William E. Johnson

William E. Johnson came into this world on March 31st 1957, the youngest child of Robert and Barbara Johnson of Granby, Massachusetts. Not liking schools much and with no aspiration to attend college, Bill started working on a dairy farm at the age of 14. It was hard work but he enjoyed the challenge of working on the equipment and also the opportunity to drive the tractors! His involvement with cars came naturally. His Father worked at a service stat ion when he was younger and Bill’s older brother was an auto mechanic. In his spare time, when he wasn’t working on the dairy farm, Bill would ride his bike around town and buy junk cars. On the weekends he and his brother would pick up the cars with a car trailer and sell t hem t o t he local salvage yard. During his early years on the farm, Bill was introduced to a young girl, his coworker’s younger sister Tracey, who would later become his wife. In addition to his farm work and high school studies, in 1973 Bill decided to rent a garage and started working on cars. In 1977 while still employed at the dairy farm, Bill and Tracey were married, and in 1978 t heir oldest son Robert was born. The reality set in that working on a dairy farm could not secure the future he had envisioned for t heir growing family so Bill went to work for a body shop and t owing company called Hampshire Towing.   I n 1981 Bill decided to go out on his own and opened a body shop and in 1982 he added his first tow t ruck, and along with that came Bill’s second son David.  The years passed by quickly and Bill’s business grew to include towing, auto body and mechanical repairs.  I n 1995 he purchased Hampshire Towing and continued to grow from there.

Back in 1985 Bill decided to get involved in t own government. He started off with various appointed committees and in 1989 was elected Selectmen, a position he held for fifteen years. Currently he is serving as the t own School Committee representative to the Pathfinder Vocational School. As the business grew, Tracey and their two sons joined the company. This allowed Bill the time to get involved in the Statewide Towing Association of Massachusetts.  He became a Director in March of 1999 serving on various committees and in 2002 he was elected President of the association. Bill expanded his involvement in the towing industry t o a national level by serving on the Towing Services Rotation Committee co-authoring a National Rotation Standard. Bill has also been published in American Towing Magazine, presented several informative seminars at the AT Expo  sharing his  no  nonsense,  street  smart  approach  to  running  a  successful  towing business and he has  humbly been  recognized  with  several  awards  over the  years  for his  service to the  industry  and  community. During his  Presidency  Bill has  supported  and  fostered  positive growth  of the association  by  increasing  association lobbyist  efforts,  expanding  membership  services  and  benefit s, and developing educational  programs.