MHSRV - Key Persons
Doug O'Banion, founder of Motor Home Specialist, moved his family from Corpus Christi Texas to Arlington Texas in 1966. Later that year Doug invented the Port-O-Lift trailer that went on to have great success for U-Haul industries. In 1976 he then invented the E-Z Fill Gas Cap that you never have to take off. It was a huge commercial success and was sold nationally at Sears, Kmart, NAPA and Pep Boys to mention just a few retailers. The current version of this product is still available and now produced by Stant Manufacturing. During all of this Doug owned and operated various automotive dealerships and never lost sight of his true passion for virtually everything that cranks.
Later in 1976 Doug's love of motorcycles and Colorado summers put him in search of a new RV for his wife and four sons. He was surprised at the difficulty finding an RV floor plan that suited his family. On a dare from a friend he decided to build his own RV just as he wanted it.
For the next 18 years Doug owned & operated many businesses that included sales in mobile homes, RVs, cars, boats and in particular a Ford Mustang only car dealership. "Mustang Specialist" built more than 3000 custom and performance Mustangs over a ten year period.
In 1994 Doug and his son Donny were visiting an auto auction in Ocala Florida. Late that afternoon they found out that their plane ride home to Texas had been cancelled. On a whim Doug bought a motor home at the auction because he was ready to "head to the house!" Between Florida and Texas the idea of Motor Home Specialist was born.
Job Titles:
- the 1 Volume Selling Motor Home Dealer in the World!