Mr Ryan: only the fourth person to enter the hall of fame

JAYCO supremo Gerry Ryan has been inducted into the Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame.

The man behind Australia's biggest builder of recreational vehicles said he was humbled by the accolade, revealed at the Premier Regional Business Awards.

Managing director Mr Ryan, who over the past 36 years has built up his business empire from simple beginnings in a lowly shed in a paddock, is only the fourth person to be inducted since the hall of fame was launched 15 years ago.

He paid tribute to the "good people" whose passion had led to Jayco's success.

"When I first started in 1975, I would have never realised in my wildest dreams we'd end up the company we are," he admitted.

Jayco, which prides itself on being a solid family business, was the 2005 Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame award winner and now employs about 900 people.

It is renowned for its active involvement in the community and sport, donating a small fortune to sponsorship.

A major milestone in Jayco's history was achieved last year when it boosted production with a new $7 million state-of-the-art purpose-built factory at the company's 20ha South Dandenong complex.

The additional 8000sq m assembly line generated an extra 150 jobs.

The company now builds more than 9000 campers, caravans, motorhomes and park cabins annually.