointed President of the Hall of Fame and Museum. Daryll served with distinction in the United States Marine Corps in a range of roles including recruitment, human resources, transportation, and security operations. His military service includes multiple combat deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Darryl takes over from the founding President Darryl Searer, who is now enjoying retirement.
Leading the team of RV/MH Hall of Fame staff, Executive Vice President of the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum, Ryan Szlarek welcomed each attendee to the evening festivities.
Members of the Hall of Fame team include Gena McKeown, the Event Centre Director; Gerald Mejia, Event Centre Coordinator; Jose Rodriguez, Museum Director; Chuck Wilde, facilities manager, and the operations team, including John Hart, Connie Hart, Vickie Bonfiglio, Tyler Howard, Kiana Chirino, Yuritzi Alvarez, Lee Mathieu, Corbin Kollat, Rian Kelsey, and Felix Chirino.
The RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum welcomed more than 20,000 visitors and more than 100,000 event guests during the August 2024 to August 2025 period. The recently expanded facility hosted more than 200 events over the past 12 months and provided RV parking accommodations for more than 300 visits.
Following a cocktail hour, the Hall of Fame welcomed 10 new members, and honoured special award recipients.
Gary Sieber acted as master of ceremonies for the induction procedure.
The evening began with the presentation of the 2025 Darryl Searer Spirit Award to Tom Walworth, Founding President of Statistical Surveys. The presentation was made by Joe Stegmayer, Chairman of the RV/MH Hall of Fame Board and class of 2016 inductee, and Dana Nelson, Vice Chairman.
RV Division inductees, in alphabetical order, included:
Garry Bewernick, of Atlas Trailer Coach Products, Calgary, Alberta.
Thomas Irions, ASA Electronics, Elkhart, Indiana.
Jason Lippert, LCI Inc., Elkhart Indiana.
Chad Reece, Winnebago Industries, Forest City, Iowa.
Larry Troutt Jr, Toppers RV, Texas.
Here are excerpts from the induction documentation for each of the RV Hall of Fame Class of 2025 honourees…
Garry Bewernick, President of Atlas Trailer Coach Products, Calgary AB, has been in the RV industry for 56 years. Garry’s major achievements and contributions include many years as a board member of the WDA/RVAA and Vice President of the WDA.
Garry started working at Atlas when he was in high school. After he graduated, he went on to college to pursue a business degree and returned to the business to help his father build and expand the operation. When Verne Bewernick passed away in 1986, Garry, then just 30 years old, took over management of the company. Over the years, Atlas Trailer Coach Products expanded, opening warehouse locations in Calgary, London, Montreal, and Vancouver. The company currently employs more than 65 key team members. Garry has dedicated his life to the RV industry “because it unites people from across the continent – the RV and camping industry is truly worth living for”.
Garry believes that “having a key role in a recreational industry whose core focus is bringing people together and experiencing God’s creation reminds me that the RV industry is part of something much bigger.”
After more than half a century in the RV business, Atlas Trailer Coach Products continues to bring a family approach to business relationships – and Garry feels that is an integral part of the success of the business.
“The friendships we have made over the years have greatly impacted us and have been an integral part of our success. We are very proud and thankful for our long-term and dedicated staff – without them we could not be where we are today.”
Garry Bewernick says his wife Beverly’s unwavering belief in the family has been transformative – though he has accomplished so much, she is most impressed by her husband’s consistent character.
“Being consistent in character, in honesty, generosity and integrity is who Garry is,” she said, “throughout a long career, certain achievements or successes may fade into the past but one thing that lives in lives on is steadfast character, and Garry defines that.”
From 1994 until 2004, Garry volunteered with the Warehouse Distributors Association (WDA) and later the RV aftermarket association RVAA. He helped organize the RVAA annual executive conference, and planned conference golf tournaments. In 1996, he served as vice president of the WDA. He was on the WDA board of directors and played an instrumental role in the organizations name change to RVAA.
Garry has donated time and effort to many community organizations, including Samaritans Purse.
After dedicating a half-century to providing parts and services to the industry, Garry says that his induction into the RV MH Hall of Fame is “precious and unexpected – it recognizes my life’s achievements – and how building Atlas with my father, and now my sons, has contributed to the growth of the RV industry in Canada. I am truly honoured.”
Thomas Irions, ASA Electronics, Elkhart, Indiana.
With 51 years of experience and a lasting legacy of contributions to the RV industry Thomas Irions has certainly made his mark on the RV and manufactured housing industries.
Among his many awards, he was presented with the Clarence C. Moore Excellence in Technology honor by the Elkhart Legacy Business Hall of Fame in 2018. Thomas has a lifetime of achievements in the Elkhart County community including a distinguished Leadership Award for his work from 2001 to 2008. Thomas was an outstanding athlete at Mishawaka high school and completed military service in the Army National Guard in his mid 20s.
In 1977 Thomas and his wife Kelly Rose founded ASA electronics. The couple learned many lessons and applied ingenuity, reinvesting profits each year to grow and stabilize their company. ASA electronics started as the Midwest regional distributors of mobile audiovisual products. In the late 1970s, with the van conversion business growing, Irions drew on his experience as a general manager for the Van Fair conversion company, applying his knowledge of products that van conversion companies required, and ASA electronics prospered.
“We did an awful lot of business in that area, not just with the motorhome and the trailer manufacturers”, Irions said, “we were able to do a lot of innovative design work with them”.
Thomas saw sweeping technology changes from mobile 8 track players to the DVD players debut – eventually his company provided technology for consumers to access streaming services.
Though he had no formal engineering education, Irions was self-taught. He stayed abreast of new electronic developments. RV customers consistently requested new designs that were more efficient, durable, and cost effective.
In 1986 ASA hired staff engineers and began designing and branding its own electronics. It’s RV innovations were a launchpad for product diversification. ASA electronics grew to create entertainment and safety products for auto, construction, trucking, marine, and agricultural use.
“In the beginning, I saw tremendous opportunities in the RV business and I do believe that I would not have been in these other businesses if it had not been for the RV business.” He said. “I believe the RV industry – especially for Elkhart County – has attracted a lot of businesses.”
ASA developed its first wired rearview camera in 1987, well ahead of competitors. The company pioneered flip down TV technology with its first mobile LCD product in the early 1990s. ASA expanded its innovative LCD TV line until 2010.
Irons established ASA electronics as a foreign trade sub zone in 1998. The designation reduced the company’s custom duties on foreign products and streamlined its business and supply chain. For 26 years, ASA electronics was the only Elkhart County foreign trade subzone.
In 2015, ASA introduced its first Multiplex – the In-Command control system. “The multi Plex enabled RVers to remotely manage their lights, slides, awnings, tire pressure monitoring system, jacks, and HVAC devices through an Apple or Android app.
ASA owns several patents in audio and video, RV observation systems, smart RV operating systems, and wireless technologies. The company owns or licenses the Klipsh, Polk, Jensen Heavy Duty, Jensen Marine, Voyager, and Advent Brands.
“I am a fairly old guy at this point in time, but I am very much on top of all the new technologies. I use everything these days.”
With Irions oversight, the company gradually strengthened its balance sheet and eliminated its short and long term debt. ASA electronics financial strength helped weather industry and broader market volatility. ASA avoided laying off workers in early 2020. Many ASA employees have served the company for 2, 3, and even 4 decades. According to Irions, when a business assembles a smart staff, retaining them is important – their accumulated tribal knowledge strengthens the business.
28 years ago, Thomas Irions created his own foundation to promote the education, development, and welfare of the Michiana community and support area youth. The Irions Foundation donates $500,000 a year to support 25 local charities.
“That is basically what I am doing this for still today,” Irions said, “because I know that we are making some nice impact now, and I know we will be able to make even more down the line.”
Irons also donates time as an Elkhart Community Foundation Investment Committee member. He helps manage about $500 million in annual investments. The foundation gives away 5% annually in grants to Elkhart County organizations.
Jason Lippert, President and CEO, Lippert Components.
Jason Lippert has dedicated decades of effort to building the business, as well as the communities surrounding each of the many manufacturing facilities that LCI operates around the world.
Among the many awards and honours that have been bestowed upon Jason Lippert are the Culture of Good Community Impact Award in 2024; Indiana Boys and Girls Club, and the United Way of Elkhart County’s Art Decio Volunteer of the Year award.
Jason Lippert is among the RV industry’s best known figures – he is credited with transforming Lippert Components from a privately owned RV parts supplier into a multibillion dollar publicly-traded international conglomerate.
Jason began his journey in the RV industry more than 30 years ago, when his father brought him on board to weld manufactured home chassis on the assembly line. Jason had just completed his junior year in college, and spent the summer working on the welding line night shift at the Lippert plant in Goshen IN.
Jason’s father and CEO of the company Doug Lippert wanted his son to experience the business from the bottom up before joining the company that Jason’s grand father Larry Lippert started in 1956. Jason reflects on those early days working on the welding line and credits them with giving him a solid understanding of every aspect of all the product’s that Lippert produces.
“I do not think I would have done a lot of the things that I ended up doing without having the comfort level and confidence I gained working as a welder”, Jason said, “as we introduce new products it was a real benefit to be able to go on the line and make the product myself and even troubleshoot manufacturing problems, because I knew exactly how the product was built.”
Today, Lippert overseas more than 140 LCI manufacturing and distribution facilities worldwide – the company employs more than 13,000 people and reported over $5 billion in annual sales last year.
Jason Lippert’s business philosophy drove LCI’s rapid expansion along with his appetite for buying smaller companies. Between 2000 and 2010, the RV supplier bought 20 smaller firms and rapidly expanded product lines. Lippert credits the public companies’ resources for much of the growth period
The parent company encouraged us to make some acquisitions and grow organically and put new facilities up”, he said, “we were able to grow along with our RV industry customers a bit more quickly than we would have if we had been a small privately held business.”
In recent years, Jason Lippert flew from one new location to the next, building 4 to 5 new plants in just 12 months. Although growth was rapid, each acquisition and plant expansion was meticulously thought out.
Using its scale to meet roaring RV parts demand, LCI grew by $1.7 billion in sales in 2021, and added another 700 million in sales in 2022.”
“We tended not to say no when our customers told us what they needed from us,” Jason said, “I do not think they were used to that, but they certainly liked the way our team did business.”
By 2013, Jason Lippert turned his attention to the company’s culture. To keep the company growing he needed to attract and retain the right employees and continue making a difference in the industries LCI serves.
“We came up with our core values and our leadership values and we started in-house coaching programs,” he said, “we decided that if we were going to become a great company we needed to have long term great leadership. That meant we had to invest more time and resources into coaching our current leaders and up and coming leaders. We had to figure out how to teach them what good leadership looks like.”
LCI leadership training focuses on the 1000 managers tasked to lead the 13,000 worldwide workforces spread across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Africa, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Tunisia, and Italy.
Lippert created a culture and leadership department, with 30 people working full time on work culture and leadership programs. The company’s work culture is often emulated by businesses inside and outside the RV industry.
We are really proud of that,” Jason says, “if we are able to lead by example, then I know we are impacting multiple companies.”
Lippert also created a leadership academy sharing practices with customers, industry peers, and businesses outside the RV industry.
LCI employees also give back, volunteering 150,000 hours of public service annually. A four person philanthropy team coordinates community service opportunities at all LCI locations.
Jason Lippert says that focusing on every employee’s personal growth helps them become better versions of themselves. With nearly 14,000 people improving themselves, he said the company will only continue to get better.
Chad Reece, Winnebago Industries.
Chad Reece has been a key member of the RV industry for 37 years, with notable achievements and contributions to the industry including: four years as a board member on the RVIA, 11 years as chairman of the RVIA public relations committee, and 15 years as a committee member on the go RV’ing coalition. Among Chad’s many contributions to the industry he has served on the RVIA Government Affairs Committee since 2023, and the RVIA Committee on Excellence for more than a decade.
Chad grew up just 14 miles from the Winnebago manufacturing facility in Forest City IA. When he was seven years old his neighbours invited him to a picnic on the Winnebago grounds. He toured the companies “Big Bertha” assembly plant, which still exists today. The entire experience awed him, but he was most impressed by the plant’s pop machine. After graduating high school he attended Northwest Missouri State University where he pursued a bachelors degree, aspiring to become a teacher. Fresh out of college, he needed a job. Fondly recalling his childhood experience at Winnebago, he applied for an open position – he intended to stay for less than six months while searching for his dream job.
Chad was first hired to wipe sealant off cargo bay doors with a rag. As he did this, he kept his eyes and ears open. He quickly discovered numerous opportunities within the company. He graduated from production in six months and took a service role for a year. Just six months into his Winnebago career, Chad volunteered for an education service committee with RVIA, where he met seasoned veterans from across the industry. Though many were fierce competitors, they checked their egos at the door.
“As a young person, I joined that committee and became active,” Chad said, “I was very impressed with the mentorship that happened there, and the openness of industry members to engage with each other for the greater good of the industry.”
Chad recalls his time on the RVIA Board of Directors as a career highlight. It was a chance to experience tremendous personal growth. His time with RVIA presented him with a broader view of the industry and gave him a fresh perspective from which to make important business decisions at Winnebago.
He participated in the Go RVing committee, and appreciated the true pioneers and creative thinkers who originally produced this concept. Chad is proud of the way industry members came together to create a resource to support Go RVing through unified messaging that everyone can use – from campground owners to manufacturers.
Chad served on the Winnebago Industries Foundation board, a position he still holds. As Winnebago’s philanthropic arm, the foundation sponsors opportunities for diverse youth to learn about and serve National Parks.
Chad’s teammates presented him with the Winnebago Inclusive Leadership Award last November – he appreciated it immensely, because it came from those who work with him daily. This award is given to those who fearlessly go where others may not want to go, and bridge divides to bring various groups together.
After seven years of creating and implementing training, Chad transitioned to advertising and sales promotions. He developed and managed national advertising campaigns, a monthly dealer magazine, a quarterly consumer magazine, and a corporate clothing and accessories program. He also supported dealer trade shows for the Winnebago, Itasca, Rialta, and Ultimate motor homes and specialty vehicles.
As Winnebago’s Director of Marketing, he developed promotional strategies and catalyzed branding initiatives. He determined product positioning and ensured that the Winnebago sales team deployed marketing strategies. He then spent several years as the Director of Corporate Relations, learning the business inside and out. He took his current position as VP Government and Industry Relations, in 2022.
Early in his career, Chad picked up wisdom directly from Winnebago founders John K. Hanson and Gerald Bowman, former Winnebago CEO Bob Olson, VPF sales and marketing Jim Jaskoviak, and former Winnebago Chairman and CEO Bruce Hertzke among others. Their advice and forward thinking enabled him to become involved in the industry at a higher level.
Because he grew up in a small town with only sixty students in his high school graduating class, Chad marveled over travelling to every state in the union and overseas for the company. Winnebago broadened his horizons as it has many families. Consumers always told him that their favorite memories were made in a motorhome with generations of family enjoying the great outdoors together.
Chad says it feels good to be part of something that actually creates value and experiences and enlightens people.
He never anticipated being nominated for the RV/MH Hall of Fame. He says that being selected and placed alongside his mentors and people he respects is a true honour.
“Any success that you can personally take is really the result of a lot of people helping and working together.”
Chad now works with a team that excites him more than any other. Under Winnnebago President and CEO Mike Happe, the current key executive team has pointed the company in a new direction. Chad says Mike Happe inspired team members to open their minds and think of Winnebago as a recreational rather than a motorhome company. The shift opens doors to many new opportunities.
Looking back over his extensive career, Chad says he hopes that people remember him as always willing to engage with others for a higher purpose.
“We all have our personal responsibilities in our companies, and that is paramount. That is why we are here, but working together for that greater good allows us to better achieve the goals we talk about for our companies.”
Larry Troutt Jr., Owner, Toppers RV.
With 41 years in the RV industry Larry Troutt Jr. brings a varied background and many expert qualifications to every product project he participates in.
Larry’s background is rooted in journalism and public relations, starting as a staff writer for the Houston Post from 1969 to 1979, and moving to a position as the public information spokesman for the Houston Police Department from 1979 to 1984. Larry’s communication skills have been well used throughout his many positions within the RV industry organizations.
As an RV dealer, Larry has served on the RVDA board of delegates from 2001 to the current term. His efforts on behalf of RVDA include a variety of committees, board positions, and a term as the RVDA Chairman of the Board.
Larry’s contributions to the RV industry began when he decided to leave his journalism career to become a partner in his father’s East Texas RV dealership in 1984. He never expected that he would end up leading a national trade association through one of the most controversial periods in the RV industry’s history.
By 2009, Larry’s penchant for involvement in RVDA committee work led to his term as RVDA chairman. This coincided with the US economy taking a nosedive into a steep recession. For RV dealers and manufacturers business was not good. The economic tensions often lead to RVDA and RVIA leadership disagreements. While this was unfolding, Larry was among five Texas RV dealers who had pushed hard for state legislation to include towable RV’s under Texas’ unique auto franchising laws. Under Texas law, franchised dealers must operate under manufacturer agreements to sell new automobiles or RV’s. A franchise dealer license is issued to a specific person or business entity for a specific showroom…
From Troutt’s perspective, at that time Texas had some of the most restrictive automobile franchise laws in the country. Although type A and type C motorhomes were included in the franchise laws, adding towable RVs was considered an unfriendly move to RV manufacturers. Larry and the other dealers pushed for towable RV’s inclusion, and manufacturers were upset.
The expanded Texas franchising law banned manufacturers from selling RV’s directly to the public, protected dealer territories, and limited the price markup on parts used for RV warranty work. This law gave Texas dealers control of a designated market territory, among other things.
With the legislation, Texas RV dealers had clout that dealers in other states did not enjoy with manufacturers. Pushing across the revised law while Troutt was RVDA Chairman did not sit well with many manufacturers. Still, Larry found ways to work with RVIA leaders and earned their respect.
Jim Sheldon, of Monaco Coach, was the RVIA chairman in 2009, with Dicor’s Greg Fore and Forest River’s Doug Gaeddert among the board’s executive committee members.
To smooth over relations, Larry met personally with RVIA’s leaders to clear the air. His calm and professional demeanor won many over.
Among the personal meetings was one with Gaeddert, who faced association and business challenges with Troutt and Toppers RV at the time. Larry and his son brought two dealership managers to Indiana to meet with Gaeddert and his team face to face. Although the two did not agree on the Texas franchising laws, they found common ground in many other places, including a shared love of fishing. The meetings led to mutual respect and friendship between the men lasting until today. Toppers RV is now an exclusive Forest River dealership and touts the RV manufacturer as the best in the industry.
When Larry became a partner in Toppers RV’s in 1984, it was a small family owned and operated, cash only business, where everyone participated in sales and service.
“They literally turned every customer over to a bank to get their own financing,” he said. “There was no attempt to make anything off of F&I.”
Larry knew there were ways to increase revenue. He tightened up sales and service procedures, but by the mid 1980s, economic recession brought a swift end to easy RV sales.
Troutt quickly had the dealership stop selling its namesake truck toppers because they were too complex to fit to each specific truck and the profit margin was lackluster. Troutt eventually stopped selling new model motorized RV’s and concentrated solely on the more lucrative towable RV market.
Larry credits manufacturer representatives for their insights and advice during his early years, adding additional, more profitable RV lines.
During those early years, dealers told Larry to get involved with the Texas RV association TRVA, which had resources to help dealers, campground owners, and manufacturers. He became involved with several TRVA committees and soon found himself on that association’s board. In 1995 he served as TRVA chairman.
His desire to find better ways to operate his dealership led Larry to volunteer with RVDA.
“Making my business better while improving the overall industry were really the key reasons I got involved with all of these associations.”
Larry’s communication skills and desire to drive the industry forward led him to many RVDA committee leadership positions.
“If you keep saying yes all the time”, he said with a laugh, “that is what happens”.
Larry Troutt Jr has been honored for his decades of RVDA service. In 2020 he was named the James B Summers Award recipient, RVDA’s highest honour.
MH Division inductees included in the Class of 2025:
Kurt Kelley,
Bill Poynter,
Mark Raukar,
Steven Schaub,
Nelson Steiner.
These RV/MH Hall of Fame honorees join the 248 inductees who have been honoured since the Hall of Fame began the process in 1972.
For more information on the RV/MH Hall of fame inductees, please visit the Hall of Fame website, https://www.rvmhhalloffame.org/
