In 1985 Ernie Friesen ended a 20-year career with Nabisco and purchased All Seasons RV Center in Yuba City, California, and ten years later acquired Redding RV Center in Redding, California--both successful businesses today. From the beginning Ernie went far beyond being a great, customer-focused dealer and business owner, he volunteered countless hours in his local communities as well as with the national RVDA and California RVDA. His volunteer leadership helped improve industry education and training, including serving as president of the Sacramento Dealers Association, RVDA board of directors, chairman of RVAM, and RVDA chairman of the board. On the state level Ernie was co-founder of the California RVDA and also served as its president from 1994 to 1996. In 1996, the Yuba City Chamber of Commerce named him Small Businessman of the Year. Then in 2007, RVDA named him the recipient of its James B. Summers Award, the association's top service award.

Joe Stegmayer, chairman of the board, president and CEO of Cavco Industries, Inc., began his career in 1973 with Worthington Industries supplying LP gas cylinders to RV industry. Since joining Cavco in 2000, Joe led the Cavco team to grow from $95 million in annual sales to $600 million annually and expanded the firm from three factories in two states to 19 factories in 11 states. Also during Joe's tenure as chairman, he grew the company's park model business to become the number one builder of park models nationwide. Prior to joining Cavco, Joe held numerous high level executive positions with Champion Homes and Clayton Homes, Inc. Joe's dedication and leadership has earned him the respect of his peers, as evidenced by the numerous awards he has received including the Jack E. Wells Memorial Award for outstanding service and dedication to the manufactured housing industry from the California Manufactured Housing Institute, the Chairman's Award, from the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) for service to the industry and to MHI, and the Arizona Housing Association President's Award. He also found time to volunteer for charitable work including Knights of Columbus charities for the mentally challenged, economically disadvantaged and girl and boy scouts, past president and lifetime board member of The Columbus Zoological Association, and past chairman of the National Football Hall of Fame. Joe also serves as vice chairman of the RV/MH Heritage Foundation.

David Gorin contributed substantially to promotion and growth of the RV industry over more than 25 years. He transformed the National Campground Owners Association from insolvency into a financially stable and vital organization.

He purchased its headquarters building and equipped the association to meet the needs of a membership that he helped grow into an important segment of the hospitality industry. A recognized industry expert, his views are widely sought.

He developed and owned a campground, created a national marketing network for premium RV resorts, consulted and assisted hundreds of investors and developers, and writes regular columns for industry publications.

Patricia is respected and admired by her peers for her high level of professionalism, trust and an unwavering commitment to her customers and the industry. Since 1972, Patricia has worked at Latham Homes of Oneonta New York and now serves as president. She has also been the park developer of several MH communities. Her volunteer work includes being a member of the New York Housing Association for 40 years and on its board of directors for 33 years. She served in all executive and leadership positions from president to secretary and treasurer; and she served on the Town Of Worcester Planning Board for more than 20 years. She was inducted into the New York Housing Association Hall of Fame in 1997.

In 1948 Roland Sahm, along with his wife, and two friends, founded Elixir Industries, Inc. Over the course of his career, Roland through his company touched tens of thousands of people, making their working lives and their lifestyles better. With employment and the innovations from Elixir there are very few manufactured homes or recreational vehicles today that don't benefit from products produced by Elixir Industries.

Rick Mendlen served with integrity and professionalism during his four decades of service at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As the chief engineer in the Office of Manufactured Housing, Rick was the primary author of the HUD Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards, which became effective in 1976 and contributed immensely to the high quality and acceptance of manufactured housing as a significant source of single family housing in our nation. Rick was the government's ambassador to the manufactured housing industry. Above all, Rick has always strived to create standards for a safe and durable product while also allowing for innovation and creativity within the industry.

As founder of Bill Thomas Camper Sales in St. Louis, Bill has been a leader in the St. Louis RV community helping organize and manage the Missouri RVDA and the St. Louis RV Dealers. His more than 48 years as a dealer pays tribute to his integrity, and respect he's earned among the thousands of customers he's served over the years. His volunteer work through RVDA is nearly unprecedented. He has held virtually every elected position within the association including a term as national chairman. He is one of the co-founders of the RVDA Education Fondation. RVDA honored Bill with its highest recognition bestowing upon him the prestigious 'James B Summer Award.'

In a career beginning in 1969 he has developed and managed 10 manufactured housing communities and one RV resort. As an industry activist he has served 10 years on the board of Western Manufactured Housing Community Owners Association including as president in 1979 and 1980. He was on the committee which led to the formation of the California Manufactured Housing Institute. He was the founding president of the Manufactured Housing Educational Trust that protects the interests of over 200 community owners representing over 600 parks in Southern California. He received CMHI’s Jack E. Wells award in 1990. He was instrumental in securing rights for 14 wide home movement in California.

In a career of nearly four decades, Bert Alanko developed the first viable and sustainable RV rental insurance for rental dealers so they could rent RVs to consumers without the burden of total liability. Among his achievements, Bert established and hosts the annual MBA Rental School, tailored to dealers and individuals planning on a starting an RV rental business. Since its inception in 1999, the school has educated approximately 1,000 students. As far as volunteerism, few can match his record. For 20 years, he served as chairman of RVDA's RV Rental Association. He earned the RVDA Chairman's Service Award and also RVDA's highest honor, the James B. Summers Award.

A 40 year veteran of manufactured housing real estate development, he has led the development of tens of thousands of family home sites in communities from coast to coast. Active in many state and national manufactured housing associations, he was named “Industry Person of the Year” by the National Manufactured Housing Industry Association in 2001 and was Chairman of the Manufactured Housing Institute from 2000 to 2002. He currently manages 118 communities in 17 states. His formation of the YES! We Care Charity has provided a much needed lifeline of manpower and funding for communities involved in tornados and other disasters.