Curtis Coleman, the founder of social media platform RVillage, which he sold last year, is running for National President of FMCA, the Family Motor Coach Association.
FMCA is the largest non-profit RV club in the world, but it is in trouble. Rally attendance has been down in recent years and profits from the once very profitable monthly magazine have turned into losses.
Both its membership roles and profits are in serious decline. The 60-year-old association lost approximately $1 million a year in both 2022 and 2021. More of the same is likely for 2023.
In this archive of a July 18 one-hour interview by RVtravel.com publisher Chuck Woodbury, Coleman explains what he would do to get the group on a positive track again. Viewers of the webcast weigh in with their concerns, as well.
The other candidate for FMCA president, Gary Milner, who is the current national vice president, was invited to participate in this interview, but declined.
If you are a member of FMCA or are planning to join, this should be essential viewing.
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I joined FMCA when I bought my first motorhome because I had heard from so many members talk about how they were so good(back in the 90s). During that year I was with them I didn’t see anything that I thought was useful or deserving of my money. The annual “shindig” was always thousands of miles from my home and the cost to attend was way out of my comfort zone. Plus our 16 year old MH was looked down on even though it’s condition would compare with anything other than brand new. I’m a lifetime member of Good Sam for all the good that does now that Marcus bought it, at least they had statewide rally’s for many years. FMCA has 1 a thousand miles away. So I dropped it and didn’t look back.
I had been an FMCA member for years. A question about the Roadside Assist program came up when my truck ran into the transmission control module vortex back in February. No one I spoke with at Roadside Assist could answer the question and they referred me back to FMCA. I was not able to get to FMCA until recently and, in the meantime, my membership expired. The person I spoke with not only could not answer my question, she could not seem to grasp that the incident occurred in Feb, before my membership expired and I was trying to get the answer so I could decide whether to renew or not. She said she would have someone call me and I am still waiting! I even filled out the contact form and nada
Did you pay for Road Side Assistance coverage? FMCAssist is medical assistance that is part of the membership. You may have the two mixed up.
Just joined last week. Discouraging to watch the video and find out I signed on to a sinking ship! One of the main reasons I joined was their Travel Assist program, but reading Janet’s comments doesn’t offer much encouragement! Just hope things do improve!
I think Janet is confusing Roadside Assistance and FMCAssist. Roadside is an insurance plan that you have to pay for like with AAA, Coachnet, or Escapees…you get a discount.
FMCAssist is part of the membership dues and is for medical assistance to get you to proper care facilities and home (including rig and pets) if you aren’t able to do it yourself.
Many of the things that both Chuck and Curtis discussed were WRONG. They were misinformed and thus spreading misinformation. If you have questions about something that they said that worries you about the organization ask the staff in Cincinnati (Curtis thinks they are great and so do I).
Could it have something to do with a Rally that was cancelled several years back, in which the FMCA refused to refund the monies that were paid to attend by their members? Correct me if I am wrong!
People WERE refunded. Rallies are ususally money generators. AND it was Covid, the government, that caused the cancellation not FMCAs decision.
Why FMCA did not refund registration fees for cancelled rally
By
By Chuck Woodbury
March 28, 2020
https://www.rvtravel.com/fmca941/
This is the article from Chuck Woodbury. Did something change after it was written?
Ed, as I recall, at least some refunds were made. But that was three years ago, and I can’t now recall the details. It may have been, now that I think about it, that in some cases, maybe most, the fees could be applied to a future rally. Whatever the case, I recall that FMCA handled the situation poorly. Maybe someone knows more and about the details and can weigh in. — Chuck W
Many of the comments made in the presentation were WRONG.
I wanted to join before they let in towables and was probably one of the first to join. AND the main reason was FMCAssist since I am a solo traveler and didn’t want to have to burden my kids with recovering my RV or ME if something happens on the road. I have used many of their other services including cheaper internet service, discount tires, discount Roadside Assistance, UPS service and others.
Since joining less than 5 years ago I have served on a couple of committees dealing with membership so I am familiar with a lot of the issues discussed and some of the information was dead wrong. If you have a question call Cincinnati.
In the comments below I believe Janet has Roadside confused with FMCAssist. They are not the same. Roadside you have buy and FMCAssist is part of the dues.
If you want to be fair put on the other candidate separately but a head to head would have never worked.
Curtis has some good ideas but also some misinformation.