The future of the RV industry depends on the cultivation of strong, creative, and hardworking women who will become tomorrow’s leaders in the RV industry, according to a release. In recognition of this, the RV Women’s Alliance (RVWA) is presenting the first ever Leader of Tomorrow Award during next week’s inaugural Educational Symposium.
The RVWA Leader of Tomorrow Award recognizes a woman who is making a big impact on the RV industry during the beginning stages of her career. Promoting the achievements of the up-and-comers in the industry, the Leader of Tomorrow Award is presented annually to an RVWA individual member.
“As I have begun to get to know the women of the RV industry, it is refreshing to see so many young women excited about their career trajectory within the industry,” said RVWA Managing Director Jessica Rider. “There are women from very diverse backgrounds that are making great strides to enhance the industry. I am excited to see what these Leaders of Tomorrow will accomplish and how we at the RV Women’s Alliance can help promote this next generation of RV leaders.”
“As someone who has been in this industry for over 30 years, seeing the next generation of leaders come in and begin to make their mark on our industry is refreshing,” said RVWA President Susan Carpenter.
After careful review of many applications, the award selection committee has narrowed down the award nominations to the following five finalists.
Amelia Lopez
Amelia Lopez, Patrick Industries
Lopez has been pivotal to Patrick Industries’ Investor Relations and ESG team. Within a year of working at Patrick Industries and being only 23 years old, she has already become a key player in all public communication, the company’s Inaugural sustainability report, and is very active in the Patrick and broader Elkhart community. She helps leadership development within the accounting and finance department, advocating for women coming into the industry through various events and meetings with company leaders.
Alyssa Cox
Alyssa Cox, Forest River
Cox created a brand ambassador program for Rockwood, designed customer awareness programs, and established the social media presence for Rockwood and Flagstaff brands. Using customer input, she has helped the rest of her team make improvements for a better customer experience. Thanks to her engagement and leadership the Rockwood/Flagstaff brands set the benchmark for customer engagement and product attention. She is not only a leader of the RV industry now but will continue to be one far into the future.
Halle Edmister
Halle Edmister, RV Technical Institute
Edmister started in the warehouse of a supplier where her boss saw potential in her and that her talents were being wasted. He went out of his way to find her a job with a different company, Furrion, where she really started to get her legs. She then joined the RV Technical Institute, where she has flourished into a young lady who likes to take charge of projects and put her signature on everything she touches. Edmister volunteers on many RVWA projects and impresses her peers with her leadership.
Natalie Naquin
Natalie Naquin, East to West
Naquin is the first woman sales manager at East to West and is the first rep to manage Camping World independently. With more than 100 accounts, she has made a difference in the RV industry and paving the way for this type of salesperson in the future. Today other dealers are requesting this type of experience and some competitors are replicating. Naquin has a tough and challenging job, but she is also paving the way for more women to be in RV sales.
Nicole Robison
Nicole Robison, Dometic
Nicole started with Dometic in a customer service role where she quickly differentiated herself with her ability to swiftly learn product and work with customers to solve issues with significant supply chain issues. Her personal skills and reputation for getting things done led her to be promoted to inside sales, then outside sales. She now covers some of Dometic’s most important accounts and is often leading the sales team. She’s also Dometic’s Ambassador of Fun, spearheading the company’s efforts to build better internal relationships and to have fun.
The awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 11, at The Renaissance in Schaumburg, Illinois.
About the RV Women’s Alliance
Founded in 2019, the RV Women’s Alliance purpose is to elevate, educate, and promote women in the RV industry, making the RV industry a place where women thrive. Open to anyone in the RV industry who supports our mission, the Alliance has more than 1,200 members from more than 500 companies. The Alliance is headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana, with leadership based across the United States. Learn more at www.rvwa.org.