The RV/MH Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 was inducted Monday night in front of a crowd of 435 friends, family and industry attendees.
The RV Hall of Fame inducted six members, with couple Forrest and Jeri-Ann Bone joining Knute Chauncey, Tom Manning Jr., Karen Redfern and Tim Veurink.
The MH Hall of Fame inducted Ronald Breymier, Darlene Stahla-Gardner, Marc Lifset, Paula Reeves and Donald Sharp.
The night was filled with surprises, heartfelt speeches and song.
Breymier, the executive director of the Indiana Manufactured Housing Association-Recreation Vehicle Indiana Council (IMHA-RVIC) since 2015, said he was deeply humbled and grateful for the honor of being inducted.
“I will cherish this forever,” he said.
As Breymier finished his speech, emcee Gary Sieber called him back to the stage. A group of six state representatives and state senators lavished Breymier with praise for his long career as an industry lobbyist. The group then presented Breymier with the Sagamore of the Wabash award, the highest award the Indiana governor can bestow.
Breymier thanked the local officials and recounted his first Sagamore of the Wabash he garnered, as a 24-year-old helping the state Republican party regain control of the House in 1976 after suffering heavy losses two years earlier in the wake of Watergate.
Go RVing’s Karen Redfern recounted the story of her hiring, saying RVIA’s Gary LaBella helped her reach the stage Monday night. She said LaBella asked her why he should take a risk hiring someone who had multiple jobs in a short time before the interview.
“I told him if I enjoy the job and enjoy what I am doing, it is not a risk,” Redfern said. “Thirty-five years later, I am still here. Whatever the program evolved into is more than I ever imagined.”
The Bones kicked off the induction speeches, serenaded to the podium by numerous Tin Can Tourist members who trekked to Elkhart to see the pair inducted. As Forrest Bone wrapped up his speech he sang back to them, “The more we get together, together, together. The more we get together the happier we’ll be.”
“Be happy,” Forrest Bone concluded.
Not missing a beat, Manning stepped up to the microphone two speakers later and led the hall in singing “Happy Birthday” to his wife, Janelle.
Manning’s speech noted the best part of the RV industry: People.
“You know it is a kind industry; it is a warm industry,” he said. “People are first.”
One other surprise remained.
Forest River’s Don Gunden was invited to the podium to present the 2023 Darryl Searer Spirit Award posthumously to Jackie Walorski. The former U.S. House representative died in a car crash in August 2022. Gunden recalled Walorski’s dedication to northern Indiana and the RV and manufactured housing industries she represented.
Walorski’s husband, Dean Swihart, and her mother, Martha, were on hand to accept the award.
