Outlook Breakfast 2008
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008If you’ve read the most recent RV Trade Digest, you may have read in my editor’s column how I wrote about the then upcoming 2008 Outlook Breakfast and how I was skeptical of what we might see there. I had hoped that attendees wouldn’t all get up so early in the morning only to see a parade of B list entertainment talk about how they think “RVing is neat.” My concern was that the breakfast would be a sunshine pep rally lacking substance.
Well, I won’t lie to you. We did get to see the newly elected Ms. Kentucky talk about how Kentucky loves to be our trade show home. We also saw a Colonel Sanders look alike traipse through the crowd carrying a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken. I had a heartfelt chuckle when I saw that.
Soon after though, things got very serious. Jim Sheldon, RVIA chairman of the board summed it all up when he took the stage. Sheldon said, “We’ve had a down year, we don’t need to have a down breakfast.” Very wise words in my opinion.
From there on, nobody was blowing sunshine. Gary LaBella, RVIA vice president of public relations said quite frankly, “2008 sucked.” So there, it’s out. The leaders of RVIA very bluntly said what the crowd both knew and was thinking.
When RVIA President Richard Coon took the stage, I was really hoping he would have something for us to make everything better. I think the entire crowd felt as I. The industry, much like a child who has fallen off their bicycle looks to a father to say just the right thing, to make the pain and scraped knees magically disappear awaited what would come out of Coon’s mouth.
Well, much like the aftermath of a bicycle crash, Coon didn’t have a magic wand to stop the bleeding, but in my humble opinion he did say just the right thing to give us the courage to wipe away the tears and climb aboard the bicycle to try again, knowing that
our efforts will eventually have their rewards.
“The purpose of our program this morning is to give you a lift,” Coon said, “to provide some encouragement…and to generate some good feelings and hope to fight back against the cynicism and doubt of these difficult times.”
Coon talked about how in 1970 with the oil embargo, and in 1980 with 18 percent interest rates, and in 1990 when the tech stock bubble burst, the industry saw hard times. He then showed how after each downturn, each fall off the bicycle, the industry sky rocketed back with even greater growth and prosperity.
Coon explained that RVIA is diligently working to overcome some of the hurdles the industry faces. The association is actively seeking new sources of financing for the industry. They have identified 125 lending institutions that provide financing for the auto industry that currently do not serve the RV industry. The association is encouraging them to look at our industry as a viable market. RVIA has also employed additional federal lobbyists on our behalf in Washington to promote a new economic stimulus package according to Coon. The lobbyists and the association are ensuring that our soon to be President of the United States is aware of how new CAFÉ standards, access to public lands and the ability of consumers to see a tax savings by buying an RV as a second home are all important aspects of our ability to do business.
When Coon was done, I had the distinct feeling that despite what we see today, we are not down and out. And the industry is not without leaders working diligently to guide, encourage and protect us. I’ll end this blog giving Coon the last words. He said, “As I look at today’s RV market, I see difficult short-term challenges, but I also see a wealth of long-term opportunity.”
Thanks, Papa Coon, we really needed to hear from you and you said just the right thing. Let’s get on our bikes and ride!