Back-to-Back on the Top 50
RVBusiness named Minnesota’s Hilltop Camper & RV a 2026 Top 50 Dealer, one year after picking us as one of just five Blue Ribbon winners. Here’s what the award measures, and why it matters when you shop for a camper.
In This Issue
▸ The short answer
▸ Hear it from our team
▸ What the award recognizes
▸ What it means when you shop
▸ Quick questions
Top 50
Top 50 + Blue Ribbon
✂ The Short Answer
Is Hilltop Camper & RV a 2026 RVBusiness Top 50 Dealer?
Yes. RVBusiness [1] named Hilltop Camper & RV, the family-owned Minnesota RV dealer founded in 1951, to its 2026 list of Top 50 dealers in the U.S. and Canada, announced in September 2026.
It follows 2025, when Hilltop was both an RVBusiness Top 50 Dealer and one of only five Blue Ribbon winners, the program’s top tier (RVBusiness 2025 list [1]).
Hear It From the Hilltop Team
▶ Tap play to watch right here. Each video runs under a minute.
Owner Mike Pearo, Director of Sales Kevin Strusz and Hilltop Fridley Business Manager Dustin Taylor share what the Top 50 recognition means to the Hilltop Camper & RV team and to the customers they serve.
Read Mike’s transcript (Owner)
Well, it always puts a smile on my face, because that award, I think, is so special. It’s not just an award you get for, you know, selling the most of this or selling the most of that. It’s a full dealership. They look at the full dealership and all the departments, and you have to perform. You know, not only in sales, but you have to have very good customer service, good Google ratings. You have to take care of the customer well in service, and you have to have good processes and procedures. I mean, it’s a very extensive look at your dealership, and they’re comparing you to all RV dealerships throughout the United States and Canada. So to be Top 50 is truly amazing.
Read Kevin’s transcript (Director of Sales)
I think it starts with learning to work with the manufacturers. We’re treating the manufacturers the right way. They’re treating us the right way, which allows us to treat the customers the right way and do the right thing for that customer. And I think to be Top 50 is such an honor with all these dealers out there, and we can say we’re Top 50. It’s a pretty amazing thing.
Read Dustin’s transcript (Business Manager, Fridley)
Being a Top 50 dealer is a great recognition. That is voted on by our peers, so that means other people have put us into that category. I love it. It clearly shows how we treat our customers. The principle behind camping and being family-owned, family-run, for me is just a great thing to work for. So I pretty much love that. Every single year we pretty much do get Top 50, so it’s a great honor and a great privilege to be working for a company that has such a high recognition with other people.
They look at the full dealership and all the departments, and you have to perform.
Mike Pearo · Owner, Hilltop Camper & RV
The Long Read
What does the RVBusiness Top 50 Dealer award actually recognize?
The RVBusiness Top 50 Dealer Awards honor RV retailers in the U.S. and Canada that stand out in five areas: professionalism, association activities, civic involvement, best practices and consumer care. The 2026 program is the award’s 15th season, according to RVBusiness [1].
Nominated dealers complete a detailed application, and a volunteer panel of industry veterans vets them during a two-day session in Elkhart, Indiana. For 2026, the judges said the dealers who stood out were investing in their people, with better benefits, schedule flexibility for parents and paid training. They also pointed to technician development, mobile service and closer tracking of how long repairs take (RVBusiness judges report [1]).
The Blue Ribbon is the program’s top tier. In 2025, five dealers earned it, and Hilltop Camper & RV was one of them. When Hilltop accepted it in Las Vegas on November 12, 2025, the company was also recognized for its work with Care Camps Foundation. The full story is on our Blue Ribbon award page.
The 2026 honorees will be celebrated November 11, 2026, at Paris Las Vegas during the RV Dealers Convention/Expo, which the RV Dealers Association [2] hosts November 9–13.
Hilltop has been here before. The 2018 honoree list included Hilltop Camper & RV of Fridley (SunCruiser Media [3]), and the 2010 list included Hilltop Trailer Sales of Fridley, the company’s earlier name (MotorHome / RV.com [4]).
2025
Top 50 Dealer + Blue Ribbon
Named to the Top 50 and chosen as one of five Blue Ribbon dealers. Honored November 12, 2025, in Las Vegas.
2026
Top 50 Dealer, Again
Named a 2026 Top 50 Dealer. Hilltop is one of four Minnesota-based dealerships on this year’s list.
Roy’s Rule
“My dad started this in 1951 and he always said: take care of the customer and everything else will happen.”
Dick Pearo, second generation
● The Minnesota Angle
Four Stores, One Award-Winning Team
RVBusiness lists Hilltop Camper & RV under Fridley, Minn., and the same family runs all four stores, each with RV sales, service and parts. Minnesota has 75 state parks and recreation areas (Explore Minnesota [14]), and every Hilltop store is close to good camping.
Alexandria
Lake Carlos State Park sits about ten miles north of Alexandria, with a big, deep lake, lakeside campsites and 14 miles of trails (Minnesota DNR [10]).
Brainerd
Crow Wing State Park sits where the Crow Wing and Mississippi rivers meet, with riverside camping and historic sites (Campendium [11]).
Fridley
Bunker Hills Campground in Coon Rapids has 30- and 50-amp sites and is open through October 18, 2026 (Anoka County Parks [12]).
Rochester
1240 Lake Shady Ave S, Oronoco
Lake Zumbro Park in Oronoco has a motorized boat launch and fishing piers (Olmsted County [13]).
What should a Top 50 award mean when you shop for an RV?
An award is a good sign, not a guarantee. Use it as a starting point, then check the things that matter after you sign.
Look past the showroom
A strong dealer has a real parts counter and service counter, not just salespeople (RVUSA [8]). Every Hilltop store has RV service and RV parts.
Think about distance
New owners often bring their camper back after the first few trips, so a nearby dealer saves long hauls (Getaway Couple [9]).
Read reviews for patterns
Look for themes across Google, Yelp and Facebook instead of one angry or glowing review (RVUSA [8]). See what Hilltop customers say on our testimonials page.
Ask what’s included
At Hilltop there are no prep fees and no freight fees. New and Hilltop Family Certified Pre-Owned campers include inspection, detailing, a demonstration, propane, a battery and a warranty. See The Hilltop Experience.
“It clearly shows how we treat our customers.” Dustin Taylor, Business Manager at Hilltop Fridley, on what the Top 50 recognition says about Hilltop.
The Hilltop Take
Community and partners are part of the score
Civic involvement is one of the five things the Top 50 judges look at, and it’s one we care about. Hilltop Camper & RV finished third in the Care Camps Foundation’s 2025 Compete for Kids campaign (Modern Campground [6]). Care Camps Foundation [7] funds medically supervised camps for children with cancer across the U.S. and Canada.
On the manufacturer side, Director of Sales Kevin Strusz says it starts with how Hilltop works with the brands it sells: “We’re treating the manufacturers the right way. They’re treating us the right way, which allows us to treat the customers the right way.”
That relationship shows. In 2021, Jayco gave Hilltop its Founders’ Award, the company’s highest dealer honor (Jayco [5]). Hilltop also supports Make-A-Wish Minnesota.
Quick Questions
What is the RVBusiness Top 50 Dealer award?
It is an annual RVBusiness program that honors RV dealers in the U.S. and Canada for professionalism, association activities, civic involvement, best practices and consumer care. A volunteer panel of industry veterans judges the applications.
What is an RVBusiness Blue Ribbon dealer?
A Blue Ribbon dealer is one of the five Top 50 dealers chosen for the program’s highest distinction each year. Hilltop Camper & RV was one of the five Blue Ribbon dealers in 2025.
Is Hilltop Camper & RV a Blue Ribbon dealer for 2026?
No. Hilltop was named a 2026 Top 50 Dealer. Its Blue Ribbon award was for 2025, and the 2026 Blue Ribbon honors went to five other dealers.
When are the 2026 Top 50 awards presented?
The 2026 honorees will be celebrated November 11, 2026, at Paris Las Vegas during the RV Dealers Convention/Expo.
Where are Hilltop Camper & RV’s stores?
Hilltop has four Minnesota stores: Alexandria, Brainerd, Fridley (Twin Cities) and Rochester (in Oronoco). Find a Hilltop location.
Come See What the Judges Saw
Same family, same rule since 1951: take care of the customer. Stop by any of our four Minnesota stores.
Sources
- RVBusiness: RVBusiness Announces the 2026 Top 50 Dealer Award Winners; also 2025 Top 50 Dealer Award Winners and Judges for RVB Top 50 Dealer Awards Offer Insight into Trends (rvbusiness.com)
- RV Dealers Association: Dealer Registration Now Open for the 2026 RV Dealers Convention/Expo (rvda.org)
- SunCruiser Media: RVB Top 50 RV Dealers Honoured in Las Vegas (2018) (suncruisermedia.com)
- MotorHome / RV.com: RVBusiness To Honor Top 50 North American Dealers (2010) (rv.com)
- Jayco: Jayco Presents Most Prestigious Award to Hilltop Camper and RV (jayco.com)
- Modern Campground: Care Camps Foundation Honors Top RV Dealerships in 2025 Compete for Kids Campaign (moderncampground.com)
- Care Camps Foundation: About Care Camps Foundation (carecamps.org)
- RVUSA: Finding a Reputable RV Dealership (rvusa.com)
- Getaway Couple: What to Look for in an RV Dealership (getawaycouple.com)
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: Lake Carlos State Park (Minnesota Conservation Volunteer) (dnr.state.mn.us)
- Campendium: Crow Wing State Park, Brainerd (campendium.com)
- Anoka County Parks: Camping: Bunker Hills Campground (anokacountyparks.com)
- Olmsted County: Explore the Beauty of Olmsted County’s Free Parks This Summer (olmstedcounty.gov)
- Explore Minnesota: Everything You Need to Know About RV Camping in Minnesota (exploreminnesota.com)
