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Somewhere, a pontoon pushes off a dock and an RV pulls into a campsite, and neither owner is thinking about a shipping yard in Bristol, Indiana or a 4 a.m. shift in Middlebury, Indiana. They don’t know that before their boat or RV ever left the factory, a team member stepped inside and asked themselves whether they would purchase it if they were writing the check.
And that’s the point. When manufacturing does its job right, the effort becomes invisible but integral to how a consumer experiences the final product.
Watching for what other people can’t hear
When Ryan French’s older brother lost his hearing, French became his brother’s ears, helping him stay alert to risk and danger. Helping others became a habit long before it became his profession. After earning his degree in safety science from Indiana University Bloomington and working in occupational health and safety for a decade, he came to Barletta Boats in 2023 as the environmental health and safety (EHS) manager.
In his role, French assesses and reduces risk, oversees industrial hygiene and leads training and compliance efforts. For him, it’s about understanding the manufacturing processes, listening to those who run them, studying the data and creating safety protocols that work on the line and, most importantly, keep employees safe.
Some of the clearest proof of French’s commitment comes from his innovative approach to the job. He led a team that implemented an AI-enabled detection system that alerts operators when people, vehicles or objects enter caution or danger zones through visual cues and audible alarms.
“It doesn’t replace operators or their judgment,” French says. “Instead, it gives them more information about what’s happening around the vehicle when loads may block visibility.” The system, which recently won a Winnebago Industries CEO Safety Award, has detected numerous proximity events while preventing collisions.
While French’s responsibility is workplace safety, he knows his work allows others to focus on building high-quality, safe products. Every great day on the water starts with the people who build the boat, and French understands that firsthand. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family on a pontoon he renovated himself.
Changing how people view quality
Missy Lester has always had the eye and persistence to manage quality. She believed she could change how people viewed quality, and she has. After working on the Grand Design team, Lester joined Winnebago Towables a year ago to help relaunch the Access line. Today she serves as a line quality manager and oversees quality control and testing, keeps line equipment ready and runs audits, like primary-seal checks and air makeups. In her role, she ensures every RV is manufactured to the standards that have made the brand a leader for nearly 70 years.
Lester is passionate about the end-user experience and encourages her team to match that passion. She asks her quality controllers to look past their own assignments because two sets of eyes can catch different things. She tracks warranty data and social media for repeat issues and walks every unit as if she had just bought it herself.
She escalates issues without apology and focuses on collaboration that puts product quality at the forefront. “What I value most is that people bring me their issues instead of hiding them,” she says. “I’m not working against the line. I’m working with the line so that we are making the best product possible.”
Asking the buyer’s questions
When Sarah "June" Seidner began her career in the late 1970s, few women worked in the RV industry. Over the years, she has watched more women enter the industry and build successful careers. Today, some of those women make up part of her team.
In her role as pre-delivery inspection (PDI) manager at Grand Design, Seidner oversees a team that conducts a 300-point check on every RV. It’s the last stop before the product ships to a dealer.
Seidner, whose day begins at 4 a.m. with project and staffing calls, leads more than 50 employees to test every RV to ensure every system functions as designed and that the product is built to order. Once it passes inspection, the team weighs and dispatches the RV. If something isn’t right, the team sends it back for correction and reinspection.
She also works warranty reports, speaks with owners at rallies to stay alert to customer concerns, and even assists with dealer show preparations and marketing needs.
For Seidner, the responsibility of PDI is an honor she doesn’t take lightly. “It takes a good eye, a focus on customer expectations and the ability to stand firm if something isn’t up to standard,” she explains. “I’m protecting the consumer’s experience and the company’s reputation for quality products. When I step into an RV, I’m asking myself, ‘If I were spending my hard-earned money on this, would I accept it?’”
Turning materials into memories
The next time a family pulls into a campground with their RV or pushes off from the dock, they probably won’t know the names Ryan French, Missy Lester or June Seidner. But there’s a good chance they’ll experience the results of their work.
That’s true of thousands of manufacturing team members across Winnebago Industries. This Manufacturing Month, we celebrate the people whose expertise, pride and attention to detail turn raw materials into products that help people connect with one another and build memories that last a lifetime. Thank you for your commitment to elevated standards that create elevated moments outdoors.