RV Buff Henley Steers RV Maker; UCI-MBA Spat
O.C. Insider by Rick Reiff
Name a septuagenarian rags-to-riches OC entrepreneur who oversees a motor-home manufacturer based in the Inland Empire. John Crean? No. Crean founded, ran and long inspired Fleetwood Enterprises in Riverside, but he left the company more than three years ago (and it’s been downhill for Fleetwood since). The answer is Doy Henley, chairman of struggling National R.V. Holdings in Perris. Henley and wife Dee are longtime RV enthusiasts. When National merged with the company that makes the Henleys’ 40-foot Country Coach Magna, the co-CEO/founders invited Henley onto the board. Last year they urged him to become chairman. Henley’s condition: “You two have to go.” They agreed, staying on as directors. With Henley’s blessing CFO Brad Albrechtsen, 38, was promoted to CEO. Henley runs the board meetings, some of them in his Santa Ana office. He hasn’t stopped the red ink and the stock slipped recently, but at around 11 1/2 it’s still up from the 8 level of late last year. “We haven’t pulled back,” Henley said. “The only thing we’ve tried to reduce is the deadwood and get reorganized. We’ve added capacity and we’re offering updated products that are doing well.” His buddy Crean “thinks I’m nuts. I told him I’m not doing this very long”
Sept. 11 fallout: UCI officials wrangled for weeks with executive MBA students who balked at signing a waiver releasing the university from any liability should a terrorist attack or other disaster occur during their one-week residency in Hong Kong this September. In one of his final acts as B-school dean, David Blake settled on wording that does not prevent UCI from being sued for its own negligence. That quelled most,but not all,complaints
Watch the Aug. 5 issue for the OCBJ’s second annual rich list. It’s already loaded with names, but leads from readers are welcomed. One tidbit: The Broadcom holdings of Henry Samueli and Henry Nicholas, once $8 billion each, are now less than $1 billion each
Arriving at The Irvine Company: former Dana Point and Rancho Santa Margarita interim city manager Dan Miller as VP, local government relations. Departing: Tim Paone to consulting and Don Moe to retirement and consulting
Publisher RR contributes to this column by noting that RBF Consulting prez Bob Kallenbaugh turns 50 next month
You know it’s been a tough year when even the PR firms admit business is down (see story, this page)
The Orange County Performing Arts Center expects to welcome its 10 millionth patron during the four-week run of “Phantom” that begins July 31. “Imagine all those people on the freeway in rush hour trying to get to the Music Center in L.A.” said OCPAC president Jerry Mandel.
