The 2023 Leadership Conference will be held March 15-18, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Leadership Conference will bring together top-level management as well as next generation leaders across all segments of the RV industry. Join us for two days of impactful networking, leadership development and motivational speakers. The conference is designed to help nurture talent, provide a space to develop a deeper understanding of critical industry issues, and connect with the next generation of leaders in the RV industry.
Who Should Attend
C-Suite and next-generation leaders from RV industry manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, and campgrounds are welcome to attend.
Registration & Lodging
Leadership Conference Registration $1,495
Includes 3 Nights Stay at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa (Arriving March 15 and Departing March 18), Resort Fee, All Keynote and Leadership Sessions, Group Outdoor Activity, Meals and Networking
Spouse Registration $295
Includes Evening Receptions and Dinners, and Outdoor Activity
*RV Industry Association Board of Directors interested in attending the Leadership Conference should register through the link above. You will be contacted separately to add additional hotel nights prior to the Conference for the Board of Directors Meeting.
** Registration Deadline: Friday, February 17
Lodging
Our host hotel for the Leadership Conference will be:
JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa
5350 E Marriott Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85054
Immersed in the vibrant serenity of the Sonoran Desert, this destination resort offers awe-inspiring vistas, bespoke service, state-of-the-art facilities and extraordinary amenities.
Conference Schedule-at-a-Glance
Tuesday, March 14
- All Day: RV Industry Association Board of Director Arrivals
Wednesday, March 15
- All Day: Leadership Conference Arrivals
- 7:30am - 12:00pm: RV Industry Association Board of Directors Meeting
- 5:30pm - 7:00pm: Leadership Conference Welcome Reception
Thursday, March 16
- Morning: RV Industry Gives Back Volunteer Activity
- 11:00am - 11:45am: CEO Roundtable: Perspectives on Leadership
- Moderated by President & CEO of the RV Industry Association, Craig Kirby, this session will seek leadership advice from some of the top CEOs and leaders in the RV industry.
- 12:00pm - 1:30pm: Lunch / Keynote - Sterling Hawkins: No Matter What Personal Growth Mindset
- From a multi-billion-dollar startup to collapse and coming back to launch, invest in and grow over 50 companies, Sterling Hawkins’ experience has led to work with C-level teams from some of the largest organizations on the planet and stages around the world. Through thousands of hours of research backed with the latest psychology, brain science and applicable tools, as well as his own personal journey, Hawkins will help Leadership Conference attendees not only understand how to grow themselves, but how to be compelled to grow #NoMatterWhat they’re facing.
- 2:00pm - 5:00pm: Combat Leadership Workshop: Build High Performance, Winning Teams
- Presented by former U.S. Navy SEAL, JP Dinnell, Echelon Front Chief Training Officer. Although combat is different from any other environment in the world, the traits and qualities needed to succeed are the same. This workshop will focus on leading in dynamic situations. Simple and direct, yet simultaneously strategic and diplomatic, these leadership concepts are designed to get your team executing at the highest level possible. Take advantage and implement the lessons learned from the harshest teacher: war. Echelon Front, built by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, offers unmatched solutions in leadership, strategy, innovation, management, team building, contingency planning, and crisis management developed and proven in the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams. Spending nearly a decade in the SEAL Teams with three combat deployments, Dinnell was awarded the Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars with Valor and the Army Commendation Medal with Valor for his leadership and courage under fire.
- Evening: Group Dinner at the Resort
Friday, March 17
- 7:00am - 10:00am: Group Hike (all activity levels welcome!)
- Join us for a group hike through the Sonoran Preserve. The Sonoran Preserve is an open desert park, offering 36 miles of f hiking & biking trails through lush, green plains of cactus.
- 11:00am - 11:45am: A Conversation on Sustainability
- Join us to hear how RV companies are addressing sustainability in different ways. Attendees will come away with insights on how they can carry out small or large changes. Panel includes Katy Friesz, Winnebago’s Vice President of Corporate Responsibility, Kartik Mekala, Lippert’s Director of Sustainability and Sandy Rynalski, THOR Industries’ Vice President of ESG.
- 12:00pm - 1:30pm: Lunch / Keynote - Kyle Scheele: Believe in Crazy Ideas
- If there’s one belief that is holding you back from getting the most out of your team, it’s this one: some people are creative, and some people aren’t. In the same way that we teach employees how to track expenses, process invoices, and jiggle the lock just right to get into the supply closet, we can teach them how to be more creative, how to have better ideas, and how to build a culture where innovation is a natural byproduct. Kyle Scheele's finely-tuned blend of humor and heart will inspire your willingness to tap into your team's innate creativity and chase your own crazy ideas.
- 1:45pm - 2:45pm: Path to Purchase – RV Buyer and Owner Journey
- How a Better Understanding of Your Customer and their Pain Points Will Help Grow the RV Industry
- 3:00pm - 3:45pm: Emerging Leaders Panel
- We'll wrap up the Leadership Conference with a conversation with some of the members of the Emerging Leaders Coalition. What's important to the next-gen leaders in the RV industry and how do we continue to invest in their future.
- 5:30pm - 8:00pm: Closing Reception and Dinner
Saturday, March 18
- All Day: Departures
Contact The Team
Conference Management: Jeremy Greene / 571-665-5871
Registration: Kelly Smith / 571-665-5872
Hotel: Michelle Biersner / 303-868-2787
