Jim Hammil leaving Roadtrek/Hymer?

[mumkin]

Oddly there was a change made to the Roadtrek website in the last few days... on the owner page links. Yet they didn't remove that letter from Hammill about the Thor purchase.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by mumkin

Oddly there was a change made to the Roadtrek website in the last few days... on the owner page links. Yet they didn't remove that letter from Hammill about the Thor purchase.

I just don’t understand why people are hung up on the post from Jim Hammill back when the acquisition was announced. First of all, not many people will even look at it. I happened upon it with a google search looking for current info and thought it was interesting given the final results of the acquisition so I posted it with a sarcastic comment.

Why is removing it at this point something high priority or anything to get hyped up about?

I am sure that there are many old posts by EHG NA personnel that are totally irrelevant or totally bogus at this point. Why waste time and resources going back and finding them and removing them. I would expect that at some point, if there is a surviving entity from EHG NA, that they will restart the website from scratch and all the old stuff will only remain in the internet archives someplace...

[wincrasher]

Folks seem to forget that Roadtrek and Hymer are both run like a mom&pop shop. It's not as "corporate" as you may imagine. It's COMPLETELY different than an auto manufacturer. In many respects, the RV industry is stuck in the past with their management techniques and methods.

Their IT department is most likely a couple guys who are probably self-taught. They probably maintain all the PCs and servers and manage the website, if it's not outsourced. I'm sure their staff has gotten sucked into the audit and are helping pour thru email archives and other things to support the inquiry.

Most likely we won't learn anything unless an insider talks or if there are public filings. I expect that something will come next week. My guess is there will be a big layoff first, and a filing to follow.

[gregmchugh]

From a post by a Canadian member over on the RV Lifestyle Facebook Group...

——-
It was announced on our local TV news that the Erwin Hymer/Roadtrek deal has been completed with Thor, excluding the North American operations.

The report also indicated that production has been suspended and that staff is currently doing inventory. Assume this is part of the outside audit currently taking place.

I also had the opportunity to communicate with Jim Hammill who seems to be doing OK, since leaving the company. He said he plans to continue his interest in the RV lifestyle.

[mumkin]

There was also a post on Facebook today from a well respected dealer source that they are expecting an update with 'good news' from the factory this coming week.

One assumes that the audit is finished... and the Hymer family will tell us their plans for the foreseeable.

[wincrasher]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

From a post by a Canadian member over on the RV Lifestyle Facebook Group...

——-
It was announced on our local TV news that the Erwin Hymer/Roadtrek deal has been completed with Thor, excluding the North American operations.

The report also indicated that production has been suspended and that staff is currently doing inventory. Assume this is part of the outside audit currently taking place.

I also had the opportunity to communicate with Jim Hammill who seems to be doing OK, since leaving the company. He said he plans to continue his interest in the RV lifestyle.

LOL. I'm sure Jim is contemplating which is more slimming - orange or black & white stripes.

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Why is removing it at this point something high priority or anything to get hyped up about?

I suspect updates to the EHG NA web site will be primarily in response to a legal request by Thor to remove anything they feel causes confusion or is damaging to their go-forward efforts.

Under normal conditions, EHG NA would have been prepared to update their site with the timing of the Thor acquisition of EHG.

It appears EHG NA is operating under a 'caretaker management team' given all the EHG NA leadership suspensions. I still find it amazing that there was no way to keep the EHG NA management team in place but fly-in EHG management from Germany to more aggressively control action in the theater of operations until more is known from the external auditors.

[booster]

I wonder who is actually maintaining and controlling the EHG site now. Wouldn't it have shifted control at the deal closing? I would think now Thor can have whatever they want on there.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by booster

I wonder who is actually maintaining and controlling the EHG site now. Wouldn't it have shifted control at the deal closing? I would think now Thor can have whatever they want on there.

There were separate websites for North America that were probably not tied at all to the EHG websites.

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

LOL. I'm sure Jim is contemplating which is more slimming - orange or black & white stripes.

Not a fan I guess....

Even the least charitable person would feel sad for Jim H. He has spent the lion's share of his career in the RV industry and these recent events will be a stain on his legacy if the audit is inconclusive but he was at the 'helm' at the time of Roadtrek / EHG NA.

[RossWilliams]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

Folks seem to forget that Roadtrek and Hymer are both run like a mom&pop shop. It's not as "corporate" as you may imagine. It's COMPLETELY different than an auto manufacturer. In many respects, the RV industry is stuck in the past with their management techniques and methods.

Their IT department is most likely a couple guys who are probably self-taught. They probably maintain all the PCs and servers and manage the website, if it's not outsourced.

That website was not created by a bunch of IT techs. It is a professional site with graphic design and features. As for content, that is a different issue. But I am sure that is not in the hands of the IT department either. Most places, different parts of the site would have different "owners" who determine the content. This is the 21st century, the web presence is a pretty central feature to any modern business.

I don't know if Hymer has a "customer relations" department, but whoever sees that as their job has probably been champing at the bit to say something publicly. On the other hand, top management may be not be approving public comments until they actually know what happened. This website update may be something the customer relations folks can do now. How is that for pure speculation.

[Glamper]

Company reps last week were saying Jim Hammill on 'medical leave' clearly if he is doing OK, that is not the case?

[wincrasher]

Originally Posted by ClassB4Me

Not a fan I guess....

Even the least charitable person would feel sad for Jim H. He has spent the lion's share of his career in the RV industry and these recent events will be a stain on his legacy if the audit is inconclusive but he was at the 'helm' at the time of Roadtrek / EHG NA.

Having listened to his nonsense these many years, and talking with him on several occassions, I can tell tou he is getting all tgat he deserves. I DO NOT feel sad fir him in any way. I do feel bad for his family though, as the locals will be sure to turn on them.

For those of you thinking that some of the indivuals making a comeback, that is surely wishful thinking. The real truth is probably far more devastating gan has been revealed.

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

For those of you thinking that some of the individuals making a comeback, that is surely wishful thinking. The real truth is probably far more devastating than has been revealed.

+For those new to this forum wincrasher is not just sharing off-the-cuff commentary. He has probably owned more RVs than many of us and has dialogued with many key leaders in the Class B RV segment.

Translation: He has RV street cred...

Thanks for your perspective

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by Glamper

Company reps last week were saying Jim Hammill on 'medical leave' clearly if he is doing OK, that is not the case?

That statement doesn’t seem to make any sense to me...

I can imagine many scenarios where someone is on medical leave and if asked how they are doing they can honestly say OK...

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by ClassB4Me

+For those new to this forum wincrasher is not just sharing off-the-cuff commentary. He has probably owned more RVs than many of us and has dialogued with many key leaders in the Class B RV segment.

Translation: He has RV street cred...

Thanks for your perspective

You are correct, I cannot recall a time when he made an off-the-cuff remark here or anywhere else on the internet...

[Glamper]

honestly none of this makes sense.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by Glamper

honestly none of this makes sense.

That is something we might all be able to agree with...

[B Eventually]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

You are correct, I cannot recall a time when he made an off-the-cuff remark here or anywhere else on the internet...

I miss the good ole days when wincrasher had an order on a new Hammil-mobile. Good thing he canceled that order in time to get his latest Travato.

[wincrasher]

Originally Posted by B Eventually

I miss the good ole days when wincrasher had an order on a new Hammil-mobile. Good thing he canceled that order in time to get his latest Travato.

LOL. I reflect on that period as "dodging the bullet".

I have a hilarious story about a Hymer exec calling me and begging me to change my mind. They even promised to get me a van within the week!

Good times!