Tow Times Honors Hall of Fame Inductees

PUBLISHER’S VIEW
BY CLARISSA POWELL, PUBLISHER
HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2008
Tow Times Honors Hall
of Fame Inductees
T
he International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame has selected
two TT Publications Inc. stockholders, Joe Kolodziej from Pinellas
Park, Fla., and Mike Pool from Odessa,
Tex., for inclusion in the Class of 2013.
TT Publications staff and stockholders are proud of these two very
worthy men. Joe and Mike join 22
other TT Publications Inc. staff and
stockholders in this prestigious group
of towing professionals who comprise
the industry’s International Hall of
Fame (see the sidebar).
What is the Hall of Fame?
The following information is from
internationaltowingmuseum.org, the
website for the International Towing
Museum where the Hall of Fame originates and is housed.
“Each year, the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and
Museum recognizes individuals who
have made substantial contributions
to the towing and recovery industry.
The tradition started in 1986 when the
towing and recovery industry realized
it was time to display the roots of the
profession. Industry professionals
came together and selected individuals who had made a difference. To
honor those chosen few, the Friends
of Towing (now ITRHFM) dedicated an
entire section of the museum’s walls
for portraits of the inductees. Each
September a new class is inducted.”
The Hall of Fame was created to
recognize individuals within the industry who reach beyond their company’s own success and work for the
betterment of the industry as a whole.
The 285 men and women whose portraits currently hang in the Museum
represent the foundation of this industry – they have given their time,
14
towtimes.com • June 2013
Joe Kolodziej
energy, creativity, ideas and
personal finances to support,
grow and improve the towing
industry and their respective
communities.
Now this is not to say they Mike Pool
are the only ones who have
done so – there are many
deserving individuals in the
towing industry throughout
the world who have contributed above and beyond to
improve the towing industry
in their counties, states and
countries. This is why each
year when the Museum requests nominations for Hall
As Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt
of Fame inductees, you should conthat a small group of thoughtful, consider who you know that is deserving
cerned people can change the world.
of such an honor and submit a nomIndeed it is the only thing that ever has.”
ination. The nomination process is
not easy – nor should
it be. Nominators are
TT Publications Inc. Hall of Fame Members
required to complete
an application and
Peter Aspesi, Southborough, Mass. (1991)
submit information
George Bakker, Yonkers, N.Y. (2004)
justifying what the
Guy Benitez, deceased, Lafayette, La. (1987)
nominee has done
Dennis Brewer, Ann Arbor, Mich. (2002)
for his or her indusTed Durig, Dayton, Ohio (1991)
try and community –
Bill Giorgis, Saginaw, Mich. (2002)
beyond being a good
Jack Gratzianna, deceased, Chicago, Ill. (1995)
businessperson
or
Dave Jones, Fern Park, Fla. (1986)
Helen Jones, Fern Park, Fla. (1990)
having been in the inHoward Kauff, Palm Beach, Fla. (1987)
dustry a long time.
Bill McClaskey, Citra, Fla. (1987)
Once the nomiMichael McGovern, Knoxville, Tenn. (2012)
nating period closes,
Kelly McKnight, deceased, Arlington, Tex. (1988)
a committee reviews
Charles Noble, deceased, Columbus, Ohio (1989)
applications and inDick Pellow, St. Paul, Minn. (1987)
ductees are selected.
Clarissa Powell, Winter Park, Fla. (2008)
Speaking
from
John Rogers, Leicester, England (1986)
personal experience,
Jim Schlier, Tannersville, Penn. (2010)
it is an honor to be inBruce Schneider, Portland, Ore. (2005)
ducted into the Hall of
Bob Tracey, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (1990)
Bill Washam, Greensboro, N.C. (1987)
Fame but is has been
Jack Whitlock, deceased, Columbus, Ohio (1987)
a greater honor to be
a part of this industry.