The Freedom of an Airstream | My Member Story

There is no mistaking the sleek design and shining silver body of an Airstream®. Somehow, it looks both retro and modern. However you categorize it, for most people, it represents freedom. Even if you are not a camper, it’s almost impossible to see an Airstream trailer and not see yourself traveling across the country.

Dennis Decker, president of Airstream of Utah and other entities, is no different.

What is it about an Airstream?

A quintessentially iconic American brand started in a backyard in Los Angeles. Not only are they iconic, but the quality is unsurpassed.

As a matter of fact, 80% of the Airstream trailers bought since 1931 are still on the road. That’s why they are the flagship of the RV industry.

Owning an Airstream is a lifestyle—it’s all about the simple luxuries of life. Dennis paraphrases a favorite quote, “A luxury, once experienced, becomes a necessity.”

Seventy percent of buyers are first-time RVers—they are usually more mature, and they understand and demand quality. They are looking for the freedom to go where they want and take their home with them.

Dennis explains the experience of many Airstream owners, “I call it stars in their eyes.” He goes on to say, “It’s a dream that we are helping make a reality, and the dream is the freedom, the wanderlust, the lifestyle. They can open their lives to whatever they want it to be, and it’s the Airstream that helps them do that!”

An opportunity to be a part of the dream

In 2016, Dennis was sure he was ready to retire for good. However, his wife convinced him to take on one more project before he called it quits, and he agreed.

First, though, he wanted to relax and unwind a little. He decided to surprise his wife with a new Airstream and a fun camping and hiking trip. As he was doing the research, he found out that, even though Utah has an abundance of outdoor recreation options, there was no Airstream dealership in the state. If he wanted to buy one, he would have to travel out of state.

This was so surprising to Dennis. So much so, he placed a call to Airstream’s corporate offices in Ohio to ask why. After a short discussion, he found out the company already had plans in the works for a Utah-based dealership. They were so impressed with Dennis’ passion for the brand that they asked him to submit a proposal himself.

Airstream continued to be excited with Dennis and his ideas for the future and, after completing all the required steps, he was eventually awarded the rights to the Utah dealership.

In 2017, Airstream of Utah opened its doors for the first time. Since then, they have won several awards from the company and consistently have salespeople in the top spots.

Building a family business for the win

Even though Utah had not had its own Airstream dealership, it was not as easy as “build it and they will come.”

Customers in the state had been conditioned to travel eight hours to the nearest dealership to purchase or maintain their trailers, so it took a little time to get them to give Airstream of Utah a try. Eventually, they did come—and the family atmosphere Dennis and his team had worked so hard to create won them over!

“They continue to come back because they know we are not a corporate dealership,” explains Dennis. “It’s our hope that everyone who walks through that door feels embraced.”

It’s more than just the feeling of family—Dennis’ actual family is a huge part of their success as well. One son is the general manager of the Utah dealership, and another serves as the assistant general manager and service manager. His daughter-in-law, who is always a top salesperson for the entire brand salesforce, at one time was the number one female salesperson in the company. Dennis’ wife also gets in on all the fun as the chief financial officer.

“The team I have put together here are all incredible managers,” says Dennis. “They are extremely well-qualified and experienced. I can’t do that. That’s why I have them.”

As you can see, family is very important to Dennis, and it shows in everything he does personally and in his business!

Plans for expansion

Several years ago, Dennis and his team decided to expand into Wyoming. They opened a dealership there, which includes another son as the general manager and a daughter-in-law who is the HR manager. They also developed a plan to build a luxury RV resort in Star Valley.

This is where Dennis shines. He loves the strategizing, planning and discovering the path to success. Continuing this amazing relationship he has built with Airstream, the company reviewed the plan for the RV resort and loved it so much they are adopting his model for other locations.

The Grand Buffalo RV Resort is scheduled to open in August.

Wyoming in the spotlight

Every summer, the international Airstream community gets together for their annual rally. This year it was held in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Two thousand Airstreamers converged on this one location to have fun, swap stories and live the Airstream lifestyle.

Dennis’ company, Airstream of Wyoming, was proud to partner with other Airstream dealerships in the state to serve as hosts for this amazing event.

Partnering with Mountain America

Once Dennis was approved for the dealership in Utah, he looked to his wife as the CFO to check into a loan to finance the build. “She’s much smarter than me,” he says. “She wanted to make sure we had a strong financial partner.”

She inquired at Mountain America Credit Union, and she liked everything she saw. It was apparent the credit union operated much like they did—opting to build a brand on treating people like family.

In addition to the SBA loans for the two dealerships and RV park, Mountain America also provides financing for Dennis’ Airstream customers as well as business accounts and invaluable support and advice from their personal banker and business advisor. “There was an instant trust, an instant friendship,” says Dennis. “Mountain America is not only great at taking care of our daily needs, but they also help project what those needs may be down the road. That has really enabled us to grow as a business.”

Living the outdoor way

When Dennis isn’t working, you can usually find him hiking—with his family, no doubt! “We love to explore different places and get off the beaten path,” he explains. “And again, Airstream allows us to do that. We can set up our basecamp and just go!”

Even though Dennis is surrounded by Airstreams all day, every day, he still has stars in his eyes too!

May you never lose that wanderlust, Dennis, and we are so happy to be in this adventure together.

Loans on approved credit.