The board of directors of the RV/MH Heritage Foundation has announced the names of the 2020 class of RV/MH Hall of Fame inductees who will be inducted in August of 2020.
The Class of 2020 includes:
Mark Beecher, RV Retail Finance, South Dakota
Beecher started two major lending institutional RV indirect programs for the RV industry via John Deere Credit and Bank of the West. He launched both operations from infancy and grew them to rank in the top four in the industry. Along the way, he developed numerous relationships with manufacturers, dealers and RVDA and RVIA members. He also pioneered numerous innovative lending programs such as the VIB pre-approval program, 240-month terms for larger loans, lucrative participation and bonus programs and back-end programs.
Garth W. Cane, RV Service Technician; professor, Cobourg, Ontario, Canada
Cane has contributed tirelessly to the Canadian RV industry and the community for more than 65 years, serving as a sales associate, RV service tech, RV tech trainer, RV TV host and magazine tech editor. He has also presented at RV seminars, shows and rallies throughout North America. He was the first professor to teach the RV Apprenticeship Program at Mohawk College in Ontario. A professional engineer, he was highly instrumental in the creation of the RV Apprenticeship Program. Cane also serves as a board member on the Recreation Vehicle Safety & Education Foundation, which provides professional and objective RV education with a focus on consumer safety and lifestyle enhancement.
David Fought, RV Manufacturer, Indiana
Fought studied to be an engineer and began as a draftsman at Starcraft RV in 1970. By 1991, when Starcraft RV was sold to Jayco Inc., he had worked his way up to vice president of operations. Fought ventured out on his own with an idea, founding SunnyBrook RV with partners, where they built and marketed Fought’s light-aluminum superstructure that revolutionized the towables industry. After selling SunnyBrook in 1996, Fought started another successful RV company named DRV and then purchased Cruiser RV. His vision for lighter weight products, along with fully loaded high-end luxury convenience and comfort features, lives on today at Cruiser RV. In January 2015, Fought sold Cruiser and Doubletree RV to Thor Industries.
Jeff Pastore, RV Dealer, Ohio
Pastore often mentions the four most important things in his world are his faith, his family, friends and the business. He has been with Hartville RV Center since it opened in 1972. At that time, Pastore was just 10 years old, but began helping in small ways around the dealership and learned the ropes. As time went on, he took on increased responsibilities. He worked part-time at the dealership while in high school. While he attended Kent State University, he worked at the dealership full-time while earning his degree in business/marketing. Jeff is now vice president and general manager of Hartville RV Center. He has also been dedicated volunteer in service to the RV Dealers Association for more than 20 years, serving a chairman and many other community assignments. He guided dealers through one of the hardest times in RVDA history. Pastore also takes time to mentor those who need the advice and wisdom he can offer.
David Schutz, Supplier, Indiana
Many people have had successful careers in the RV industry, but not many have had successful careers and demonstrated so much breadth of service to the industry for as many years as David Schutz—and doing so with notable integrity. As senior vice president of OEM Sales North America for Dometic Corp., his high character, long and successful career, and lengthy list of activities in service to the U.S. and Canadian RV industries help define Schutz. For several years, he has demonstrated consistent and continuing volunteer service to the industry at all levels of participation from directing industry boards to serving on many different “in the trenches” committees for the enhancement of the industry. Schutz has been recognized by the RVIA for his contributions to the industry, earning the association’s Special Award for making extraordinary contributions to the industry’s overall success, along with supporting other industry initiatives.
The five manufactured housing inductees included Steve Adler, Burt Dickman, Ron Dunlap, George Porter and Jerry Ruggirello.
“Congratulations to the ten new honorees,” Foundation President Darryl Searer says. “All of them have had or are having outstanding careers and are richly deserving of this high honor.”
Searer also applauded the work of the nominating committee. He says, “I was especially impressed with the committee’s work for the diversity of this year’s class-not only in the inductees’ regions within the U.S, but also the diversion of nominee’s industry segments such as suppliers, manufacturers, dealers, association executives.”
