RV Retailer brought executives throughout its company to Atlanta last week to the company’s third annual leadership summit. More than 150 general managers and top leaders gathered to discuss the company’s 2021 success and 2022 goals.
Don Strollo, RV Retailer’s East Region president, said gaining the company’s vision for the next 12-24 months proves invaluable to store leaders.
“As leaders, we can go back, share that with our teams and they can start to formulate plans that all align with the global company vision,” Strollo said. “You come away with clear goals, clear objectives for the company, and then you know how to communicate it with your staff.”
The past year saw exponential growth at RV Retailer. The dealership acquired 52 stores in 52 weeks. The company ended 2021 with 94 stores across 30 states and became the second-largest dealership group in the country.
Strollo, who joined RV Retailer in 2019 as the company’s third acquisition, said gathering the entire company’s leaders brings benefits. This year’s summit featured more than twice as many attendees as last year. Executing on the objectives set at the summit a year ago has been the highlight of the past year, Strollo said.
The leadership summit included company presentations for a full day as well as an awards dinner. Summit newcomers found value in making the trek to Atlanta. Ryan Eagan of ExploreUSA’s Beaumont, Texas, location said he was thrilled after attending his first summit.
“There isn’t a single company I’ve ever worked for or with, in any industry, that has put so much time, effort and money into their leaders,” he said.
Eagen joined the company as a sales representative in 2018 and was promoted to sales manager in April 2021. In November he was promoted to general manager after the company enrolled him in RV Retailer’s general manager training course.
He said the collaboration involved in events such as the leadership summit is beneficial.
“To put 200 of the top performers in the United States together in the same room — when we are not listening and gaining information, we are bouncing ideas off one another,” he said. “Everybody exponentially grows, just from one day. Our only goal is to make each other better.
“We are competitors if you think about it. Yet we also are brothers,” he said. “We will work together for a common goal for the company.”
Presentations from various company departments highlighted the day-long summit. Speakers approached the stage accompanied by classic rock songs, including Kurt Hornung, vice president of finance and insurance.
“Being part of the company is unbelievable,” Hornung said. “To be able to bring a brand like RV Complete to the industry, there is nothing like it. It has been the most exciting thing and we are looking forward to spreading the news as much as we can about it.”
RV Complete is the consumer experience brand introduced by RV Retailer last year. Services included within RV Complete are 24-hour technical assistance and roadside assistance, paintless dent repair, key replacement, vehicle lockout help, towing assistance and trip-planning aid. The free one-year plan is offered with all new and used sales.
