The RV Industry Association (RVIA) has appointed Bill Erny as its new senior manager of regulatory affairs, strengthening its government affairs team. The association’s government affairs staff advocates for the RV industry on Capitol Hill and tracks relevant policies, regulations, and legislation impacting the sector. Erny, who holds a Master of Engineering degree from Widener University, brings over two decades of regulatory expertise from the oil, gas, and chemical industries.
Erny’s career includes 13 years with the American Petroleum Institute, where he focused on safety and health regulations under OSHA and the Department of Energy. Reflecting on his tenure, he noted the transformative period following 9/11, when he contributed to establishing a security policy program.
“We initially worked with the Department of Energy on securing oil and gas operations and infrastructure from intentional acts of terrorism,” Erny said, as reported by a News and Insights report by RVIA on December 12. “However, the new Department of Homeland Security was just booting up, and we began working with the Infrastructure Security Division to develop baseline security standards, which ultimately turned into regulation.”
In 2010, Erny joined the American Chemistry Council, where he led the Chemical Security Policy Program, facilitating collaboration between private industry and the federal government. “From 2010 to 2018, that was really my focus over there,” he explained. His work involved addressing new industry regulations and coordinating engagement with the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies.
Erny later transitioned to CHEMTREC, a division of the American Chemistry Council, in 2021. As senior director of government and industry affairs, he spearheaded an outreach program aimed at strengthening relationships with key government and industry stakeholders.
Now, as part of RVIA, Erny will represent industry stakeholders in shaping policy and ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations. “I’m acting as a vehicle or a mechanism to provide input into new regulations whenever they’re being developed,” he said. Erny emphasized the importance of ensuring that new regulations do not impede the manufacturing and sale of RV products.
Erny also shared a personal connection to the RV industry, citing his love for outdoor activities and camping as key motivators for joining the sector. “Growing up as a kid, we often went on family camping trips, and those are some of the best memories I have,” he said. His hobbies, including hiking, biking, and golfing, align with the lifestyle promoted by the RV community.
