Sailor Manufacturing

Chances are, you might not RV if it wasn’t for Pete. He made it his mission to make camping a thing, and just look at us all now. His vision brought investment to the industry, jobs to the community, and RVs to the masses. His focus on customer experience fueled innovation that will be felt for years to come.

He shared his success deeply. Quietly. Building community facilities. Protecting large swaths of undeveloped land. He liked to say that we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously, but he was, in fact, a serious man.

Like Elon Musk envisioning Tesla, Pete saw something in that first hand-built trailer and willed all of us to create what’s now a multibillion-dollar enterprise, nestled in the farmlands of Indiana. It was a vision good enough to entice Warren Buffet to buy the company after a single dinner. He did it by finding amazing people and arming them with trust and the space to operate. He held everyone accountable and encouraged everyone to have a voice.

And all the while, he reminded everyone, every day, why we did this. That an experience in nature, away from it all, surrounded by family and friends, was the joy that our efforts delivered.

We’re going to miss you, Pete. But trust in knowing that you have inspired millions of RVers and dedicated employees at Forest River to carry forward the values and mission that you found so empowering.

Never stop going, Pete.