Industry Leaders Highlight Next-Gen Marketing and Training Innovations at 2026 Power Breakfast

The collaborative efforts driving the RV industry forward were front and center at RVBusiness’ 2026 Power Breakfast in Elkhart, Indiana. Speaking to an energetic crowd of over 1,400 RV industry leaders, key representatives from Go RVing and the RV Technical Institute (RVTI) shared updates on major strategic initiatives designed to elevate both consumer engagement and technician training.

What Was Covered

The panel was moderated by RVBusiness’ Rick Kessler and featured Go RVing Co-Chairs Renee Jones of THOR Industries and Mike Reagan of Crestview RV as well as RVTI Chair Casey Tubman of Newmar Corp, RV Industry Association President & CEO Craig Kirby, and RV Dealers Association President Phil Ingrassia. The panel discussion provided critical updates on how Go RVing and RVTI are evolving to meet modern market demands:

• A Collaborative, Data-Driven Go RVing Campaign: Panelists Mike Regan and Renee Jones detailed a shift toward total transparency and synergy within Go RVing. Regan emphasized that the campaign is moving away from a top-down approach, actively integrating real-time input from OEMs and dealers to align national advertising with local RV show seasons, holidays, and camping trends. Jones introduced a new strategic task force aimed at overhauling how data is reported, promising a clear "scorecard" to measure ROI, a forward-looking dashboard for agile market shifts, and weekly insight emails to monitor overall category health. 
• Rapid Growth and Evolution at RVTI: Casey Tubman shared the incredible milestone that RVTI has officially certified approximately 8,000 RV technicians, doubling the workforce from six years ago across 1,400 dealerships and businesses. To overcome the lifestyle challenges working technicians face when trying to advance from Level 1 to Level 2 certification, Tubman revealed that RVTI is breaking the advanced curriculum into smaller, flexible sections. The goal is to aggressively accelerate momentum and push that certified technician count to 16,000. Additionally, Ingrassia highlighted RVTI’s digital and on-site accessibility, alongside an exciting new Spanish-language training pilot program to support the 20% of the workforce that is Hispanic.

Why This is Important to the RV Industry

As RV Industry Association President and CEO Craig Kirby pointed out during the discussion, the travel market is more competitive than ever. With cruise lines, hotels, Airbnbs, and theme parks fighting for consumer attention, and buyers taking longer to make purchasing decisions, Go RVing’s evolving strategy ensures our industry stays top-of-mind. By utilizing localized, data-backed marketing, dealers can more effectively capture a younger, more diverse generation of outdoor enthusiasts.

Equally critical to the health of the industry is ensuring that consumer satisfaction remains high after the purchase. That is where RVTI’s milestones become vital. Expanding the pool of certified technicians directly reduces repair event cycle times, keeping consumers happy and on the road. By making training more adaptable to a technician's daily life and breaking down language barriers, the industry is ensuring a sustainable, highly-skilled service pipeline for years to come.

Together, the enhanced marketing agility of Go RVing and the workforce development breakthroughs at RVTI are giving our industry the tools it needs to remain competitive, resilient, and unified.