Hall Of Fame

The first Hall of Fame class, inducted in 1986, consisted of 27 members from six countries: Australia, Canada, Mexico, South Africa, United Kingdom and United States. Industry professionals came together and selected individuals who 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.

Today the Hall of Fame has grown to include over 350 distinguished towing professionals with members from:

Australia
Belgium
Canada
Finland
France
Germany

Ireland
Japan
Mexico
Netherlands
Poland
Scotland

South Africa
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
Wales

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE ITRHFM- HALL OF FAME NOMINATION FORM

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HALL OF FAME NOMINEE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Tow Equipment/Product Innovation

Innovation of a product sold in the marketplace that has helped move the industry forward. Candidate must have a minimum of 10 years of service to the industry.

Exemplary Dedication

Candidate must have 20 years running a towing business in an outstanding and exemplary manner, promoting a positive image of the towing industry and have positive relations with the community, i.e., performing services for the community about and beyond the services for hire. Limit: One inductee per year.

Industry Leadership

Leadership involved with an outstanding project that has had a dynamic and lasting effect on the towing industry. Candidate must have minimum 10 years service to the towing industry.

Professional Achievement

Creating a product or service of any kind that has had a significant and lasting effect on thousands of towing professionals. Candidate Must have a minimum of 10 years to the industry.

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Leonard W. Schultz

Leonard Schultz and his wife Eileen were married in 1954 and between them had eight children, three of whom now work in the family business. Eileen died in… Read More

M. Dennis ‘Denny’ Jones

A native of the northwest, Denny and his wife Shirley have raised 6 children and presently have 17 grandchildren. Since Denny has traveled extensively throughout the United States… Read More

Andrew A. Hovanes, Jr.

Andy, Jr. never married so has had no children, however is close to his brothers Steve and Jerry who are also his business partners. Andy, Jr. was literally… Read More

Evelyn M. Harden

Evelyn and Jim Harden were married in December, 1961 and together they have raised two children, Cheri and Randy, although Cheri was lost to leukemia in 1977 at… Read More

Larry G. Cernosek

Larry G. Cernosek was born in 1953 in Houston, Texas. He has been married to his wife Linda for 22 years. Together they have three children, Josh 27,… Read More

Janetta R. Bowman

Janetta R. Bowman was born in Cadiz, Kentucky in 1947. She came into the towing and recovery business through her marriage to Arden Bowman, Jr., whose parents owned… Read More

Axel H. Tischer

The Tischer Company (Tischer Fahrzeugbau) was founded in 1988 in Cham, Germany. Before forming his own company, Axel Tischer worked for a trucking company that supplied towing equipment… Read More

Frank Jay Staab

Frank Jay Staab was born March 5, 1938 in Mineola, New York. Jay has been working in the towing industry for over the past 40 years. Most of… Read More

James E. Hoagland

James E. Hoagland was born on April 1, 1929 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Prior to graduating from school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corp. He served… Read More

Gene Gratzer

Gene was born April 15, 1940 in Tacoma, Washington and still makes his home in Tacoma with his wife Paula. Gene has 3 grown children from a prior… Read More

Carvel Gay

Carvel began his career in 1965, with the purchase of his first service station. Selling gas, checking under the hood, washing windows and automotive repairs, the old fashion… Read More

Arturo Cortez Gonzalez

Mr. Arturo Cortez Gonzalez was born in 1941. The oldest of eight brothers and sisters in a low-class family. He was born in a little town 50 miles… Read More