Awards and Accolades
2011 Wilkins RV Manufacture's Sales Rep of the Year Award
Pictured left to right: Jason Rodbourn, Mike Tribble and Andy Diestler
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November, 7 2011
To: Employees and Manufacturer's Reps
From: Brian Wilkins
Re: 2011 Wilkins RV Manufacture's Sales Rep of the Year Award
I am excited to announce that Mike Tribble of Heartland RV, LLC. has been selected by our sales team as the winner of our Manufacture's Sales Rep of the Year Award for 2011.
Mike was our sales rep for the Trail Runner, North Country and Country Ridge product lines for Heartland RV, LLC up through August of this, and then switch to the Big Horn product line for the remainder of the year.
Mike is our first repeat winner - having now won the award for two years in a row!! Mike is honored and selected as a result of his drive to help us sell his product. Mike was cited for his quickness in getting back with our Sales Reps, providing good product training and for his help in working with customers at retail shows, specifically the Hershey show and our Outdoor show.
At the recent Louisville trade show, Mike was presented with an award honoring his achievement and a $150 gift certificate at an Elkhart area restaurant.
We want to say THANK YOU to Mike for his extra effort. We can all certainly agree that having a strong sales rep goes a long ways in helping us to successfully represent a manufacturer's product.
We will again be honoring a Mfg Sales Rep of the Year in 2012. I have attached a copy of a memo explaining this great contest. Please feel free to ask if you have any questions and Good Luck!!
RV Business Magazine Places Wilkins RV, Inc in Top 50 RV Dealers in North America
November, 19 2010
Bath, NY - RV Business magazine recently named its Top 50 RV Dealers in North America, which included local dealership Wilkins RV, Inc. at 7520 State Rte 415 in Bath, NY.
"We feel extremely honored to be considered among such an elite group of RV dealers across the country," stated Brian Wilkins, President & Owner of Wilkins RV.
In its third year, the program garnered a higher number of responses and depth of response. "We found that the applications were filled out to much greater detail than in previous years," said RV Business publisher Sherman Goldenberg. "It was apparent that these dealers are coming out of rough times and were both tough and creative in their endeavors to do so. They clearly had a lot to be proud of and a lot to say about it, and rightfully so."
U.S. and Canadian recreation vehicle and park model manufacturers nominated dealers whom they considered to be among their best, and those dealers were invited to apply for the Top 50 program. After the applications were collected, a judging panel made up of independent industry veterans convened to review the applications and select the Top 50. Criteria were not based on sales, but on customer service and satisfaction, employee training and education, and sound planning and initiatives.
"Because we received so much more information and from more dealers, it was a long two days for the judges before they could settle on the Top 50," Goldenberg said. "Those who made the cut should be very proud. It took even more to be included this year because the group of competitors really stepped it up as a whole."
Of the 50 dealers selected, the top five were additionally honored as Blue Ribbon dealers: Altmans Winnebago, Carson City, Calif.; ArrKann RV & Trailer Centre, Edmonton, Alberta; Bill Plemmons RV World, Rural Hall, N.C.; Campers Inn, Kingston, N.H.; and Lazydays, Seffner, Fla. Crosby Forrest, president of Dixie RV Superstore in Newport News, Va., was given the Dave Altman Lifetime Achievement Award, named for the late Dave Altman, a respected and civic-minded retailer and industry leader.
"Personally, I am proud of the efforts put forth by the employees of Wilkins RV. They are the true recipients of this award. They are the ones who work so hard every day to provide the best possible experience for our customers and to be honored along with such an elite group of dealers says a lot about our employees. As an organization, we are thankful to our customers who have continued to support us for over seventy years. We are very fortunate to be part of such a supportive community" stated Wilkins.
The Top 50 were recognized by RV Business and their industry peers at an Oct. 9 awards dinner at the RV Dealers International Convention/Expo at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Ann Coulter, conservative pundit and author, was the celebrity guest speaker. "When our staff discusses what we want in a keynote speaker, our primary goal is to be relevant and provide food for thought for this group of savvy business people rather than just lightweight chatter," Goldenberg explained. "RV Business certainly doesn't endorse any one political viewpoint or candidate; we simply wanted to engage someone who would invigorate our minds and stimulate conversation."
"Being honored in front of peers forces you to reflect on your achievements as an organization. There were many great dealers honored that night, and there were many more that were not honored. We are part of an amazing industry, a relatively small industry and through the years you develop some great friendships within the industry and to be honored in front of those peers is a great feeling" stated Wilkins.
Wilkins RV was originated in 1936 as a body shop in Hornell, NY by Charlie Wilkins. Charlie's son, Ronald Wilkins owned and operated the business through 2004 when he sold the business to his son and current owner Brian. In January 2006, Wilkins RV moved to its current location, located just off Interstate 86 in Bath, NY. Wilkins RV is a full line RV sales, parts and service center selling Heartland, Keystone, Forest River, Newmar and Pleasure Way products.
To learn more about the Top 50 and to view the complete list of dealers, visit www.RVBusiness.com. For more information about Wilkins RV, Inc., visit www.wilkinsrv.com.
About the Top 50 RV Dealers Program: The program's purpose is to showcase credible role models and establish best business practices benchmarks at the retail level of the RV industry in terms of staff training, performing warranty and service work, managing aftermarket stores, superior consumer care and being good citizens of their respective communities. The dealerships were selected among those nominated as the best by North America's RV manufacturers. The program was founded and coordinated in 2008 by RV Business magazine with additional underwriting support provided by Leadership Alliance sponsors ADP Lightspeed, Bank of the West, Blue Ox, Cummins Onan RV Generators, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp., RV America Insurance, RV Trader Online and Protective.