Rudy Smith
Hall of Fame Inductee #364
New Orleans, Louisiana
Third generation co-owner and president, Rudy Smith Service Inc.
Rudy was born into a towing and recovery business but his passion, and gift, has been the inner workings of the political system. He has represented the industry’s interests in Louisiana on every piece of towing legislation introduced into the State’s Legislature or before the Louisiana Public Service Commission since 1980.
When cities and townships started enacting unfairly low, arbitrarily set rates on the towing industry, Rudy organized and led efforts forcing the Louisiana Public Service Commission to assume its Constitutionally assigned duties to regulate all non-consensual tow pricing. These efforts resulted in uniform statewide rates, set using the utility ratemaking process, carried out via fact finding, costs study and regularly recurring “rate case” adjustments.
Member
- International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum
- Towing and Recovery Association of America
- Towing & Recovery Professionals of Louisiana
- Director for 15+ years
- Vice President, 2 years
- Legislative Committee Chair – 15+ years
- Greater New Orleans Executive Association
- Knights of Columbus
Innovator
- Co-founder, Beacon Software
- Co-founder, Towing & Recovery Management Summit
- 2016 American Towman Silver Star Award
Recognition
- New Orleans Executive of the Year 2014
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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.