Greg Gerber founded RV Daily Report on April Fools Day 2009. He has been involved in the RV industry since January 2000 when he started work as editor-in-chief of RV Trade Digest, based in Fort Atkinson, Wisc. In 2007, he left that position to launch a new publication called RV Industry News. When that magazine folded at the beginning of the Great Recession, he opted to start over, this time focusing solely on digital publication.
Being ultra conservative and very pro-business, Greg was the RV industry's first business-to-business blogger. He was also the first journalist to publish a biweekly newsletter, and then a daily newsletter.
A native of Wisconsin, where he was born and raised, Greg fled that state in August 2009, shorly after the snow finally melted. He currently resides in Sun City, Ariz., where he enjoys endless opportunities to camp, bike, hike and bask in the heat. He has a bachelor's degree in public relations from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. He is a loyal Packers fan who would walk across the desert on his knees for an In-N-Out Burger Double Double.
Greg is a DODO -- dad of daughters only -- who recently gained his first son when his baby got married. Greg is active in Scouting and mentors a young man through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. In his spare time, Greg leads 70-plus fourth and fifth graders every week in helping them to develop a closer relationship to Christ.
Greg can be reached by calling 602.910.4400 or by e-mail at editor@rvdailyreport.com.
Just when I think I have Good Sam Enterprises figured out, they toss out a fastball that leaves me bewildered. That's how a number of campground owners apparently feel after learning that Good Sam Club recently sent out new membership cards that don't contain an expiration date.
I'd be tempted to think someone screwed up somewhere in designing the card without an expiration date. But, Lemonis is a shrewd businessman. There has to be some reason behind sending out unexpiring cards.
I had to laugh yesterday when I read the story about some flat-rate service technicians in Texas and Oklahoma who were suing their RV dealership for overtime pay.
The Southeast Texas Record reported, "According to the complaint, the defendant would estimate the number of hours they believed it should take the piece work employees to complete a particular job and then would only pay the employees for that amount of time or less. The plaintiffs claim the amount of time paid was arbitrary and had no relationship to the amount charged to the customer."
Boy, would I like to be on that jury.
News today that Carriage RV will not reopen and that its assets will be auctioned Feb. 9 is another black eye for the RV industry, a hit to the gut to RV dealers and another serious irritation to thousands of RV owners.
I am beginning to suspect that the public universities which pump out bankers by the thousands each year are training students that it is somehow better on the bank's bottom line to accept pennies on the dollar today rather than work with customers to get the full dollar -- plus interest -- a year or two later.
By Brett Bashaw President, Pacific Coachworks
I have read your Dec. 13 article in which you predict that Pacific Coachworks would "disappear from the RV landscape" within the next thirty-six months as a result of the fact that a union has been certified to represent our production employees. At the end of your article, you ask, "Will I eat my words at the end of 2014?"
We believe you will be eating your words. Before I explain why, let me share some facts with you.
Thirty-six months. That's how long I give Pacific Coachworks before it disappears from the RV landscape following news yesterday that the company's employees voted to unionize in a move upheld by the federal government.
While employees often see unions as the great savior coming to rescue workers and restore companies, in reality, unions are a giant albatross for any business. Unions are all about serving themselves first, their members second, the company third and customers last, if at all.