Mike Devine finds strength in simplicity

Mike Devine, owner of Caravan Campers in Reno, figures that keeping it simple has kept his manufacturing business alive during a tough economy.

Devine started working for his father, Dale, who was co-owner of Caravan, 32 years ago when he was in high school, and while he has tried his hand at a few other professions over the years, he kept coming back to Caravan.

"I worked at a small engine shop, then did garage door repair when the shop closed during the '80s for a few months," Devine says. "But I always enjoyed the work here more."

Caravan Campers, which has been in business 55 years, designs and manufactures truck tops for hunters, fisherman, campers and even commercial uses. Devine believes the quality of his camper tops is what's keeping him busy.

"It holds up on Nevada roads," he says with a smile.

While sales this year have been fairly flat, Devine says it's been steady, which is better than last year's spiky behavior. The company is seeing a lot of out-of-town business from surrounding states as well as distant markets such as Florida.

Devine credits the increase in out-of-market interest to a Web site that helped spread the word about the niche product.

While Devine wears more hats lately after trimming his staff, his work is steady, and that's enough for him.

"If we had gotten bigger, we probably wouldn't be here," he says. "Making your business bigger means you just create more headaches, not necessarily any more money."

The company has been in the same location on Dickerson Road since 1961, and when you walk into Devine's office, it's clear that this is a Nevada company through and through. Black and white photos line the walls, along with hunting and fishing decals and licenses. There is no computer, no sleek, modern office furniture; it's the office of Devine's father, and that suits the younger Devine just fine.

"I've thought about changing things, but I get a lot of old-time Nevadans in here, and they don't want me to change it," he says. "We still do things the old way. Right now, I take all the office work home and do it on the computer there. I'm getting one here, but we still write our receipts out by hand. We still do the work by hand. I keep it simple."

That simple strategy is evident in not only the way Devine runs his business, but also the way he lives his life.

Married to his wife Marcie for 29 years, the couple has three sons. Camping and hunting are among his favorite outside-of-work pleasures, but the family is also devoted to serving their church, where Marcie works fulltime. From serving meals at the men's center to helping at the Gospel Mission, Devine considers serving his community is a natural part of his faith. One of his favorite memories is a mission trip to Bolivia to help build a roof for a village's dining hall.

"It was very exhilarating to see how other cultures think about things, and also to see how spoiled we Americans are," he says. "(The villagers) sell bananas, and they are doing well if they have a motor for their boat. But they don't have all these bills, and they will stop and talk to their neighbors. They couldn't imagine why these people who seem to have so much would come to their village and help. I would absolutely do it again."

His faith has helped him, too, during the times when the phone isn't ringing as much as it once did.

"When things get slow, I get down, but then I remember that I am still so blessed. Keep your chin up," he advises. "This will pass."

The basics:

Who: Mike Devine

What: Owner, Caravan Campers

Family: Wife, Marcie, and three sons.

He says: "I never wanted to be anywhere else but Nevada."