It began as a plastic injection molding company.

In 1981, Valterra Products made valves for RVs. Under George Grengs, Valterra’s president, it soon became the highest-selling valve to OEMs and in the aftermarket. Today, the small Mission Hills, Calif.-based supplier has grown exponentially – its valves are found on Forest River, Jayco, Thor, and many others – acquiring two companies last month. It makes for a total of eight since 2014, which was a year after Scott Capital Partners made an undisclosed investment in Valterra, supplying additional financial resources and acquisition experience. Bryan Fletcher, VP of Valterra’s sales and marketing, said it led to a major change.

“Probably since 2013, Valterra’s sales have more than doubled,” said Fletcher. “The acquisitions have allowed the product line to expand. Customers feel more comfortable knowing it’s a fuller line. We’ve had a very good response from our customers on the additional offerings.”

Communicating what those offerings are and how Valterra will operate those companies is a focal point for the supplier this week at the RV Aftermarket Association conference in San Diego.

For those not brought up to speed, here’s a rundown of Valterra’s acquisition timeline:

2014

• Rodale Technical Sales, assets from the supplier of RV power cords, blowers, fans, and coils
• EasySlider, which makes a sewer hose support for complete drainage

2015

• Phoenix Products, a maker of faucets
• Ordolos’ line of holding tank odor control products for RV and marine segments
• Host Miracle Probes, measuring tools for holding tanks

2017

• Diamond Group, a supplier of LED lights
• Minder Research, known for its TireMinder pressure sensor product line
• Go Power!, a maker of solar panels for RVs and people off the grid

Several acquisitions happened before Scott Capital’s investment, like sewage-related OP Products and Flush King Product. Right now, the acquisition train is slowing long enough for the supplier to catch its breath, said Fletcher. “We’re trying to be smart and making sure everything goes as smooth as possible.”

Valterra will be working to assure customers that there won’t be any changes, just a more cohesive and robust offering.

“These companies are well-respected in the RV industry, which is a big plus for us,” said Fletcher. “Even after all these acquisitions, Valterra is still run much like the family business when it started, and I don’t see that changing. We don’t want to get to a size where we’d lose that. Family business is a good fit with the RV industry.”

SAN DIEGO– On Wednesday, RV Aftermarket Association members at the orgainzation’s annual conference cast 75 votes in favor of the RV Industry Association to absorb the RVAA for the next two years. The vote needed an approval of 60 percent. By the end of Wednesday, the number was at 89.3 percent, or 75-9 vote in favor.

On Tuesday, keynote speaker RVIA President Frank Hugelmeyer addressed members at a luncheon. His speech encapsulated why the motion for the RVIA to absorb the RVAA made sense, giving background on the organization and encouraging attendees to get involved.

“At the end of the day this is not my association,” said Hugelmeyer. “I don’t own it. It’s yours.” Financially, it makes sense, Hugelmeyer said about the organization’s business acumen. He noted how the RVIA has 60 full-time staff, a $40 million budget, and how it experienced a 10-year growth at $10 million.

Comparatively, RVAA growth has been minimal with a $200,000 budget and an outside management company running the association. Now that the vote has passed, RVAA members will have access to all the benefits that come with being a part of the RVIA, including its resources for comprehensive aftermarket studies that will make members, as Hugelmeyer said, “smarter, faster, better, and quicker.”

He sees the RVAA member value increasing due to the partnership. He also shared some background of how the entire industry is doing today.

“Our biggest barrier right now is labor,” said Hugelmeyer.

The past four years have seen shipments grow from 374,000 to 430,000. This year shipments are expected to be 472,000. Next year, they are predicted to be 500,000.

There are 159 percent more consumers than there used to be, and the average age of the RV owner has dropped from 48 to 45 within the past 3 years because millennials are driving the industry.

By 2050, there will be 79 million millennials.  “We have the perfect lifestyle for the most mobile generation ever,” said Hugelmeyer.

Tuesday’s lunch also featured six dealers who took part in a dealer council in a discussion moderated by John Hawkins of BAL. The dealers detailed their experiences in the RV market, covering topics like competition, Internet pricing, and product training.

The council included: Jeff Burger, parts manager at Camperland of Oklahoma; Harry Vasliakis, parts manager at La Mesa RV; Ray Schwanter, director of parts at Mike Thompson’s RV; Jeff Howell, manager at All Seasons RV; Tom Zeilstra, parts service director at Pierce RV Supercenter; and Nick Dvorak, service manager at Banning RV.

Each dealer took time out of their own schedule and paid their own way to be at the council for which current RVAA president, Susan Carpenter, thanked them.

The RVAA conference will conclude tomorrow, and for the next two years, and potentially thereafter, the RVAA will now be a part of RVIA as the Aftermarket Committee.

Update: The vote is now at 80-9 in favor.

LCI announced its new lineup of technological advances for its OneControl smart RV infrastructure.

During the Elkhart RV Open House, LCI will debut OneControl ConnectAnywhere, which gives RV owners the ability to use cellular or satellite technology to connect to their OneControl equipped RV virtually anywhere. Previously, owners needed to be on the local Wi-Fi network to connect to their OneControl system.

The ConnectAnywhere technology builds on the previous OneControl Wireless technology, which uses an internal wireless network. Technology under the “myRV” name will now be rebranded under the OneControl name.

“When the RV owner gets their new rig, they are asked to download the OneControl app for their smart phone or tablet,” said Rob Ford, president of LCI Technologies. “Our teams decided that it would make it easier for the manufacturer, dealer and consumer if everything was branded under one name. OneControl is the product that the end consumer sees when they control and monitor their RV, and from now on, all the related technologies and products will be under the same umbrella. Our goal is for a consumer to see the OneControl logo on a new product and immediately recognize that it will work with their OneControl infrastructure.”

More technology is slated for 2017 releases as well, including an observation and backup camera, 4G wireless hotspot, and a voice-controlled version of the OneControl infrastructure. In the coming weeks and months, LCI will be sending out news on these exciting new products, so stay tuned.

“When we acquired LCI Technologies in 2014, our goal was to always be on the cutting edge of RV technology,” said Jason Lippert, LCI’s CEO. “Our sales teams are out in the field, listening to our customers and developing the solutions they want. Our dedicated R&D teams are constantly pushing the envelope to deliver these solutions so that LCI is the supplier of choice when it comes to mobile and control electronics.”

All LCI owner’s manuals and instructional documents for older myRV devices as well as all OneControl products can be located at www.lci1.com/support-electronics. 

Fifty years ago, a team of entrepreneurs in Michigan released Aqua-Kem, a new product for the RV industry that was designed to tackle a problem that had existed since the invention of the RV: deodorizing the holding tank.

Aqua-Kem has become one of the industry’s leading products. Thetford officials estimate that more than 12 million bottles of Aqua-Kem have been sold.

“Aqua-Kem is the product that put Thetford on the map,” said Barry Eckel, Thetford’s VP of sales and marketing. “It’s the industry leader for one simple but important reason: it works.”

Over the years, Thetford has introduced innovations to Aqua-Kem, including a selection of fragrances, concentrated and micro-concentrated formulas, and a wider selection of bottles and packaging.
“In each case, we wanted to make sure that Aqua-Kem remained a perfect fit in the life of RVers,” said Eckel. “The amazing thing is that the underlying product has remained essentially the same throughout that entire half-century.”

Aqua-Kem will be working with its partners in the RV trade to use the product’s anniversary in marketing campaigns, including the development of a special logo.
“Aqua-Kem has been a popular product with RVers for decades,” Eckel concluded.  “We’re looking forward to working with dealers and distributors to continue the product’s amazing run of success.”

For more information on the supplier, visit www.thetford.com.

Ocean Bio-Chem announced for the six months ended June 30 that the net income was $1.5 million compared to net income of $116,000 for the same period in 2016. This represents an increase of $1.3 million – 40 percent higher than the company’s previous record first half results in 2011.

For the first six months of 2017, net sales were $18.3 million, compared to $15.5 million for the first six months of 2016, an increase of 18 percent. This is the fifth consecutive year that net sales reached record levels for the first six months of the year.

“The financial results for the six-month period exhibits the exceptionally strong financial and operational results of our company,” said Peter Dornau, Ocean Bio-Chem chairman, president, and CEO. “The net income for the first six months of 2017 of approximately $1.5 million was greater than the combined net income for the previous four comparative six month results (2013 to 2016) totaling approximately $1.4 million. Also, the gross profit percentage of 40.5 percent in the current six-month reporting period compares to an average of 37 percent for the previous four six-month reporting periods.”

Jim Klynman has joined Blue Ox as a dealer development manager in outside sales serving customers in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, and West Virginia, according to Blue Ox President and CEO Ellen Kietzmann.

Klynman has previously served as a parts manager for a large RV dealership in Kentucky.

“Jim has a great reputation for building trusting relationships with customers by listening to their needs and applying his product knowledge to fulfill those needs,” said Kietzmann. “We are really excited to have Jim on the team and look forward to the continued development of his territory through his enthusiasm for our products and his passion for outstanding customer service.”

“I have been impressed with Blue Ox quality for years,” said Klynman. “That quality and the company’s focus on driving the success of our customers, made joining this team an easy decision. I look forward to working with and advising the dealers in my territory and to being a part of the Blue Ox family.”

Klynman can be reached at (402) 922-2539 or via email: jimklynman@blueox.com 

KING will begin marketing a powerful Wi-Fi antenna this fall, a product company leaders said could add 50 percent more revenue to the 100-person company over the next several years.

This story by Nick Williams appeared in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

The KING Falcon (MSRP $649) will be out this October and is geared for RV, camper, and mobile home owners.

The device is part omni-directional antenna, which gathers signals from all around it, and part directional antenna, which points to a specific source for wireless connection. To use the Falcon, consumers would open the KING app on a smart phone, scan for a Wi-Fi signal from all directions with a signal the supplier claims is 10 times stronger than anything currently on the market.

KINGs products are installed on brands like Thor, Forest River and Winnebago. One client, although KING wouldn’t say which one, will have the Falcon installed into upcoming RV products.

Lippert Components announced that Andrew Mock has been promoted to director of sales of interiors. In this role, Mock will oversee the sales and product management for all interiors-related RV products. 

Mock, who previously held the position of Furrion product manager, will now be the central point of contact for product teams in the seating, mattress, kitchen and bath, Furrion-brand electronics and additional interiors product lines.

Mock has been with LCI for over three years, and in that time, has shown a great ability to take care of customers and bring innovative product ideas to the company.

“We had identified the need to create additional leadership positions within the interiors divisions as we experience continued growth,” said Ryan Smith, LCI’s VP of interiors. “Andrew exemplifies what it means to be a team player. His positive attitude, extensive knowledge of the industry, and attention to customer needs is what set him apart. We’re excited to see Andrew take on these new responsibilities.”

“I joined LCI because of the opportunity to grow with a forward-thinking company,” said Mock. “My passion for product innovation and customer care was a perfect fit with the interiors team. It’s an incredibly exciting time to be a part of the RV industry. I’m excited to take on the new role, responsibilities, and opportunity to work with such a hard-working team.”

Andrew Mock can be reached at amock@lci1.com

For more information, visit us at www.lippertcomponents.com

Elkhart-based companies recently swept the top three spots on the 2017 Industry Week 50 Best U.S. Manufacturers list. Lafayette-based Wabash National was the only other Indiana company on the list, placing 29th.

This story by Dan McGowan originally appeared in Inside Indiana Business.

The publication ranks manufacturers based on multiple factors, including revenue growth and total revenue over the last year. Patrick Industries, which has revenues topping $1.2 billion, jumped 32.8 percent year-over-year.

Revenue at LCI Industries grew by almost 20 percent to $1.7 billion, and revenue at Thor Industries increased to nearly $4.6 billion – a 14.4 percent increase, according to Industry Week. Wabash National’s revenue dipped 9 percent year-over-year, but came in at more than $1.8 billion.

The full ranking from Industry Week can be found here.

Dometic recently donated Fan-Tastic Vent products to Cleansing Hope Shower Shuttle, an organization that provides clean mobile showers for the homeless.

Dean Dodd, founder of Cleansing Hope Shower Shuttle in Sacramento, Calif., reached out to Dometic for Fan-Tastic Vent Fans for his second converted bus. Dometic saw this as an opportunity to support a great cause.

“Coming from a background of homelessness myself and knowing what it’s like to not be able to get a shower, I had a heart for those who are still without,” said Dodd, who runs the Mobile Shower Shuttle himself three days a week. “In 2015, the idea came to me. Together, with a dream team of builders, we set out on an 11-month build project to make Cleansing Hope Shower Shuttle come to life. … We are restoring hope and dignity through providing the basic need of getting clean with our showers. We develop relationships with these people and see lives changed over time. We are seeing about 50 people each day.”

Dodd is not the only one with this brilliant idea of a mobile shower shuttle, turns out there are mobile shower shuttles happening all over the world. People are taking buses and converting them into a clean, private, free space for the homeless to shower. These shuttles cater to children and handicapped as well.

Mobile shower shuttles are proven to be a key factor in assisting the homeless to a better life. Being able to take a shower and clean up has given many the opportunity to find a job and a safe place to call home.

Dometic is thrilled to be able to be part of providing clean showers to those in need.

For more information, visit http://www.dometic.com.

Editor’s note: This article is the first in a series of stories from RV PRO highlighting RV supplier events planned in connection with Elkhart Open House Week.

Norco/ BAL’s Annual Supplier Showcase has become a regular event for dealers.

As in past years, the Norco/ BAL dealer event is being held under a big tent at the Norco Industries’ building at 3401 County Road 6, on the northeast side of County Road 6 and Northland Drive, which puts it just across the street from where Forest River holds its big dealer event on the grounds of the Dynamax facility.

While the event is at the same location as in past years, Norco/ BAL has relocated where the tent will be staged in the company parking lot to better facilitate traffic and parking, according to BAL Aftermarket Sales Manager John Hawkins.

The event is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 19, and Wednesday, Sept. 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., each day. A catered lunch will be served each day around noon, along with refreshments throughout the day.

Hawkins said his expectation is that the number of participating suppliers will increase from last year.

As of early August, the following companies were committed to display products at the Norco/ BAL event: ADCO, Airxcel, BAL, Cequent, Demco, Fleming Sales, Icon Technologies, Progress Mfg., Thetford/ Norcold, Torklift and Winegard.

Hawkins said some suppliers will have trailers parked on the site where they can show off and demonstrate their products.

Suppliers said are looking forward to the upcoming event.

“Last year went well for Demco. We were up 50 percent in traffic, which told us we are gaining traction and visibility,” said Doug Northcutt, vice president of sales and marketing for Demco Products. “My expectations are that we will continue to see growth in attendance as more and more dealers and distributors know we are there and displaying product. Last year, several suppliers had new product to show and hopefully this year will be the same. This gives the dealers that come by an opportunity to see some new products prior to the new year and season.”

“We are looking forward to another great year at the Third Annual Supplier Showcase. The group of supplier companies that display at this showcase are the best in the industry and we honored to be a part of it,” said Rich Elliott, vice president of sales and marketing for Progress Mfg.

“As a manufacturer of aftermarket towable and truck camper products, the Supplier Showcase at Elkhart is a unique opportunity to connect with customers and dealerships about our products that focus on safety and quality,” said Torklift President Jack Kay.

To sweeten the incentive for dealers to visit, the exhibiting suppliers are hosting a drawing during the event for a $1,000 gift card.

“We think this year’s event will be the best ever,” Hawkins said.

Two local business leaders are stepping up to assist the Elkhart Police Department with needed equipment.

This story originally appeared in the Elkhart Truth.

Thomas Jellison, CEO of Elkhart-based Flexco Products, recently purchased a Case IH Scout utility vehicle and an aerial drone for the department. The drone is equipped with a high-definition camera and thermal imaging. Both items will be beneficial to the police department during special events, training and investigations.

Jack Smith, CEO of Gaska Tape, has also assisted the department with its transition to new handguns.

Combined, these donations represent nearly $45,000 in new equipment for the department, which will allow them to focus on other priorities during the upcoming budget season.

Chief Ed Windbigler and Mayor Neese give a big thank you to Jellison and Smith for their generosity and continued support of the Elkhart Police Department.

According to a research conducted by Freedonia, the U.S. RV market is forecasted to increase 4.8 percent annually to $10.7 billion in 2017. Travel trailers will remain the largest product category, while motorhomes and campers and camping trailers will be the fastest growing. The South and West regions will continue to lead sales and account for over three-quarters of all US demand.

Thor Industries 

Thor Industries’ stock ended yesterday’s session 0.43 percent higher at $103.90 with a total trading volume of 274,488 shares. The company’s shares have advanced 12.31 percent over the previous three months and 3.85 percent on an YTD basis. The stock is trading 3.94 percent above its 200-day moving average. Additionally, shares of Thor Industries, which through its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and sells recreational vehicles, and related parts and accessories primarily in the U.S. and Canada, have an RSI of 46.82.

On Aug. 1, Thor Industries announced that it has hired Rick Schutt as director of community engagement. In his newly created role, Schutt will be responsible for developing stronger relationships with school and community leaders to promote the RV industry, and enhance the company’s ability to positively impact the areas where its subsidiaries currently operate.

Winnebago Industries 

On Tuesday, shares in Forest City, Iowa-headquartered Winnebago Industries recorded a trading volume of 201,542 shares. The stock finished 1.30 percent higher at $35.05. The company’s shares have advanced 34.03 percent in the previous three months, and 10.74 percent since the start of this year. The stock is trading above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages by 2.42 percent and 11.55 percent, respectively.

Furthermore, shares of Winnebago Industries, which manufactures and sells recreation vehicles primarily for use in leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities, have an RSI of 50.60.

Horizon Global and its OEM division, TriMotive Americas, were recently recognized for their social media efforts, winning the contest for “Most Engaged Sponsor” at the 2017 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear.

The contest, held from May 30 to June 4, challenged Grand Prix sponsors to engage with drivers, fans, and other sponsors online through Facebook and Twitter, with the winner being awarded tickets to the Penske suite at a Detroit Tigers game at Comerica Park in Detroit.

“The Detroit Grand Prix is a huge event with lots of big-name sponsors, so we knew it was going to be a tough contest to win,” said Horizon Global Americas Events Manager Carol Doney.

Sponsors were required to use specific handles and hashtags for the event when posting online. Engagement was tracked through analytics by a Grand Prix staff member to determine who had the most online presence. In the end, TriMotive and Horizon Global beat out 76 other sponsors in the challenge.

“Winning this contest is a testament to the team players we have at TriMotive and Horizon Global,” said Mike Sislo, TriMotive VP and general manager. “It shows a true embodiment of the company initiative: One Team, One Goal.”

For the past six months, Lippert Components has been working towards a new branding initiative for the European Caravanning Industry. The goal of this branding initiative is to present a refreshed, updated look for the European Caravanning Industry, and present a unified look for all the companies LCI has acquired in Europe.

“Over the last 16 months, Lippert Components has acquired four different companies in Europe: Project 2000, Sessa Klein, Metallarte and RV Doors,” said Jarod Lippert, VP of marketing and public relations for LCI. “As we continue to expand in the European caravanning industry, it became apparent that LCI needed a new set of brand standards that would be adopted by all of our European partners, both current and future. This unified look makes it much easier to tell the LCI story in Europe now, as well as in the future.”

LCI will hold a press event at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26 in their newly redesigned booth at Hall 5, stand C04 of Messe Düsseldorf. At this press event, LCI will talk about new products, its recent expansion into Europe, as well as explain new products that are on display.

Hall 5 is part of Messe Düsseldorf’s newly revised show plan that expands the supplier showcase beyond just one hall. LCI will have a new stand in Hall 5 that allows them to increase their footprint to almost six times the previous stand space.

“This year will be our 4th Caravan Salon, and our first presenting all of our products in one booth in Hall 5,” Lippert continued. “In our booth, we will have a combination of LCI, Project 2000, Metallarte, RV Doors as well as Sessa Klein products. This is very exciting for us to finally have the space to showcase all of our products in one place.”

Being shown for the first time this year will be a “Smart Caravan,” featuring four slide-outs and controlled by LCI’s OneControl app. This system allows the caravan owner to control the slide-outs, multiple lighting zones, door locks, heating and water level monitoring.

LCI will also unveil a new one-touch leveling system on this caravan that was developed from its Ground Control TT leveling technology in the U.S.

Also on display will be a caravan window with variable-transparency glass, designed by Sessa Klein and Vision Systems. This suspended particle device is capable of electronically darkening the glass with a control system on a smart device. It will permit six levels of light adjustment from opaque to transparent.

To showcase their scope of products in Europe, a new website is being developed and will debut at Caravan Salon http://www.lci1.com/eu.

The website will house information on all LCI European products, support documents, as well as press releases to cater to the European caravanning community. It will also replace the current websites of Metallarte, RV Doors and Project 2000. Finally, a new LCI catalogue made specifically for the European caravanning market will be distributed at Caravan Salon and combines all of LCI’s, and their acquired companies, products.

“The combination of the catalogues and website makes it easier to tell the LCI story in Europe,” said Larry Revelino, LCI’s director of sales for Europe. “As we continue to develop strategic relationships with the European caravan manufacturers, the ‘One LCI’ story makes it easier to show these partners where we are going as a company, and that the European caravanning industry is of the utmost importance to LCI.”

For more information, visit us at www.lippertcomponents.com.

Mark Martin is back in the market for a new RV, and there’s one company he won’t be calling. The NASCAR legend claimed on Twitter that he had an order in place with Camping World — the title sponsor for NASCAR’s truck series — for a $150,000, presumably beautiful new RV.

This story by Dakota Randall originally appeared on NESN.com.

But then Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis, in response to president Donald Trump’s controversial post-Charlottesville, Va., rhetoric, invited supporters of Trump’s remarks to shop elsewhere last week. Now, the company is without one of its most high-profile customers.

Martin then tweeted the next day that he will be canceling his order, telling Lemonis to “leave politics out of it.”

Martin deleted his tweet the next day after receiving a phone call from Lemonis who said his comments were “misrepresented.”

Given how popular Martin is with NASCAR diehards, however, his stance against Camping World could spark considerable backlash against the company. A 40-time winner in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the 58-year-old is one of the most popular drivers the sport’s ever seen.

RVIA will present a webinar on auxiliary battery installation at 2 p.m. EST on Aug. 29. Mick Sass, standards inspector, will be the host and presenter of a webinar that will last a half hour.

The intent of this webinar is to educate RVIA members regarding deviations that are being cited most often with the goal of minimizing the citing of these deviations in the future.

This webinar is designed for production personnel, engineers, and other parties involved in code compliance.

To register, click here.

For additional information, contact Roxane Tharp at rtharp@rvia.org or (574) 549-9068.

Torklift International has promoted Kyle Bonita to national sales manager to oversee national sales reps, inside sales and dealer training programs.

“Kyle is the right person for this position,” said Torklift President Jack Kay. “He grew up in our company and knows all the ins and outs from production to customer service and now sales. He’s been in the sales department for two years and has attended distributor shows, trained national sales reps and dealers and has also assisted in building our inside sales team. His ambition and focused dedication has propelled him through the company. His diversified background knowledge about our company enables him to fulfill this position and take it to the next level. With Kyle at the helm, we’ve had the best year in company history.”

Bonita will continue to attend distributor tradeshows where he will host training seminars, launch a webinar, and in-person training plan for dealers, outside sales reps, and distributor partners. He also will continue to expand Torklift’s inside sales team and is responsible for OEM business.

“I’m excited to cultivate the relationships with our partners as well as serve our customer base,” said Bonita. “Torklift has always been more than a company to me. Everyone is treated like family and, as national sales manager, being able to carry that torch of family values that Torklift is founded on is important to me and an honor.”

“This is only the beginning of Kyle’s story here at Torklift,” said Kay. “He’s made such an impact in his young career and we can’t wait to see what the next several years look like. … It’s in our company culture to promote within and go after those folks who really have a fire in their heart to succeed and Kyle embodies that. I am proud of him. As a teen, Kyle was a national BMX racing champion. It makes sense that his ambition on the race track translates to his ambition on a professional level.”

Bypass Road in front of Skyline Corp. in Elkhart got a new name Tuesday.

This story by Sam Householder originally appeared in the Elkhart Truth.

Mayor Tim Neese was on hand to surprise Arthur Decio with the honorary street dedication for Bypass Road between Lexington Ave. and Nappanee St.

Decio has been affiliated with Skyline Corp. in a variety of capacities for over 50 years.

Decio has been a lifelong Elkhart resident and philanthropist, with his name on many local buildings and other projects, as well as serving on several boards and committees, according to Neese.

Decio deferred when asked to talk about himself, instead choosing to compliment the mayor.

Vancouver, Wash.-based Alde Corp. recently hired Martin Flory Group to handle its public relations. The PR firm will promote the company’s hydronic heating solution throughout North America.

A pioneer, Alde introduced its first RV heater in 1966. Now, it specializes in developing and manufacturing state-of-the-art hydronic heating furnaces for mobile living. Installed in everything from motor coaches to pods, the furnaces deliver even heat and unlimited hot water, without the pitfalls of electric solutions.

The company has over 700 service locations across North America, Europe and Asia, and focuses primarily on OEM markets.

For more information on the furnaces, visit www.alde.us.