Forest River, a manufacturer in the recreational vehicle, cargo trailer, pontoon boat, and commercial vehicle industries, has announced changes to its leadership team.
Founder and CEO Pete Liegl announced three leadership changes designed to continue Forest River’s forward trajectory and dedication to customer satisfaction.
Forest River Founder & CEO Pete Liegl
- CFO Darrel Ritchie will lead corporate management. Having started with Forest River in 2002, Ritchie brings deep understanding of the company and is poised to continue the Forest River commitment to excellence.
- David Wright, another 22-year expert, will assume management of Forest River’s commercial division, inclusive of buses, vans, trucks, and cargo trailers.
- Doug Gaeddert, who has run towable divisions for 25+ years, will now oversee Forest River’s entire recreational vehicles division, including towables and motorized.
Liegl remains CEO and will continue to lead strategic oversight of Forest River.
“I believe it is important to envision the future and plan for a smooth transition for the continued legacy of Forest River,” said Liegl. “I will remain fully engaged and devote significant time to help the incoming leaders.”
In other news, Forest River is proud to announce it is renewing its partnership with Care Camps Foundation. This announcement was made as part of the celebration marking Forest River surpassing the $1M milestone in cumulative donations.
In 2019, Forest River pledged to donate to Care Camps Foundation with every product sold. This month, the partnership surpassed its $1M goal, enabling thousands of children living with cancer and their families to experience a medically supervised camp.
Forest River Commercial Division President David Wright
"We are pleased to celebrate this milestone in our partnership with Care Camps Foundation. As an RV manufacturer, it just makes sense.” said Forest River General Manager and Care Camps Foundation Board Member Jason Hershberger. “As an industry we do a lot of good things individually, but this is one of those things that we should all do together. We hope to inspire every manufacturer, supplier, and dealer to come together so every child suffering from cancer will have the opportunity to attend a special camp.”
The Forest River-Care Camps Foundation collaboration can also be seen at their annual Elkhart RV Open House, and with a co-branded sticker that is placed on every Forest River recreation vehicle sold across the country.
“We are deeply grateful for our partnership with Forest River and their extraordinary generosity,” said Care Camps Foundation Executive Director Gwynn Sullivan. “Their steadfast commitment to our mission greatly contributes to our ability to fund the pediatric oncology camps we serve.”
In 2023, Care Camps Foundation provided $2M in funding to over 120 pediatric oncology camps across the United States and Canada impacting over 41,000 lives of children, siblings, families, and volunteers who attended. Corporate partnerships with the outdoor industry are pivotal to help fund the camps’ operational expenditures, capital improvement needs, and program innovations—and ultimately provide the opportunity for children living with cancer and their families to experience community and the healing power of the outdoors.
Visit forestriverinc.com for more information.
[09.17.24]