Blue Compass RV Announces Leadership Team Promotions – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Blue Compass RV announced new leadership team promotions, kicking off 2024 with “exceptional talent from within the Blue Compass leadership team taking on more to support the next phase of Blue Compass RV’s growth,” according to a release.
Anthony Sahli, Mark Strollo and Donny O’Banion
Blue Compass RV has appointed Mark Strollo, Anthony Sahli and Donny O’Banion to take the lead handling key RV manufacturer partnerships, managing new inventory purchasing, and ensuring Blue Compass has the best new RV product lineup across its 100 plus stores. Strollo, Sahli and O’Banion will also continue to serve in their current roles as Region Presidents leading the company’s North Region, South Region and Motor Home Specialist.
“Anthony, Mark and Donny have decades of new RV product expertise that Blue Compass RV and our key OEM partners will benefit from,” said Jon Ferrando, founder, CEO and president of Blue Compass RV. “We enter 2024 with an outstanding new RV product lineup and a strong new inventory position with industry-leading low levels of aged RVs. We look forward to working with our key manufacturer partners to stock products to take share in 2024.”
Chris Glenn
Chris Glenn is being promoted to Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Glenn will provide leadership for service and parts, technology, systems development and used vehicle operations. Glenn will also take the lead on important strategic Blue Compass initiatives. Reporting to Glenn are Mario Lozada, Chief Information Officer; Chris Fuller, VP, Used RV Operations and Inventory Systems Development; and Dave Wilmore, Vice President, Service and Parts.
“Chris Glenn has decades of operational and technology experience in automotive and RV. Chris has been with the company for the past five years where he has played a significant role in our success and has been instrumental in significantly growing our service and parts business, retail technologies, and driving many initiatives such as the selection and implementation of our CRM in 2023,” stated Ferrando.
Dave Wilmore
Dave Wilmore has been promoted to Vice President, Service and Parts. Wilmore joined the company two years ago, serving as Region Vice President, Service and Parts for Blue Compass achieving significant service and parts growth in the companuy’s stores in the Western United States. Wilmore brings over 25 years of retail leadership experience to his new role including leading service and parts at AutoNation, a $25 billion-plus automotive retailer with a service and parts operation.
“We look forward to Dave leading our service and parts business. We’ve made tremendous investments in service and parts with over 1,000 service bays and the most RVTI certified techs in the industry,” Ferrando added. “We expect to continue strong growth in our service and parts business, and ensure that customers are taken care of after the sale.”
Kurt Hornung
Kurt Hornung, Vice President Finance and Insurance, is taking on an expanded role to lead the team at Coach-Net which we acquired in 2023. Reporting to Hornung is David Ostlund, President of Coach Net. “Our Coach Net acquisition last year reflects our strong commitment to the customer experience. The acquisition has been successful and we are looking to build upon that success serving RV customers after the sale. Kurt will work closely with David Ostlund and the entire team to build new customer loyalty products to offer RV customers,” stated Ferrando.
Jake Kalil
Jake Kalil has been promoted to Pacific Region President leading our 12 stores in California, Oregon and Nevada. Kalil has been with the company for over six years in sales, sales management, general manager, and market leader in the Midwest and Southern California. “I am excited for Jake Kalil to step into a higher leadership role in the company as Pacific Region President. His track record includes leading some of our best stores at Blue Compass RV,” said Ferrando.
“Jake’s appointment rounds out our region leadership team that we assembled in 2023,” added Ferrando. “This team is exceptionally talented and driven with decades of RV sales and leadership experience. I couldn’t be more excited about the Blue Compass leadership team that will drive our success and growth in 2024 and beyond.”
Don Strollo Leaving Blue Compass RV
The company also announced that Don Strollo, Senior Vice President– Sales and Dealership Operations, retired from Blue Compass on Dec. 31 after a remarkable 30-plus year career in the RV industry.
“Since our acquisition of RV One in 2018 which brought us to 17 stores at the time, Don has been a tremendous partner in the growth and success of Blue Compass RV,” stated Ferrando. “Don led RV One to becoming one of the most respected RV retail operations in the country, and when he joined RV Retailer, he took on a significant role on our leadership team where he was instrumental in our growth. I would like to thank Don Strollo for his incredible partnership and dedication to Blue Compass RV. Our entire team wishes Don and his family all the best in the future.”
“After more than 30 years in RV retail I decided now was an appropriate time to take a well-deserved break,” said Don Strollo. “This has been a rewarding and fulfilling journey. I couldn’t be happier with where Blue Compass has reached as a company and the contributions I’ve made to the team. Blue Compass RV’s future is very bright and I’m excited to watch the team drive new successes and victories.”
To learn more about Blue Compass RV, please visit: https://www.bluecompassrv.com.
Blue Compass RV
Blue Compass RV is the fastest growing RV retail company in the United States over the past five years, with over 100 locations in 33 states. Our stores across America offer an incredible selection of new and used RVs, including the best lineup of premium new RV brands. Our mission is to provide an exceptional sales, service, and RV ownership experience for our customers, and with over 1,000 service bays across the country, we’re able to service our customers wherever their travels may take them.
Our company has been named the #1 Airstream dealer in the world for four consecutive years, Blue Compass RV’s flagship Motor Home Specialist store has been the leading motorhome dealer in the U.S. for 10 consecutive years, and we have seven Airstream stores achieving the prestigious “Five Rivet” status.
Led by Founder, Chief Executive Officer and President Jon Ferrando, Blue Compass has experienced exponential growth since its founding in 2018, for which it was named to the 2023 Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list, as well as South Florida Business Journal’s Fastest Growing Private Companies list for three consecutive years. Prior to launching Blue Compass RV, Ferrando was instrumental in building America’s largest automotive retailer from start-up to over $20 billion in revenue.
