The National RV Training Academy (NRVTA) bestowed three Champion Awards Sunday night at the Texas RV Association’s (TRVA) 47th annual convention.
Stephanie Henson, director of administration at the National RV Inspector’s Association (NRVIA), and her husband, Todd Henson, lead master certified instructor at NRVTA, presented awards. Recipients were:
- Fred Petrivelli, vice president of sales at NTP-STAG, which has contributed a variety of RV appliances and other equipment for use in hands-on training at the academy;
- Chris Hoover, president of Ron Hoover RV & Marine, which donated two towable RVs to the academy and sent many technicians through training programs at NRVTA; and
- Phil Elam, TRVA executive director, kept the association running smoothly despite the loss of revenue from the cancellation of all RV shows in the state and loss of staff just before enduring painful back surgery. He was instrumental in helping NRVTA secure endorsement from TRVA.
“We call this the Champion Award for several reasons,” said Terry “Cooper” Cooper, NRVTA president. “The recipients are champions of our mission at NRVTA, and they have championed the RV industry in general by making significant contributions to its long-term success. We could not have trained nearly 700 inspectors or technicians over the past two years without the support of NTP-STAG, Ron Hoover RV and Phil Elam.”
TRVA President Kevin White commended NRVTA for the work it does.
“We are so blessed to have this trendsetting school in Texas,” he said. “We learned today how much the RV industry is thriving in Texas. We have turned a corner, and NRVTA helped make it happen.”
In accepting the award on behalf of NTP-STAG, Petrivelli recalled his first conversation with Cooper when he outlined his vision for creating the training center in Texas.
“Cooper came to me several years ago and we immediately embraced the idea that would address a need for trained technicians at dealerships around the country,” he said. “This is a tremendous opportunity for us to repurpose damaged inventory and put it directly into the hands of future technicians for training. The academy gets to use modern equipment to train students and it’s a great fit that makes solid business sense. Everyone wins – NTP-STAG, NRVTA, its students, RV users and the entire industry.”
Hoover said he strongly encouraged Texas RV dealers to send technicians to NRVTA for training.
“If you are a dealer and have not done any training with these folks,” he said, “you are missing out on a huge opportunity because they are very good at what they do.”
Elam said he was humbled to be a recipient.
Each recipient received an engraved award depicting the lone star of Texas.
“It is our honor to be able to recognize companies and individuals, like these three, each year at the TRVA annual convention,” Henson said.
The four-day convention hosted more than 110 dealers, suppliers, finance and insurance professionals. The event included training sessions and social activities.
