NTP-STAG News Article

2020 RV PRO Speaker Lineup for The EXPO

10/7/2019 12:00:00 AM
Patrick Wagenbrenner

Exeter, PA (October 7, 2019) – Today NTP-STAG, the leading distribution company for the recreational vehicle market, announced the RV University (RVU) Professional Retail Organization (PRO) Education Speaker Lineup for The Expo 2020 that will be held January 13 – 14 at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, TX. Now in its tenth year, the RVU PRO business development seminar series offers free live and web-based continuing education courses to RV Industry professionals. While the education series launches each year at The Expo, add-on webinars are added quarterly with courses providing instruction on subjects ranging from store readiness and customer and team member relationship management to e-commerce and salesmanship.

“We’re extremely pleased to be presenting the PRO education series for our tenth consecutive year,” stated NTP-STAG President Bill Rogers. “With more than 60 industry critical online courses available to professionals of all skill levels to review at their convenience, PRO is a valuable tool for retail organizations seeking a convenient way to stay abreast of the latest retail trends and best practices leading to profitability.”

The speaker lineup is selected by NTP-STAG to provide attendees with compelling, impactful, results-driven content.

2020 RVU PRO Speakers:

Dr. Sardek Love is Chief Executive Officer of Sardek Love International. Dr. Love has worked in 32 countries inspiring, developing, and educating managers from Fortune 100 companies, high tech organizations, local, state and federal government agencies and global brands on how to become more effective leaders in their workplace. From working in west Siberia during the most frigid of winter temperatures, to being lost in the Libyan desert in the scorching heat of summer, to traveling to the incredibly lush and extremely remote jungles of Indonesia, and revitalizing a workforce in war torn villages of West Africa, his real-world experiences serve as the foundation of his powerfully captivating stories from which he brings his sessions to life. Dr. Love will enlighten the Expo PRO attendees on “Pow vs Wow: No Cost Secrets for Generating Increased Sales and Repeat Customers”.

Dr. Mary Kelly is an economist and best-selling author specializing in business and leadership development to improve efficiency and profits. A graduate of the US Naval Academy, Mary spent 21 years on active duty, achieving the rank of Commander. She has trained over 40,000 military and civilian personnel in multi-cultural environments all over the world. She now builds successful strategies for corporate and association leaders.

She has been quoted by the Wall Street Journal, Money Magazine, Entrepreneur, Men’s Health, and other periodicals. Fun and funny, Mary is a college professor, international speaker, and author of award-winning leadership books. Mary’s workshops are content-rich, enjoyable, and tailored to meet the needs of each audience. Dr. Mary Kelly will capture the audience with “Leading for Profit Growth” at the 2020 NTP-STAG Expo.

Returning by popular demand, Gabrielle Bosché is America's Millennial expert. She is a best-selling author, TEDx presenter and international keynote speaker. Gabrielle has developed employee retention and engagement strategies for presidential campaigns, Fortune 500 CEOs and top military generals. She has been featured in outlets such as the Washington Post, Huffington Post, Fast Company, Business Insider, Bloomberg Radio and NPR. Gabrielle is the author of three books on her generation, including 5 Millennial Myths: The Handbook for Managing and Motivating Millennials and The Millennial Entrepreneur: Side-hustlers, Startups and Disrupters Restarting America.

Gabrielle is the Founder and President of The Millennial Solution—an international training and consulting firm helping generations work better together with online and live training workshops. Gabrielle will build on her 2019 Expo RVU PRO Generational Leadership 1.0 presentation with “Generational Leadership 2.0: How Your Age Determines How You Lead, Manage and Work.”

About NTP-STAG

For more than 50 years, NTP-STAG has been serving RV dealers, retailers and service professionals across the industry. Today, as a division of Keystone Automotive Operations, the company is highly regarded as the leading distribution company for the recreational vehicle market and is uniquely positioned to offer customers and suppliers substantial scale, the most comprehensive inventory selection in the industry, high levels of customer service, and innovative marketing support. NTP-STAG is committed to expanding its offerings to meet the ever-growing needs of its customer base, providing them what they need, when they need it.

NTP-STAG Provides Warranty Fulfillment Support to Heartland RVs

10/21/2019 12:00:00 AM

NTP-STAG announced today (Sept. 12) that it has entered into an agreement with Heartland Recreational Vehicles LLC to execute fulfillment services for the Elkhart, Ind.-based builder’s warranty program. The collaboration is designed to result in faster response times, quicker parts delivery and a better overall experience for Heartland’s consumers and dealer network.

“Our commitment extends beyond the manufacturing process to ensure our customers have an exceptional experience with their Heartland RV after the sale,” stated Ryan Juday, president of Heartland in a press release. “We continue to invest and partner with quality organizations to improve on the Repair Event Cycle Time (RECT), a pressing issue in the industry, and get people back on the road. We found that NTP-STAG’s logistics capabilities perfectly align with our warranty fulfillment requirements.”

NTP-STAG’s category teams worked with Heartland’s warranty department to identify the SKUs needed to support the program while creating a master stocking plan to address demand.

Juday noted, “Establishing stocking levels and item placement within the distribution network were key considerations to ensure next-day service to Heartland’s customers. The new program reduces repair and service times by putting warranty parts closer to Heartland’s customers than ever before.”

Jon White, RV and towing category director for NTP-STAG, noted, “Our experience in working with manufacturers over the past year, has given us the opportunity to develop customized warranty fulfillment programs. With Heartland, we found a very engaged management team, focused on finding a solution. We crafted a solution for Heartland that not only utilizes our strategically placed warehouses and delivery fleet, but our inventory control, purchasing and customer support programs as well. We are excited about the partnership and looking forward to the program’s launch.”

From the dealer’s perspective, there will be no changes with regards to how warranties are handled with Heartland. “After the part is ordered through our on-line portal, Heartland’s order fulfillment process takes over. Each part is evaluated for the fastest means of shipping,” said Heartland Vice President of Service and Quality Jim Fenner. “The NTP-STAG partnership allows us to minimize down time and maximize customer satisfaction.”

As the entire RV industry looks for solutions to reduce repair cycle times, the partnership provides a gateway for improving service to dealers and consumers. “The RVIA/RVDA RECT Taskforce’s study on this topic found that out-of-stock parts and long lead times to get parts can add nearly 17 days to a repair,” said White. “We have the tools, capacity and interest to assist any company with this issue.”

Recent Articles

NRTVA Presents Awards at Texas RV Assoc. Annual Convention

The National RV Training Academy (NRVTA) bestowed three Champion Awards on Sunday night at the Texas RV Association’s (TRVA) 47th annual convention.

The awards were presented by Stephanie Henson, director of administration at the National RV Inspector’s Association (NRVIA), and her husband, Todd Henson, lead master certified instructor at NRVTA, to:

Front, from left, Beth Elam and Phil Elam. Back, from left, Todd Henson, Fred Petrivelli, Ron Hoover, Chris Hoover and Stephanie Henson.

Fred Petrivelli, vice president of sales at NTP-STAG, which has contributed a variety of RV appliances and other equipment for use in hands-on training at the academy.

Chris Hoover, president of Ron Hoover RV & Marine, which donated two towable RVs to the academy and sent many technicians through training programs at NRVTA.

Phil Elam, Texas RV Association executive director, who kept the association running smoothly despite the loss of revenue from the cancellation of all RV shows in the state, and loss of staff just prior to enduring painful back surgery. He was instrumental in helping NRVTA secure endorsement from TRVA.

“We call this the Champion Award for several reasons,” said Terry “Cooper” Cooper, NRVTA president. “The recipients are champions of our mission at NRVTA, and they have championed the RV industry in general by making significant contributions to its long-term success.

“We could not have trained nearly 700 inspectors or technicians over the past two years without the support of NTP-STAG, Ron Hoover RV and Phil Elam,” he added. “The graduates of our programs have gone on to provide vital services to RV dealers or started businesses as mobile RV technicians and inspectors.”

Kevin White, TRVA president, commended NRVTA for the work it does on behalf of all Texas RV dealerships.

“We are so blessed to have this trendsetting school in Texas,” he said. “We learned today how much the RV industry is thriving in Texas. We have turned a corner, and NRVTA helped make it happen.”

In accepting the award on behalf of NTP-STAG, Petrivelli recalled his first conversation with Cooper, when he outlined his vision for creating the training center in Texas.

“Cooper came to me several years ago and we immediately embraced the idea that would address a need for trained technicians at dealerships around the country,” Petrivelli explained. “This is a tremendous opportunity for us to repurpose damaged inventory and put it directly into the hands of future technicians for training.

“The academy gets to use modern equipment to train students and it’s a great fit that makes solid business sense,” said Petrivelli. “Everyone wins – NTP-STAG, NRVTA, its students, RV users and the entire industry.”

Hoover strongly encouraged Texas RV dealers to send technicians to NRVTA for training.

“If you’re a dealer and haven’t done any training with these folks, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity because they are very good at what they do,” he said.

“We support NRVTA because of the people involved in running the school and providing the instruction,” Hoover added. “Everything they do is for our customers who are the ones to suffer if they can’t get their RVs fixed right the first time they’re brought in for service.”

Elam was surprised by the award and humbled to be a recipient.

“There are no bigger supporters of TRVA than Terry Cooper and his staff at NRVTA. They helped keep our association afloat during this challenging year,” Elam said. “They work tirelessly to help improve the level of service in the Texas RV industry. We could never be the largest state for RV sales if we couldn’t take care of customers after they make a purchase.”

Each recipient received an engraved award depicting the lone star of Texas.

“It is our honor to be able to recognize companies and individuals, like these three, each year at the TRVA annual convention,” said Henson. “We are grateful to the many supporters we have had over the years and look forward to much success in coming years.”

More than 110 dealers, suppliers, finance and insurance professionals attended the four-day event, which included training sessions as well as social activities.

NTP-STAG Awarded 2021 RVIA Distributor of the Year

NTP-STAG was honored to be recognized as Distributor of the Year at the recent 2021 RV Aftermarket Conference in Atlanta, Ga.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Conference, the RV Aftermarket Awards presentation was hosted by Bob Brammer of Stromberg Carlson and John Hawkins of BAL as the industry came together to recognize the top aftermarket individuals, suppliers, distributors, and products.

Click here to learn more about the 2021 RV Aftermarket conference and this year’s RV Aftermarket Award recipients.

Jon White and John Spaulding of NTP-STAG accept the RVIA Distributor of the Year Award

NTP-STAG Expo Announces 2021 RV University PRO Speaker Lineup

Exeter, PA (December 15, 2020) – Today, NTP-STAG, the leading distribution company for the recreational vehicle market, announced the RV University (RVU) Professional Retail Organization (PRO) Education Speaker Lineup for Expo 2021 that will be held in person January 18 – 19 at the Marriott Orlando World Center in Orlando, FL. and virtually January 25 – 29.

Hall of Fame speaker, Dr. Mary Kelly PhD is returning for her second year as a PRO Speaker to share ways attendees can make their businesses even more successful utilizing improved customer service practices, expanding business opportunities, customer training and how team development translates into Increased growth. Along with her insight on economic trends, Dr. Kelly’s presentation will include a series of five-minute business plans emphasizing business growth, expanding leaderships skillsets and decreasing stress while increasing productivity.

Bestselling author and nationally-recognized social media expert, Corey Perlman will be sharing his highly-respected views on best practices to maximize digital business opportunities. From presenting a successful web presence, managing reviews and developing and publishing effective, high-quality social media content, this top-rated speaker will show attendees how to most effectively turn happy customers into a digital salesforce.

“We are excited to share this valuable business insight from these highly-respected speakers in this, our eleventh consecutive year presenting the PRO education series,” said NTP-STAG President, Bill Rogers. “These two subject matter experts are a wonderful addition to an impressive roster of more than 60 PRO seminar courses available to industry professionals of all levels. We’re greatly looking forward to hearing their presentations at the 2021 EXPO.”

The RVU PRO business development seminar series presents free, in-person and web-based continuing education courses to RV Industry professionals. Launching each year at Expo, quarterly supplemental education series webinars provide instruction on a variety of subjects including store readiness, customer and team member relationship management and e-commerce and salesmanship.
The speaker lineup is selected by NTP-STAG to provide attendees with compelling, impactful, results-driven content.

Dr. Mary Kelly
Dr. Mary Kelly is an economist and best-selling author specializing in business and leadership development to improve efficiency and profits. A graduate of the US Naval Academy, Mary spent 21 years on active duty, achieving the rank of Commander. She has trained over 40,000 military and civilian personnel in multi-cultural environments all over the world. She now builds successful strategies for corporate and association leaders.

She has been quoted by the Wall Street Journal, Money Magazine, Entrepreneur, Men’s Health, and other periodicals. Fun and funny, Mary is a college professor, international speaker, and author of award-winning leadership books. Mary’s workshops are content-rich, enjoyable, and tailored to meet the needs of each audience. Dr. Mary Kelly will capture the audience with “Leading for Profit Growth” at the 2021 NTP-STAG Expo.

Corey Perlman
Bestselling author and top-rated speaker Corey Perlman helps businesses succeed through digital
marketing. He teaches well-tested and current social media strategies. As owner of Impact Social Inc.,
Corey Perlman has been at the forefront of digital marketing for over 10 years. He started his career with the eCommerce Division of General Motors, before launching his consulting and speaking business in 2009. Since then, he’s worked with such notable brands as Sysco Foods, The American Healthcare

Association, Dale Carnegie Training and The PGA Tour.

As a keynote speaker, Corey Perlman delivers results with his engaging interactive talks that are always
tailored to serve his client’s individual needs. He is continually rated as a top speaker by companies big
and small.

The celebrated author of two bestselling books, Perlman’s first, eBoot Camp! Ranked No.1 on Amazon in
every major business category. His most recent, Social Media Overload! Simple Social Media Strategies
for Overwhelmed and Time-deprived Businesses has been called engaging, relevant, a must-read, and
spot-on marketing advice for any business. Close to a decade of keynote speaking has produced a long
list of highly satisfied clients.

NEW PRO LMS Platform
Launched in January 2020, the NEW, user friendly NTP-STAG PRO Learning platform is accessible while logged into VIAntp.com under Partner Central. The platform offers access up to over 60 courses that also qualify learners for Mike Molino RVDA CEUs. Register for an NTP-STAG PRO account today!
NTP-STAG continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and are in constant communication with the host venue and local authorities.
For more information about Expo, please visit: https://expo.ntpstag.com/

About NTP-STAG
For more than 50 years, NTP-STAG has been serving RV dealers, retailers and service professionals across the industry. Today, as a division of Keystone Automotive Operations, the company is highly regarded as the leading distribution company for the recreational vehicle market and is uniquely positioned to offer customers and suppliers substantial scale, the most comprehensive inventory selection in the industry, high levels of customer service, and innovative marketing support. NTP-STAG is committed to expanding its offerings to meet the ever-growing needs of its customer base, providing them what they need, when they need it.

COVID-19: How we are responding, a message from our President

To our trusted suppliers and customers:

The unprecedented effects of COVID-19 (coronavirus) are having a tremendous impact on our lives and businesses. The health, safety and wellbeing of our employees, customers and suppliers is our primary concern and we are continuing to take actions to mitigate the risks across all our facilities based upon guidance provided by the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and other public health authorities and resources. We continue to expect that all employees and drivers remain vigilant in maintaining proper hygiene habits in addition to social distancing.

Our practices have been enhanced to include more frequent, regular cleaning and disinfecting of delivery vehicle surfaces such as interiors and steering wheels, remote controls on lifts, doorknobs and other areas of the vehicles that are frequently touched. We have modified travel and in-person meeting policies appropriately and expect our employees to stay home if they show symptoms or feel sick. We have instituted rigorous cleaning and sanitation practices throughout all our warehouses, vehicles, offices and facilities. Where possible, employees have been transitioned to work at home while we have established strict distancing guidelines for associates working in any of our operating facilities.

We actively monitor the fluid developments of this situation as we continue to serve our customers and support the interests of our suppliers. Many of our customers and suppliers are small and medium-sized, independent essential businesses and as a vital component of the supply chain, we are doing everything we can to service them and the communities and consumers they serve. In the furtherance of this objective, we continue to receive and process orders and maintain deliveries where there is demand and not limited by government restrictions.

We understand the economic realities of this unprecedented situation with their impact on our industry and believe that in staying the course, we can take steps to mitigate the disruption to our business partners. We are confident that this challenge will pass, and we will move forward together.

We wish you safety and health and thank you for your support.

Thank you,
Bill Rogers