RV/MH Hall of Fame Induction Dinner Sparks Fond Memories, Draws Raw Emotion
More than 450 attended the RV/MH Hall of Fame Induction Dinner in Elkhart, Ind., Monday night, sharing many fond memories and ratcheting up the emotion for those being honored as “Titans of Industry”.
“These are people who have given their lives to what they love, as is the case with all halls of fame,” said Master of Ceremonies Gary Sieber, a media professor at Notre Dame. “Why wouldn’t they show emotion?”
A Few Words from the Inductees
“It’s meant so much to me to see some longtime friends who have meant so much to us, like Leo Poggione and Jess Maxcy,” said Carol Mix, who accepted the induction honors for her husband Gub Mix, a former association executive in Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Arizona. “He really wanted to be here but could not get cleared by his doctor to travel. He will recover soon, though, and he will be here next year!”
“If he was here, he would be working the room,” Carol Mix said later.
Rebecca Lenington, from the Pennsylvania RV and Camping Association, offered emotional thanks to all who have helped her achieve success doing the work she’s loved.
“It truly is my honor,” she said. “Working in an field that brings joy to so many people.”
New Darryl Searer Spirit Award
Jim Scoular, of Jimsco Homes in Sioux City, S.D., earned the annual and now re-named Darryl Searer Spirit Award. Scoular was a 2006 inductee to the Hall of Fame, and joined his father Ralph, among those honored in 1998.
Darryl Searer, president of the RV/MH Hall of Fame, said no one could be more deserving than Scoular for an award centered on support and enthusiasm for the hall.
“When it looked like the Hall of Fame may be a thing of the past, Scoular got back on the board of directors and did something about it,” Searer said. “Our financial worries are behind us thanks to this man’s concern and love for the hall.”
The RV/MH Hall of Fame will be debt free this year, Searer said, noting the effectiveness of the Kevin Clayton Challenge, which matched donations from others to pay off the organization’s debt. About 92 percent of the fundraising goal has been met, Searer said, and about 80 percent of those pledges have been paid.
Joe Stegmayer, CEO of Cavco Industries and Chairman of the Board for the Hall of Fame, lauded Searer’s leadership, all of which has been offered at no cost.
“Darryl has done so much and has never asked for a thing,” Stegmayer said.
The Cohron Twins
Brad Cohron, the third generation in his family to contribute to Cohron’s Homes and its seven Indianapolis-area communities, accepted the induction honors for twins Harrel and Darrel Cohron.
“They sold upwards of 500 homes a year in the ’60s and early ’70s, and they would get so busy at times Harrel would unplug all the phones to keep the salesmen focused on all the people in the office,” Jacob Cohron said. “Which meant Darrel was always hard at work building and operating the parks.”
The younger Cohron went on to describe the late Harrel’s would-be agenda had he achieved the nation’s highest office.
“Harrel would always say, if he ever became president of the United States, every house would have wheels on it,” he said.
