Coachmen RV Delivers Chicken Soup Author To Travel Enthusiasts
Coachmen Recreational Vehicle Company, C328, of Middlebury, Indiana, is helping travel expert Steve Zikman promote his new book, Chicken Soup For The Traveler’s Soul ($12.95, Health Communications) with the use of a specially painted 2002 Coachmen Cross Country motorhome. Other corporate sponsors include Ford Motor Company and Cracker Barrel.
The 36-foot diesel-powered Cross Country Mr. Zikman is using is easy to spot on the road. It sports bright yellow paint and graphics that include a photo of the book and a cartoon of a chicken carrying a backpack. Driving the motorhome and assisting Mr. Zikman are RVing veterans Tony and Cathy Cirocco, F165041.
Mr. Zikman has made a career out of wanderlust. He is the author of another travel book, The Power Of Travel: A Passport To Adventure, Discovery, And Growth; is the founder of www.goscape.com, a Web site devoted to enhancing the appreciation of travel; and leads travel workshops for individuals and groups. He has explored more than 50 countries on six continents, but until this tour he had never been in a motorhome.
The three-month tour, which began in New York City on May 4, will visit 47 cities in 23 states before concluding in Santa Monica, California, on August 12. For more information about the tour, visit www.chickensoup.com.
New Book Chronicles RV History In Photos
Donald Wood captures the history of RVing in photographs in his new book, RVs & Campers 1900-2000: An Illustrated History ($24.95, Iconografix). This 160-page softbound book is filled with 340 black-and-white photos that record the evolution of RVing. Nostalgic photos include homemade motor coaches, bus conversions, and production motorhomes, giving readers an entertaining look at the growth of RVing from the handiwork of early adventurers to today’s high-tech luxury vehicles.
Mr. Wood is a professor of transportation at San Francisco University and has authored numerous articles and books about RVing and truck history. This book is available from the publisher by calling (800) 289-3504, through online booksellers, or from bookstores
N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides Go Online
Want to find out how much your 1989 Fleetwood Bounder is worth? Or perhaps you’d like to know whether the asking price for that 1998 Beaver Yorktown you are thinking of buying is fair. Now you can access motorhome pricing information online at www.nadaguides.com.
For 70 years, N.A.D.A. (National Automobile Dealers Association) has been publishing vehicle information. Today N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides is the world’s largest publisher of vehicle values and information for new and used cars, trucks, RVs, and anything else that rolls, floats, or flies. Recently the N.A.D.A. made that same information, and more, available on the Internet for consumers.
The first 10 value reports requested online each day are free and obtaining them is easy. The first step is to log on to the www.nadaguides.com Web site. Select the industry tab (Recreation Vehicle) and the link to the specific vehicle type you are looking for (Motorhomes and Truck Campers). Click on the first letter of the manufacturer’s name of the vehicle you are seeking a value for, then click the year of the vehicle and the model. Check the appropriate options for the model, and then click “Get Price.” You will receive a Total Low Retail Price and a Total Average Retail Price. The online RV guide includes evaluation information for vehicles produced from 1986 through 2001.
For those who do not have Internet access or simply prefer to have the book handy, the N.A.D.A. Recreation Vehicle Appraisal Guide can be purchased for $14.95. The book, which includes data from 1992 through 2001, can be obtained by calling (888) 232-6232; by writing to N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides, P.O. Box 7800, Costa Mesa, CA 92628; or through www.nadaguides.com.
Customer Support Leaders Named At Three Companies
Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, C1905, based in Gaffney, South Carolina, has appointed David Hoover as customer support manager. In this position, Mr. Hoover is responsible for managing the company’s after-sales service and customer support programs and initiatives.
Mr. Hoover has worked at Freightliner Custom Chassis for the past seven years, most recently as the company’s quality assurance manager. He brings nearly 18 years of commercial vehicle experience to the position.
Damon Corporation, C4690, headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana, has promoted Art Konecny to the position of director of customer service. Mr. Konecny has 25 years of managerial experience in RV customer service operations and has worked for the past eight years at Damon, most recently as its customer service manager.
Winnebago Industries Inc., C93, located in Forest City, Iowa, has appointed Bruce Cavett as the company’s technical service adviser. In this capacity, Mr. Cavett is responsible for assisting Winnebago Industries’ dealers and motorhome owners on technical service-related issues.
Mr. Cavett has worked at Winnebago Industries since 1983. Until his promotion, he served as a master certified technician in the company’s Customer Service and Specialty Vehicle departments.
Georgie Boy Names Patrick Terveer President
Georgie Boy Manufacturing, C1344, based in Edwardsburg, Michigan, recently announced the promotion of Patrick S. Terveer to company president. Mr. Terveer had served as the company’s vice president of sales and marketing for the past year.
Mr. Terveer has more than 21 years of sales and marketing experience and is a veteran of the RV industry. Before joining Georgie Boy in 2001, he had worked in numerous positions at Fleetwood Enterprises, including product sales manager, sales manager, and director of sales and marketing.
Claire Skinner, chairman, CEO, and president of Coachmen Industries, C328, parent company of Georgie Boy Manufacturing, noted, “With Pat’s strong sales and marketing background and his extensive knowledge of the RV industry, he is well-prepared to carry out the duties of president of Georgie Boy.”
Henderson’s Line-Up Accepting Registrations For November Training Class
Henderson’s Line-Up, Brake, & RV, C5009, a leading RV alignment and suspension facility, is taking registrations for its fall Road Performance Assessment Training sessions. The one-day classes, held November 15 and 16, 2002, at the company’s Grants Pass, Oregon, facility, are intended for owners, managers, and technicians of shops that specialize in RV repairs, but who have limited experience diagnosing and correcting suspension problems.
The classes are taught by members of the Henderson’s Line-Up staff, including Robert Henderson, president; John Henderson, foreman and head of research and development; and Mike Bronzini, service writer. Class participants will learn how to weigh motorhomes and the importance of understanding weight distribution; get tips on customer interaction and satisfaction; and review replacement parts. In addition to the classroom work, attendees will join Henderson’s staff on a road performance assessment to diagnose handling and suspension problems in a motorhome. Participants will then return to the inspection bay to diagnose the problems and suggest corrections.
To register for the Friday, November 15 class (the Saturday, November 16 class is already filled) or to obtain more information, call (888) 898-3281. Registration is required. The cost of the class is $150 per person; a 30 percent discount is available if a service manager and a technician from the same repair facility attend together. Class size is limited to approximately 15 people, so early registration is recommended.