Kropf, Pouliot, Lippert Honored with RV Leadership Awards – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Trevor Kropf, Mary Pouliot and Lippert Components Inc. were recognized with RVBusiness Leadership Awards Wednesday during the second full day of activities of the RV Industry Association (RVIA) 2025 Leadership Conference, which concludes today at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix, Ariz.
Besides the Leadership Awards, Wednesday’s activities included presentations by Erin Curtis of Genesis Products, Terry Jones of Thor Motor Coach, and Tim Edwards of THOR Industries, keynotes by comedian Chris Duffy and crisis communication strategist Molly McPherson, as well as a Leadership Panel featuring Forest River CEO Doug Gaeddert, Lippert SVP of Customer Support Services April Klein-Carroll, and Jarrod McGhee, CEO of Fun Town RV (see: “RVIA Panel Discussion: RV Industry will ‘Survive & Thrive’”)
McPherson, who was joined on stage by Monika Geraci, RVIA’s senior director of public relations and communications, led a deep dive into the world of social media management – especially when confronted with a public relations crisis. Her three-pronged advice was to: No. 1, “own” whatever it was that led to the crisis; No. 2, “explain” what led to the triggering event; and No. 3, “promise” that steps are being taken to ensure it won’t happen again. Transparency, she said, is key to developing a community of people who serve as de facto ambassadors for your brands.
In light-hearted keynote, Duffy, a comedian, television writer and radio/podcast host, said we all could use a little more humor to relieve some of the stress from our hectic lives. In order to do that, Duffy, a former fifth-grade teacher who was the subject of a funny meme from his appearance on the “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” game show, said we need to be able to laugh at ourselves, live in the moment and be willing to take chances.
Leadership Awards
Now in its second year, the Leadership Awards look to recognize those companies and individuals have excelled in providing exceptional contributions to the greater good of the RV industry. Nominees were evaluated based on: committee involvement, collaboration and mentoring, sustainability and philanthropy, and exceptional service to the industry.
Winners were selected for three categories – one corporate Leadership Award and two individual Leadership Awards for a relative newcomer and an established veteran of the industry. Each winner received a Solo Stove with the Leadership Award logo printed on one side.
• Receiving the Individual award for a newcomer was Trevor Kropf, the general manager of Kropf Industries, Goshen, Ind. Kropf is the fourth generation to work for the company that was founded in 1946 by his great-grandfather, Solomon Kropf. He actually has been working at the park model manufacturer since high school, when he would spend his summers working in production. He spent 10 years as controller before starting as general manager in 2021.
Kropf is also involved with the RV Industry Association in several roles: RVIA Board of Directors; chair of the association’s Campground Coalition; and he’s also been involved in the Park Model RV Committee
• Mary Pouliot, the executive vice president of Thetford Americas, Ann Arbor, Mich., received a Leadership Award for her longtime contributions to the industry.
After having joined the company in 2006, Pouiliot leads and manages the overall operations and strategy for Thetford and its subsidiaries, including Norcold, B&B Molders and Protect All, and her deep commitment to the RV industry is reflected in her active involvement with influential boards and committees.
She currently serves as: chair of the RVIA Board of Directors and its Executive Committee; chair of the Strategic Planning Committee; and a member of the Audit Committee, Investment Committee, Membership Committee, RV Service Support Coalition, Supplier Committee, and the RV Technical Institute’s Board of Directors.
Her previous RVIA involvement includes: Chair of both the RVTI Board and Supplier Committee;
a member of the Awards Committee, Trade Show & Events Committee and Annual Meeting Committee; and she was a member of RVDA/RVIA Certification Governing Board, Industry Education Committee, and RV Service Training Council.
• The corporate recipient of the 2025 Leadership Award was Lippert Components Inc., Elkhart, Ind. With a stated vision of “Making Business a Force for Good,” the company has truly excelled in all facets of Corporate Social Responsibility, including sustainability, safety, community impact, and governance.
In 2024, Lippert made significant strides in leadership development, investing more than 15,000 hours into coaching and achieving over 2,100 leadership action planning goals. Lippert team members have exemplified a profound commitment to community engagement, volunteering more than 159,000 hours and organizing over 750 events worldwide, with an impressive 87% of team members participating in these initiatives. Furthermore, more than 8,000 individuals have taken part in Lippert’s well-being programs, demonstrating the company’s holistic approach to employee development.
Adding to its achievements, Lippert was named to Newsweek’s 2025 list of America’s Most Responsible Companies.
Conference Concludes Today
RVIA’s 2025 Leadership Conference ends today, but before another day jam-packed with speaker presentations and workshops including a panel dicussion on “Navigating Change and Advancing Policy Priorities.” Panelists include Jessica (Wahl) Turner, president of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Mark Weller, shareholder at Polsinelli Law Firm, and Cliff Costa, vice president at California Advocates. The session will be moderated by Jason Rano, RVIA’s vice president of Government Affairs.
Other items on the agenda include a keynote presentations by author David Epstein and brand-builder Dustin Kaehr, the Emerging Leaders Coalition graduation/induction ceremonies, and seminars by RVIA’s Geraci and VP of Marketing Jeremy Greene on “Decoding the American RV Owner;” an update on the European market by Bernd Loher, president of the Caravaning Industry Association (CIVD); and an update on the Australian market by Stuart Lamont, chief executive officer of Caravan Industry Association of Australia.
