RVs Move America Week Celebrates Kevin McArt During Chairman’s Dinner

RVs Move America Week 2025 continued on Tuesday, June 3rd, with a celebration in honor of Forest River General Manager and previous RV Industry Association Chair Kevin McArt.

The Chairman’s Dinner, held Tuesday evening at Ciel Social Club, honored Kevin McArt’s service as Chair. Mary Pouliot, the current Chair of the RV Industry Association and Executive Vice President of Thetford North America, spoke extensively about McArt’s numerous accomplishments during his tenure as Association Chair. 

One of these achievements was the release of two impactful studies: the Path to Purchase study, which details every step of the consumer journey, and the 2023 Vacation Cost Comparison Study, which found RV vacations are up to 60% less expensive than other comparable vacations. 

She also highlighted the three new groups that joined the RV Industry Association’s roster of committees and coalitions during McArt’s term. These include the RV Campground Coalition which works to unify the entire industry around the importance of campgrounds to the future health of RV camping, the Sustainability Committee which convenes the industry’s sustainability experts to share ideas and best practices for sustainability practices, and the Workplace Safety Taskforce which was elevated to a standing committee, signifying the industry's commitment to continuous improvement of workplace safety. 

Several Association departments also made strides under McArt’s leadership. The RV Technical Institute celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2023 and continued to elevate the standards of technical training while hitting new highs in students, certified techs, and affiliated industry partners. 

The Standards team unveiled a self-paced online standards training program focusing on electrical, plumbing, heating, and fuel systems as well as guidance on testing requirements.

In the Government Affairs arena, tremendous strides were made in the passage of the EXPLORE Act by Congress; RV specific franchise legislation was adopted in Maryland, Wisconsin, and Washington. The industry and RV consumers also gained much-needed and long-awaited relief from California’s Song-Beverly Act with the passage of a bill that streamlined consumer warranty claims. 

The RV Industry Association thanks Kevin McArt for his extensive service, leadership, and dedication to the industry. 

Additionally, the Association would like to thank Forest River and Patrick Industries for sponsoring the Chairman’s Dinner.