The RV Women’s Alliance (RVWA) recently concluded its Educational Symposium for this year. Held last October 11-13 at The Renaissance in Schaumburg, Illinois, the event showcased a series of insightful sessions, prestigious awards, and prominent speakers aimed to empower women in the traditionally male-dominated RV sector.
The RVWA Awards was one of the highlights of the Educational Symposium, which celebrated the achievements of women who have made significant contributions to the industry.
RV Technical Institute’s (RVTI) director of recruitment, Tracy Anglemeyer, was honored with the Trailblazer Award for Lifetime Achievement. awardees included Chelsea Kreigh of Newmar, who received the Leader of Tomorrow Award, and Lisa Liegl Rees of East to West, who was recognized as the Champion of Women—Individual. Thetford, a renowned company in the RV sector, was also acknowledged as the Champion of Women—Company.
RVWA President Susan Carpenter shed light on the nomination process. She said their nomination committee “is very thoughtful” of the nominees, carefully and mathematically analyzing them on how to go about selecting the winners.
“[The nominees] get certain points for certain things that you’ve accomplished or got to accomplish and do to the nomination, and that’s really how they figure out the winner,” Carpenter said.
“There were so many nominations, and quite truthfully, everybody who was nominated, definitely we need to yell from our rooftops that they were nominated because they were all wonderful people.”
She also said that awards were not exclusive as they’ve had men nominated for the awards for elevating and championing women in the industry, such as John Tingatella and Chad Reese both nominated in the last two years for an award.
A Focus on Networking and Skill Enhancement
The symposium also featured a variety of sessions focused on developing the skills and knowledge of their guests about the industry. Christine Cashen, a member of the National Speakers Association’s CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame, was the kick-off speaker of the event, delivering the keynote address.
The rest of their sessions were led by Karen Zupko on understanding unique styles based on DISC assessment; Mary Romeo and Heather French’s discussions on conflict resolution and emotional intelligence.
“Last year was about leadership. This year it was more about getting more in tune with yourself,” Carpenter told Modern Campground.
Networking amongst guests was given major emphasis during the symposium as it provided them with more opportunities to develop their careers and support each other in the sector.
“[W]e took some notes from last year… And one of the main things they said is they wanted more networking opportunities.” Carpenter said. “So we added in what you call a speed networking session this year where just like if you were speed dating… we did speed networking instead.”
Regarding the success of this year’s symposium, Carpenter highlighted the overwhelmingly positive feedback received. She noted that attendees from the previous year, who returned for this year’s event, unanimously expressed that this year’s symposium surpassed the already impressive standards set by last year’s event.
She also expressed gratitude for the support the event received, stating, “We’re really excited for the support from our sponsors and for everybody who has come out and been a part of this symposium.”
The Future of Women in the RV Industry
Looking ahead, RVWA aims to further grow and improve the symposium, building on its success and continuing its mission of empowering women in the RV industry.
“We just want to keep on growing. It is what we want to do. Keep on bringing in key educators and key motivated speakers that help women within their careers grow and learn and network with other people within the industry and grow the symposium to even bigger and greater things,” Carpenter said.
She emphasized the organization’s commitment to creating an environment where women can thrive, adding that they’ve been “trying to make a place where women thrive.”
The RVWA Educational Symposium 2023 stands as the organization’s ongoing proof of its commitment to elevating women in the RV industry. Through its awards, workshops, and networking opportunities, the event stands as a platform for women to be recognized, learn, and connect, fostering a brighter future for the industry as a whole.
“I just [want to] encourage people to do the same thing next year. It’s not only learning, but we have a lot of fun. And who doesn’t like that, right?” Carpenter said, encapsulating the spirit of the event.
Featured image from RV Women’s Alliance.