The AVO Team
Asheville Vehicle Outfitters is a local business that is family owned and run. We have a passion for the outdoors and building a community of other offroad enthusiasts. We bring years of 4x4 experience and help you build your dream rig.
The Valdes Family
Meet the Valdes family! We love the outdoors, exploring new places and meeting new people! We started our 4x4 adventures back in our college days and haven't stopped since. Since then, we've added four boys to our family, all who love to explore the trails with Mom and Dad! We're always excited to meet new people and can't wait to create new memories and adventures while at AVO!
Eric Valdes
Eric Valdes is President and founder of AVO, overseeing daily operations and accessory installations. An avid outdoor and 4x4 enthusiast, Eric's passion in the overland industry started over 10 years ago while attending UNC Asheville. After graduating, Eric began working for Toyota which triggered his deep appreciation for the Toyota brand and specifically its trucks.
Eric and his wife, Megan, began taking trips in their different Toyota Trucks including cross country trips to Utah, Colorado, and around the southeast. Soon after, Eric pursued an opportunity with ARB to manage the Northeast region of the United States for the company. The time at ARB included traveling the US to visit the country's top retailers, attend 4x4 events, and even included a trip to Melbourne, Australia to visit ARB's corporate headquarters.
Chasing a long time desire to manage an overland retail store, the Valdes family moved to New Hampshire to join Main Line Overland and develop a new store in Bow, NH. In founding AVO, Eric is driven to share his passion for 4wd's and to provide the region with the industry's highest quality accessories. Eric has four boys and is married to his lovely wife and business partner Megan.
Megan Valdes
Megan Valdes is the co-founder of Asheville Vehicle Outfitters, while also managing marketing, social media, and assisting with the day to day operations of the business.
An Asheville native, Meg has maintained a passion for the outdoors since she was a young girl. A graduate of Appalachian State University's school of education, Meg has devoted much of her life to children. Now a mother of four young boys, Meg also manages to homeschool the boys and keep them active. Be sure to say hi to Meg at the shop or on the trails!
Bobby Wooton
Bobby Wooton serves as Asheville Vehicle Outfitter’s service manager, overseeing all shop functions and performing accessory installations. Born and raised in Asheville, Bobby has a deep appreciation for 4WDs and the outdoors. With over 12 years of service and mechanical experience, he has earned master status with ASE and the Toyota motor company.
We have partnered with Bobby to help bring his valuable experience in house to better serve our customers. While not at the office, Bobby enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.
rese hobson
Rese is a Florida native who made her way out to North Carolina after completing a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2019. She graduated from Florida State with a degree in Environmental Science and has a passion for the outdoors, fitness, and exploration. If it involves roaming the US by foot, bike, or vehicle you can count her in.
Rese currently serves as our warehouse manager making sure all the gear you need to outfit your vehicle is in stock and ready to go!
robert desjadon
We’re thrilled to welcome Robert Desjadon as the General Manager of our AVO Jax location! Rob brings over 15 years of experience in the automotive industry, making him a true expert in sales, installations, and daily operations. A passionate car enthusiast, he has owned and worked on more than 20 different brands, makes, and models, giving him an unmatched depth of knowledge.
Beyond his expertise in the automotive world, Rob is a devoted family man. He’s been married to his wife, Erin, for 10 years, and together they have a house full of dogs and a son who is preparing to join the Navy—a journey they are incredibly proud of.
Since joining the team in 2025, Rob has been dedicated to elevating AVO Jax’s reputation, aiming to make it the premier overlanding shop in the Southeast. With his leadership and passion, the road ahead looks exciting—and we can’t wait to see where this journey takes us!
Michal halka
It is our privilege to introduce Michal Halka as AVO’s lead technician. An Asheville native and OG 4x4 enthusiast, Michal brings additional superior automotive experience and passion to our business in an effort to help continue improving the overall service experience.
With over 16 years of service and mechanical experience, Michal has earned his master status with Toyota and is an ASE advanced level specialist. We are very excited for this huge addition to the AVO family.
If you’re around the shop, make sure to say hi!
Trent Plummer
An Asheville Native and an automotive enthusiast, Trent has been servicing and performing maintenance on vehicles for the past 7 years. Trent also was with Toyota of Asheville for 5 years and became Toyota Certified.
connor van wingerden
Connor Van Wingerden is our AVO JAX Lead Service Technician. A California Native, Connor and his wife moved to North Carolina in 2023 to join the AVO team and begin a new adventure together on the east coast. After 6 months in North Carolina, Connor accepted the lead service technician position in Jacksonville to help build the new FL office for AVO. Connor loves all things off road, baja truck racing, and motocross. On his time off, you can find Connor enjoying his time outdoors, hiking, riding dirt bikes, and spending time with his family.
