In 2021 , Salem Hassan received the Distinguished Alumni of Excellence Award . Standing next to Hassan from left to right : Alana Hassan ( his wife ), First Lady Stephanie Cost , and JU President Tim Cost ' 81 .
Few people in the world have more experience in the recreational vehicle business than Salem Hassan ‘ 03 .
Hassan started working in the family business , Suncoast RV , in 1988 . His father started the business , and Hassan learned the ropes through him , working at the company for more than 20 years before it sold .
Four years later in 2014 , Hassan decided to follow in his father ’ s footsteps and started Travelcamp RV , based in Jacksonville , the same city he grew up in and where his father ran Suncoast RV . His years of experience in the business , coupled with his degree in marketing from Jacksonville University , gave him the confidence and knowledge he needed to forge his own path in the industry .
“ JU provided a quality education in a positive environment that represented community , collaborative academia , and an overall sense of accomplishment ,” he said . “ Much of the drive I have today is rooted in my time at JU earning my degree .”
Today , Travelcamp RV is one of the largest RV retailers in the Southeast with nine locations in three states with more planned . He has plans to open three more Florida locations before the end of 2023 , and is expanding into North Carolina this year .
Travelcamp RV buys , sells , and services RVs . He also founded RVCarePros . com in 2021 , a first-of-its-kind professional mobile RV service operation .
He employs nearly 400 people and wants to keep growing . His goal is to serve more RV customers just like himself . When he ’ s not buying and selling RVs , he ’ s often traveling in his own .
“ Our goal is to expand the business to reach new markets across the U . S ., to create more jobs , and build a team of staff that are building a great company ,” he said .