RVIA Vice President of Standards Bruce Hopkins announced he will retire at year end. Hopkins leaves behind a legacy of self-regulation that promotes uniform standards across the RV industry. The team he built and mentored for more than four decades is known for promoting safety compliance and also for providing educational resources and hands-on training.
“Bruce’s contributions to the RV industry and the RV Industry Association span an incredible 40 years and cannot be overstated,” RVIA Chairman Garry Enyart said. “He has been a passionate and effective advocate representing the technical interests of the RV industry before national and international standards organizations as well as agencies at the state and federal government level. As vice president of standards, he is the ‘godfather’ of the industry’s standards and inspection program, one of the RV Industry Association’s core functions that impacts virtually every manufacturer, supplier, dealer and RV consumer. Under his watch, RV Industry Association seals have been affixed to literally millions of RVs.”
RVIA President Craig Kirby said, “The impact of Bruce’s dedication and exemplary service to the association and the RV industry will be felt for decades to come. He has had a tremendous impact on the industry through leading the development of RV standards that provide for a safe experience for RV consumers worldwide. Bruce has left an indelible mark on the industry and we are all the better for it. He is as passionate today about his job as the first day I met him.
“Ensuring continuity of the standards program is a primary focus of the association as we enter this next stage,” Kirby said. “And we are grateful that Bruce will be with us through the end of the year to pass on his encyclopedic knowledge to the next leader of our standards program.”
RVIA Vice President of Standards Bruce Hopkins said, “I have had the immense pleasure of working with a great team in a terrific industry. If my legacy is to have created the foundation to keep our industry self-regulated and able to adapt quickly as the needs of the industry change, then that is something of which I can be very proud. What I am looking forward to now is ensuring the next generation of the standards team is prepared to lead the RV industry into the future.”
The search for the next leader of the RVIA standards department is currently underway. The organization is currently looking for someone with deep knowledge, expertise and experience to oversee and guide the standards department activities including standards development, the inspection process and member education. For more information about the position, click here. To learn more about Hopkins’ work with standards and compliance over the years, click here.
