Steve Froese, F276276, will draw on his skills as an engineer and an RV technician to answer readers’ questions.
By John Johnston, Associate Editor
October 2020
FMCA member Steve Froese (pronounced “froze”) acknowledges having mixed feelings about becoming Family RVing’s “Tech Talk” columnist and occupying the spot in the magazine once held by “RV Doctor” Gary Bunzer, who was his friend, mentor, and colleague.
Gary’s death in April 2020 was an “overwhelming loss,” Steve said. But he also finds solace in knowing Gary had expressed hope that Steve would one day follow in his footsteps. Steve’s debut “Tech Talk” column will appear in the November issue.
The two became acquainted nearly 16 years ago when Steve enrolled in Northampton Community College’s online RV education program, which Gary taught. “Gary and I formed a special relationship almost from the moment we met,” Steve said. “I remember asking many questions and challenging Gary constantly during the training. Who else but the RV Doctor would have been able to successfully field all my questions?”
After Steve graduated from Northampton’s program, Gary invited him to collaborate on various projects, which included serving together on a National RV Dealers Association/RV Industry Association committee that updated service training manuals used by RV technicians.
Steve currently works as a senior RV technician at Fraserway RV, Canada’s largest RV dealer group. He is licensed as an RV technician through Canada’s Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program, which is equivalent to a master certified RV technician in the United States.
He is also a licensed professional engineer in British Columbia. Much of his career has been devoted to engineering, and he credits that experience, combined with his work as an RV technician, for providing him a solid foundation of theoretical knowledge and an understanding of RV systems. “Whenever my experience as an RV technician fails me, such as when I have not seen a particular system before or can’t identify the root cause of an issue, I fall back on my engineering knowledge,” he said. “This allows me to do a deep dive into the theory of operation of the component or system.”
In addition, Steve has more than 20 years of experience as a technical writer. Indeed, his name already may be familiar to many FMCA members. He joined FMCA in 2000 and has been contributing technical articles to Family RVing since 2018.
Steve was raised in a family that loved to camp. He was 13 when his father, a physician, decided that as part of a sabbatical, he would take the family on a six-month trip around North America. “We purchased a Winnebago, and thus began my lifelong passion for RV travel,” Steve said.
Steve purchased his first motorhome after earning his mechanical engineering degree in 1995. Since then, he has owned a number of coaches. Most have been diesel pushers, including his current motorhome, a 2006 Newmar Dutch Star.
Before he worked as an engineer or RV tech, Steve was a radio announcer and a musical theater performer. He’s a professionally trained opera and classical singer. He plays a variety of musical instruments and has performed in numerous bands and orchestras.
Steve lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with his wife and two teenage stepchildren. He also has two children from a previous marriage, as well as two grandchildren. Traveling with children and pets, Steve said, has given him a perspective shared by many RVers.
“I sympathize with their challenges and celebrate their successes and ‘wow’ moments,” he said. “I am here to answer their questions, provide tips, tricks, and some interesting articles along the way.”
To ask Steve a question, send an email to techtalk@fmca.com. While he may not always be able to provide individual replies, he’ll share the answers to many of the inquiries in the monthly “Tech Talk” column.