Ron Lichtsinn Sr. Takes Us Back to 1976: The Story Behind Lichtsinn RV Video
The origins of Lichtsinn RV trace back to the mid-1970s, when on July 1, 1976, Ron Lichtsinn Sr. purchased what was then a GM dealership. Operating as Lichtsinn Motors, the business grew steadily and sold John Deere tractors for a short period time. In 1979, a conversation and a handshake between Ron Sr. and John K. Hanson, the founder of Winnebago Industries, marked a pivotal moment. That agreement launched Lichtsinn Motors into the RV industry, beginning with the sale of Winnebago conversion vans. Lichtsinn Motors began selling Winnebago and Itasca Motorhomes alongside the GM automotive models all under the same roof.
In December of 2001, Ron and Hope Lichtsinn came to the dealership to purchase it and worked alongside Ron Lichtsinn Sr.. In 2003, Lichtsinn Motors purchased the previous Winnebago Headquarters location, situated across the street from the original GM store. They tore down some of the building and created RV Sales Offices in the remaining portion of the building. This allowed for separate sales offices and display lots for the GM automobiles and Winnebago RVs. The parts and service departments for each remained in the original GM location. Shortly after completion, Ron Lichtsinn Sr. retired, and Ron and Hope Lichtsinn completed the ownership transition.
In 2013, Lichtsinn Motors broke ground on a new RV Dealership located on the RV Sales lot with the intent to move all RV operations into one building, while keeping the GM business intact in the original building. This new building was completed in 2014, just in time for the Winnebago Grand National Rally, held in Forest City, Iowa. In 2015, the GM Dealership was sold to a local dealership chain, and Lichtsinn Motors was rebranded as Lichtsinn RV.
In 2021 Lichtsinn RV began the expansion of the RV dealership with the goal of providing all areas of the dealership from sales to fixed operations additional space. This expansion was completed in 2022 and included an indoor showroom, additional service bays, a dedicated parts warehouse and shipping center, and expanded sales, service and parts offices. In 2025, Lichtsinn RV added the Newmar Freedom Aire to it's premium motorhome lineup, providing service and parts for the entire Newmar Motorhome line. And in 2026, Lichtsinn RV celebrates it's 50th year in business, 5 decades of helping people with their RV journey. What started as a small GM dealership quickly evolved into what is now Lichtsinn RV, the Top North American Winnebago Dealer.