September 25, 2025 • 63 mins
What does it take to transform an entire industry through education? For Wes Wilburn, approaching his 1,000th towing and recovery training class, the answer lies in a philosophy borrowed from DJ Harrington C A N I – constant and never-ending improvement.
Since 1993, Wes has dedicated his life to elevating the towing profession through education that goes far beyond technical skills. As he shares his journey with hosts DJ Harrington and April Wilburn, we witness the evolution of an industry through the eyes of someone who has helped shape its modern practices. From the early days of basic recovery techniques to today's complex challenges with electric vehicles, Wes has adapted his teaching to ensure operators can safely handle whatever comes their way.
"My job in that classroom is not to tell people what to think," Wes explains. "My job is to give people things to think about they can take and apply in their own world." This approach has touched countless lives – many in ways that can never be measured. When operators apply proper techniques on dangerous roadways, they return home safely to their families, creating a ripple effect of positive impact.
The conversation also shines light on the industry's unsung heroes, particularly women leaders like Ruthie Landau and Gay Rochester who work tirelessly behind the scenes organizing events and fundraising. We learn about state associations that maintain injured drivers funds to support operators during times of need, highlighting the tight-knit community that defines this profession.
As Wes approaches his milestone 1,000th class, his mantra remains unchanged: "Develop from within so you never go without." Whether you're a seasoned recovery specialist or simply curious about the people who rescue you during roadside emergencies, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the heart and soul of an essential yet often overlooked industry. Subscribe now to join the over 20,000 listeners who make Towing News Now their trusted source for industry insights.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
you're on the train to success with April and Wes
Wilburn.
I'm DJ Harrington, the co-host,better known as the Toe Doctor.
We're all on our way to thetown of proper towing and
recovery, along with ourproducer, chuck Camp, in the
studio.
Don't go to the town of woulda,coulda, shoulda.
You coulda had done this.
(00:28):
You should have done that.
Listen every week tothought-provoking wisdom from
great guests iTunes, pandora,stitcher, iheartmedia or the
number one podcast, or maybeAmazon or wherever you get your
(00:50):
podcasts.
Turn in on Wednesday and beturned on all week long.
If you are a state associationand want your announcements or
upcoming state association newsannouncements or upcoming state
association news, or maybe aco-show that's coming up, let us
know.
Our podcast studio phone numberis 706-409-5603.
(01:14):
I'm proud to be part of a greatteam at the American Dorm
Recovery Institute.
Let's make 2025 our best yearever.
I will turn it to April andMiss.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Well, dj, as always.
I appreciate your kind words.
I also appreciate yourinteraction with the industry in
general and me in particular.
How are you doing today?
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Well, I'm doing fine.
We should tell our listeners Ihave Guillain-Barre for the ones
who don't know and it's a nervedisease in your legs and Wes.
Seven weeks ago I qualifiedbecause I have lymphemia in my
legs and my legs have swollen up.
(02:08):
So the best example to tell ourlisteners my legs look like
they belong to a pregnant womanwho's about to give birth to
twins.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
It sounds like some swollen going on there.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Oh yes, swollen and I can't use.
I used to use support stockingsand my legs swell so much that
Cigna Insurance I qualified forwhat they call wraps.
So they're four pieces and theystart at the ankle and go all
(02:48):
the way up to the thigh and ithas helped me tremendously.
And I was so worried.
The doctor said, oh no, healready looked it up that Cigna
would pay for them.
Because I started thinking, ohboy, here's another thing I'm
going to have to pay for andCigna paid for them.
(03:10):
They're like $400 and somedollars each.
So I have one on the right legand one on the left leg.
But, folks, I want to tell yousomething God's been very good
to me.
He's been good with me in theindustry and with friends, and
so I walk a little slower Wesand April but I'm walking.
(03:31):
And there's a lot of peoplewith Guillain-Barre that are
paralyzed, sitting inwheelchairs and with these wraps
now I'm actually doing so muchbetter.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
That's great to hear.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
That is an improvement.
Quality of life is a.
I know people say that a lot,but it's really, really
important.
You could be alive, but what isyour quality?
And it sounds like your qualityof life has improved.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Oh, yes, and for me.
You know, I just told ourproducer, Chuck Camp, just
before we got on the air,because he texts on me all the
time.
He said, OK, so what happened?
I said, well, now the veindoctor is saying he doesn't need
to see me.
You know, like for every sixmonths He'll see me twice a year
(04:19):
, but that's it.
He said.
Now that I'm going to theneurologist, I got wraps on my
legs and and your, your feetswell so much that I am now.
I used to wear a 10 and a halfshoe.
I'm on a 12 shoe right now sobecause of my legs swell so much
(04:39):
.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
It has to be uncomfortable.
If there's any pain related tothat, I'm not sure, but it
definitely has got to beuncomfortable.
If there's any pain related tothat, I'm not sure but it
definitely has got to beuncomfortable.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Oh yes, yeah, it's pain related.
But I want to tell yousomething.
I want all of you to know thatwhen you process what we're
doing here in the podcast, everytime we help a fellow toer, it
makes me feel so good that yousit back and you go okay, we're
(05:07):
doing the right thing for theright person.
So hopefully, you know, we have20,000 listeners and we're
still growing.
So out of the people thatlisten, april and Wes if we can
just touch 1%, 2% and let themget better instead of bitter,
(05:29):
let them get better and that'swhy I'm proud to be part of the
podcast.
I am so proud of what you guysdid as the Institute and now
what you're doing with the TonyNews Channel.
I mean you guys are alwaysimproving what Tony Robbins
called, can I?
You know, the constant andnever-ending improvement.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Well, you're right.
When I heard Tony Robbins talkabout can I?
And that's how the Japanesecame back after World War II and
created a very fierce economy.
I adopted the strategy ofconstant, never-ending
improvement.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
And Vince.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Lombardi said it the best what you should aim for is
perfection in anything that youdo.
While perfection isunachievable, what you will
achieve is excellence.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Well, that's given in our constitutions a more
perfect union.
It will never be perfect, butas long as we're striving for
that, then we'll always dobetter.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yeah, and that's why, when you go to the Japanese
plants and car manufacturing andyou'll hear them yell Kaizen,
and that means the same asconstant and never-ending
improvement.
It's a Japanese word for it andthey say Kaizen.
So it's a philosophy thatyou've embraced, wes, and you
(07:01):
think about the people and thegenerations.
When you had three and fourgenerations, you trained the
grandfather, then you hadtrained the son and now you're
training the son of thegrandfather.
I mean it's just perfect forgenerations and, wes, you'll
(07:22):
never know until you go toheaven and see how many people
you've assisted and helped, whokissed their wives goodbye in
the morning and was able to kisstheir wife good evening when
they came home from work,because you helped them with the
whole philosophy of towing andrecovery.
(07:42):
So that's why I'm proud to bepart of the podcast.
You and April do a great job.
You bring april in and you knowit's.
It's all part of.
You know kazan, you know it's,it's all part of the constant,
never-ending improvement, whatthey call can I and it's uh, I'm
just proud to be part of it,buddy, and I'm proud to see what
(08:05):
you have done with theInstitute.
I'm proud to see how you'veextended it and you think about
all the families that you'veembraced to become better human
beings and better moms andbetter dads because they had
good training by Wilburn.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Well, DJ, you're very kind with your words and
talking about people that havetouched me.
Well, you touch way more than Ihave.
Very humbling.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Well, my friend, if I could do something like that.
And when someone comes back andsays, well, what do you do?
And just like a Bible schoolteacher, they'll never know how
many people they influence untilthey go to heaven.
And then God will say okay, lookat all these people that you've
helped you know, and that'sthat's the whole philosophy of
(09:03):
life have we made it a betterworld to live in by how we dealt
with it ourselves?
You know, did we leave theworld a better place because of
what we've done?
And that's, you know, doingthese podcasts that's no light
job, you know.
(09:27):
You have to get the guests on,you have to do this, and you've
influenced a lot of people Westand April, and you think about
it.
You think about the toe showsthat you put on in Myrtle Beach
and how much I learned from yousitting in the audience, how
much I I learned from Moore,your buddy.
I mean, it's just yousurrounded yourself with good
(09:50):
people and that you know you'venever worried about some guy
outdoing you.
If he's a good guy, bring himin.
I want him in front of ourpeople so that our people can
grow.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Well, thank you for noticing those things.
Something that's always beenimportant to me is when people
talk about superiority andinferiority there are two sides
of a counterfeit coin.
We all as human, as humanbeings, our own unique gifts and
(10:28):
abilities that we can share, sothere is no superior or
inferiority or inferiority.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
I think just going to build off of what Wes said.
You could and you too, DJ.
An example is Ron Moore, who isan excellent cross-training
instructor.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Excellent individual.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Excellent individual and his strength is fire.
That's what he's done for hiswhole entire life, and Wes's
strength is towing.
So what they did was complementeach other in as far as what?
Their trades of profession aredifferent.
There are some similarities,but they're different and they
brought those two thingstogether and that's not inferior
(11:15):
or superior.
That's one strengthcomplementing another strength
and bringing it together at thesame table their strength and
bringing it together at the sametable.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Well, april, I'm going to tell you, one time we
were at a show, wes and I, youand I think it was Chattanooga
two or three years ago, andsomebody asked me and we were
Chuck Camp, the producer and Iwere eating a hot dog and we
were with bill georges and someguy came by and asked about wes
(11:52):
wilburn and and here.
You were not at the table west,and it was just the three of us
talking.
And I said to the guy who askedthe question I said Wes Wilburn
reminds me of the guy who workson you so you develop from
within, so you never go without.
(12:14):
And Wes Wilburn has that touchwhere he helps you develop from
within and you'll never gowithout.
And then you get a chance tosee your son, wesley, and I have
watched him grow from a youngkid to an adult to a teacher and
(12:39):
he picked up so much from you,wes.
You've helped him develop fromwithin and Wesley, your son,
will never, ever go withoutbecause you have helped him grow
.
And then you start thinkingabout all the people that you
have stopped in the middle of aconvention.
(13:01):
And here we are trying to go eatdinner and Wes out there, and
April you know what happened atall, all the time rushes out
there in the middle of thehallway I'll be right with you,
I'll be right with you and he'shelping a guy go through a
family situation and he says trythis next time, then let me
(13:25):
know how it works and let's keepin touch.
And Wes always says that let'skeep in touch and go.
Just like the time April, youwere not there, but he was going
to a conference.
We met in Atlanta.
He was talking to the towers ofGeorgia and we met at an okay
cafe in downtown, right near thegovernor's mansion.
(13:49):
That's where we ate lunch.
It's a fantastic restaurant andhere's Wes sitting talking to
this guy and I'm thinking tomyself, good lord.
And Wes says to me, as we'reeating our great food at OK Cafe
, he says DJ, I only get achance to see that guy maybe
(14:11):
twice, three times a year.
So when I get a chance to seehim I want to plant a seed.
So down the road he'll thinkabout doing this.
So Wes is.
You know Wes wants to developpeople so they never go without.
So that's that's why I likehanging out with them, and you
know I enjoy him paying for themeals too.
(14:33):
That helps.
Try to do my part.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
DJ.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Well, you did pay that date at OK Cafe.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
I appreciate all the kind words I do.
It's very humbling.
I don't focus on a lot of thatstuff.
I just focus on one thing theeducation in the towing industry
.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
And for many towers that's.
All they get is one shot atformal education.
So they're going to take theirmoney and their time and then we
get off to be in class.
I've always tried to make thatclass the most informative I can
, and one of the things Ilearned very on.
My job in that classroom is notto tell people what to think.
(15:28):
My job is to give people thingsto think about they don't take
open apply in their own world socases yeah now you said that
April and I could ask yourquestion but let's do that after
the break, djyes can we have I?
Speaker 3 (15:50):
have.
I have lots of questions too,so I'm just for the bridge.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
let me ask them one question and then we'll take a
break.
Here's the one question.
And I'm so sincere, wes, I sawyou get involved with the museum
in Chattanooga and you put yourheart and soul in it and you
wanted people to see, you know,the first Holmes truck and you
(16:20):
wanted them to see you know thepost-war boom that they have on
display and stuff like that, sothat people coming to the museum
could actually see what westarted with and how they
initially started towingvehicles to right where they are
(16:40):
today.
And so, before we take thebreak, can you just tell our
audience what caused you to getinvolved so deeply into the
museum?
Speaker 2 (16:53):
I have several things in interest for history.
George Connolly and JerryBullock welcomed me welcoming me
and others in my age rangetrying to get us involved.
Most of the when we gotinvolved at the turn of the
(17:15):
century, Most of the board ofdirectors of the museum was in
their 60s or older.
So there was four of us thatwere in our 40s somewhere around
there, so that was part of whatgot us involved.
Um so I?
I guess that's my simple answerto your question yeah both very
(17:39):
bullet to do it finally andwriting and making me feel so
welcome, and um so the wholething about getting a huge limit
on that, but I think that'salso and I'm going to elaborate
on this when we come back to thebreak but that's also an
example of what you said.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
You don't know the impact you have on people.
I don't know if they, if theytry to get other people involved
in the museum, or if it wasjust West and who else was with
us could put us a little rest up, but they chose Smith they took
the ball and they advanced the.
They advanced the history andgot more stuff in there because
(18:18):
they had that passion for it andwasn't very humble, so he's not
going to go into all doubt, butthat's what it took is I'm sure
they asked 100 people, but onlytwo or three people stepped up
and um made those sacrificeswith their time and and money.
Because even if you're notputting money into what you're
saying, you're eating, you're,you're paying hotel, hotel bills
(18:40):
.
So that's an example of whatyou said.
As far as you don't know whatimpact you have on people and
George Connelly and Jerry Riggs,I'm sorry, jared Bullock should
be remembered.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Yeah, I, jerry, bullock and Jerry.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Rich, if you remember ?
Yeah, I mean they were.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
But Jerry Bullock and George were the two.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
And Jerry Bullock.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
The reason that we have the museum.
Yes, where we're at today.
Yes, the base of what that was.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Now let's go to break .
Speaker 1 (19:09):
You got it.
We'll take a break and be rightback folks.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
When that next call comes in, will you be ready?
At the American Towing andRecovery Institute, we make sure
the answer is yes, Withstate-of-the-art training that
prepares you for anything theroad throws your way.
Our instructors, JT Reaser andWes Wilburn, bring over 60 years
of combined towing and recoveryexperience.
They've seen it all, and nowthey're passing that real-world
knowledge on to you.
(19:41):
From light duty to heavy duty,roadside service to rotator
recovery, every class is packedwith techniques, safety
practices and certificationsthat give you an edge, Because
in this business, stayingtrained isn't just smart.
It's the difference between arisky guess and a confident
solution.
(20:01):
Don't settle for good enough.
Take your career, your crew andyour company to the next level.
See the upcoming schedule andregister today at amtosignuporg.
That's A-M-T-O-W-S-I-G-N-U-Pdot O-R-G, the American Towing
(20:22):
and Recovery Institute, smallenough to know you and big
enough to serve you.
Don't forget that'samtowsignuporg.
Or feel free to give us a callat 636-800-ATRI.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Welcome back listeners.
Of course you know you'relistening to the number one
podcast in the towing andrecovery industry and this is a
real important one.
The American Towing andRecovery Institute started the
podcast and then this year weturned it into the T Cohen News
Channel, which has reallyembraced the industry.
(20:59):
But I can't thank you guysenough.
Remember that every week we doour best to bring you exciting
episodes like this one here, andI want you to know we're
available on Spotify, itunes,pandora Stitcher, iart Media,
itunes, pandora Stitcher,iheartmedia, amazon or wherever
(21:20):
you catch your podcasts, and Ican't thank you enough for
helping us build such a wideaudience.
It's because you tell yourfriends about us.
So, without further ado, wehave Wes and April Wilburn.
So, april, I'm going to turn itover to you and maybe you can
ask your sweet husband the nextquestion.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
I'm going to ask him what was the fuel that led him
into training?
And education into the industry.
I think that's the big thing,yep.
I'm sorry, do me the questionagain what motivates you to be a
trainer or an instructor?
Speaker 2 (22:06):
I was looking for something to stay involved with
the industry but not be involvedin operations 24-7.
And also I wanted to travel alittle bit.
I knew I wanted to get out ofthe Washington DC area, which is
where I was living at the time,so I guess the combination of
(22:28):
this was new and different wasthe hotel industry.
It was helping the hotelindustry become more
professional.
It was helping the industrybecome more professional.
It made a lot of sense.
It made better sense to me fora way to achieve continuing
education in the tellingindustry.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
So I, I, yeah, I guess I would it sounded like
you still wouldn't be involvedin the towing industry.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Yes, definitely but I didn't.
Yeah, I wanted to be involvedin the towing industry.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
I wanted to do something that has the meaning
of life as well a purpose inlife yeah which is what we all
want, you know, and one way orthe other we we search for that,
and if we could find it and andstrive for that, then that's
just an added bonus yeah, um,and I've been very blessed.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
I've gotten to travel .
Speaker 2 (23:37):
I've met some great people, shared good information,
helped people.
I've been truly blessed.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
And I'm going to say that there are great people in
the industry.
Because I worked at a towcompany, that's how I met Wes,
and when I worked there, theguys I worked with were very
good operators.
They were always trying tolearn more things or do their
job better.
They were always trying toachieve that.
They were top-notch,first-class tow truck operators.
(24:09):
Wes was doing a class.
I don't think I'd met him atthat point, but I was like why
are they going to a class?
What do they need to learn?
I didn't even understand theimportance of it even at that
time.
But when they came back fromthat class they were, I mean,
just amongst themselves talkingabout this happened and I
learned that.
(24:29):
And then this little, otherlittle tweak and sometimes this
simple little tweak is somethingthat they already know and it's
a build on um educationalexperience for them and that
opened my eyes to a certainextent.
And then meeting the great westwilburn, you know, a year or
two later, but just seeing their, just seeing the impact it made
(24:52):
on them, not ever meeting westat that point was an eye-opener
for me.
And they came back with with alittle fire in their belly and
they, they actually went outback to, they actually went out
back to practice some of thestuff that west had given them,
um, and that was an eye-openerfor me.
I mean that that just showed mesomething then and it made me
(25:17):
more relatable with them becausethey were trying to do their
job better.
That made me want to do my jobbetter, so, and I was just a
dispatcher.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Now how about if I ask him a question and I'm doing
it because of all our listeners?
Wes, the first time I listenedto you train, I sat off on the
side and I thought to myselfokay, here I used to think of
(25:46):
myself as a pretty good trainer.
And then I saw you and then Iwatched how you wanted to make
sure the person got classroomtraining.
He got hands-on training sothat he actually picked up the
chain, and you were explainingto the class about blocking and
(26:12):
how important this is.
And all of a sudden I look backand here you are in a mini class
teaching them that the safetyof the truck is progressing.
So back when they were towingwagons.
And then you go from towing awagon clearing the streets and
(26:36):
the safety and one of the veryfirst podcasts we ever did
together you're the one that wassaying okay here's how you
instruct the passenger of thetruck car, say, sir, you don't
come out on the traffic side.
Do me a favor, just go acrossyour seat and come out the
(26:56):
traffic side.
Do me a favor, just go acrossyour seat and come out the
passenger side of your car ortruck and I'll meet you over
there and I'll explain whatwe're going to do.
But we're going to do in thesafety zone and Wes.
Those are the things thatimpressed me the most about you,
because you wanted to make surethe people were safe.
(27:19):
When they come out with a newlight or a new cone or something
to protect the industry, thedriver, you're the first one
explaining it to somebody.
And that's the reason why Ihave been impressed with you
since the day I met you and satthere.
You know watching you trainYou're a very gifted guy time
(27:52):
just in the trucks of howthey've improved little by
little to make it a better andsafer environment for what we do
as a very dangerous job.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Oh, there have been many things.
I guess a few of them would becomputers on the booms on these
trucks, like the folks that Iwould kind of wait they're
actually dealing with yes um theuse of better steel, a better
technology to make the towingequipment in the region easier
(28:30):
to handle.
Stronger designs specificallyfor what they're doing.
Look at it as close as you canget.
Those would be a few of thethings that come to mind.
Tj yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Do you think the strapping today is better than
the strapping from before?
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Yes, definitely there's more fibers being used,
different configurations.
Definitely what we were doingin the 90s with twin-path planes
, which were a type of roundslide and grabbing wheels we we
(29:17):
use we spent a lot of moneydamaging straps doing that.
The technology of the strapconstruction itself, with
built-in protection, has come along way.
So, yes, the strappingtechnology is way better because
the movement of the booms andwhatnot, we don't need as big
(29:38):
and as long as I say as big asthe longest straps anymore.
We use a lot shorter straps.
That makes them easier tohandle.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
So I know that in April it was kind of funny
because I had a call West onetime and I said can you believe
that at St Vincent's Hospital inTampa, florida, they're only
allowing so many EVs per floor?
(30:07):
Because the EV vehicle was soheavy in weight?
Because the EV vehicle was soheavy in weight and when they
built those garages at StVincent's Hospital in Tampa they
only had to wait for a regularcar.
So now they have to tell thesedoctors there's only eight EV
vehicles allowed on each floorand once eight are filled on the
(30:30):
top floor, you have to park theEV on another floor and they
keep track of them and they haveEV spaces and when those EV
spaces are filled you have tophysically take your vehicle and
park it on another level,because the weight of all those
EVs in one floor would actuallycollapse the floor.
(30:53):
And that was amazing.
So I had to call you know Wes onthe phone and I said Wes, can
you believe this is happening?
He said oh yeah, dj, the weightof an EV battery is so heavy.
Then the towing of it isdifferent and there's no blocks.
You don't have the skid blocksand all this.
(31:14):
There's going to be actually apiece of equipment that's going
to pick up that EV and bring itout.
So I mean I learned so much fromWes with this new technology.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
Well, you know, we're learning stuff all the time,
and one of the challenges withelectric vehicles is there's so
much different information forthem, and, of course, we
developed the EV Clever app.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
That's exactly right.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
It's funny you can look at these different reports
on here from the app what peopleare actually going to look at,
and on several different timeperiods.
Just as a random thing I'm juststumbling through looking at
stuff.
The wait is, you know, going tothe wait, clicking the wait
(32:03):
button.
You know, because we have thefast button that takes you right
to whatever.
It's one of the most quickbuttons.
Sometimes is what I'm trying tosay to you, right?
Speaker 1 (32:11):
So yeah, the wait is quite a bit different.
Yeah, it's one of the mostclick buttons, sometimes to what
I'm trying to say to you right,so, and yeah they, the way that
they're quite a bit different.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
Yeah, so, uh, that's what they want to do is, and the
uv clever app is to put thatkind of information at, uh, the
students fingertips, and that'ssomething that's changed.
We used to um, shareinformation with the student in
a limited workbook format.
I'm talking about with theindustry.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Right.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
And then when I started on my own, I started to
change that somewhat.
I tried to give them moreinformation than just what we
covered in the course.
So they have referenceinformation and whatnot covering
the course.
So they have referenceinformation or what not.
Nowadays that referenceinformation, we have very little
workbook information.
When you come to class, we'renot trying to make you memorize
(33:02):
bunch of numbers.
We do talk about those numbers,we talk about how they involved
in what you do, but we don'tfocus on all the charts and the
graphs and we make thatinformation available to them on
our website after the class.
So that's one of the many ways,over this road of 1,000 classes
(33:22):
, that things have changedtremendously.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
And we are on the road to 1,000 right now.
Right now.
This weekend we'll be at 9 970,so we have 30 to go and I'm
going to tell you now that thatis a great achievement, because
I do this for a living.
As far as like helping get theclasses put together, there's a
lot to get in your class.
There's not just not justwhat's going up on the spot and
(33:50):
teaching the seminar.
He has to do a lot of researchand keep his material up here in
a fresh still.
As you said, dj, the trucks arenewer, the vehicles that
they're towing are newer, theroads are a little bit different
.
There's all these differentdynamics and things that goes
into it.
Plus, teaching a class in LasVegas can be different than
(34:12):
teaching a class at Ohio, as faras your terrain goes.
That has to be taken intoconsideration.
That's our life, that's what wedo.
Wes continuously developsinformation.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Well, it's not just me.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
There's several people involved in that part,
and there are, there are, andthat's one of the past to a
thousand that we're doing umbecause what's also innovated
and known, that we are gettingbigger and we're growing, we, we
need to actually get bigger.
We've um partnered withcardinal, cardinal legacy group
and that ngat research is um afantastic instructor that's
(34:51):
working with west right now.
Fantastic instructor that'sworking with Wes right now.
That's part of the developingand the growing that we're doing
.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
If you sit and still you're pulling behind.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
There's nothing else to sit, and still, that's very,
very true, april.
Well, how about?
If we do this, we take a breakand I want to tell all our
listeners this is a specialedition of Towing News Now, and
this is a great one, because wegot a chance to ask the guy, the
(35:25):
man behind the wall, who knowsit all, and he's been really
gifted.
This is one guy that you canactually say he's forgotten more
than a lot of people know.
So we'll be right back, folks,hang tight.
Speaker 4 (35:45):
Special edition of Towing News Now T-R-A-A.
The Injured Drivers Fund andlegislation that makes all of us
safer are what makes thisindustry special.
Ina Towing supports all of thisand more.
When there is a need, gayRochester is always one of the
first to come forward and askhow can I help?
The American Towing andRecovery Institute is honored to
(36:07):
have the support of the INATowing Network.
Together, we all make adifference.
Ina Towing Network Simpl allmake a difference.
Ina Towing Network simplifiedsolutions, superior service.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
For electric and other alternative fuel vehicles.
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We also offer the National TowOperator Certification, an
(36:42):
independently sourced virtualtesting program covering light
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Speaker 1 (36:51):
Thank you guys.
And of course you know you'relistening to the new Towing News
Now channel and we have Wes andApril Wilburn on.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
And.
Speaker 1 (37:01):
I'm asking periodic questions.
I can't thank you enough.
We have over 20,000 listeners.
Remember to like, review andshare everywhere and if you want
an industry expert on thepodcast, let Wes and April
Wilburn know.
We have a hotline number herein the podcast center
(37:22):
706-409-5603.
And we'd love to hear anything.
If your association is havingan event and you want to get the
word out, give us a hotlinenumber 706-409-5603.
And Wes and April Wilburn willdo their very best to have it on
(37:46):
the next podcast and get theexposure your association has.
And we always believe that ifyou belong to your state
association, it's one of thebest investments you could ever
make for your industry.
So, without further ado, I'llpass it over to April Wilburn.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
Thank you, dj.
And we're talking about Wesgetting to his 1th class Now.
I came in with Wes at the endof 2011.
He had been doing it for a fewyears and has been doing it for
a few years since then.
But I have a question to askWes when he started doing this
and he had his first class, didhe?
(38:29):
Once that first class happened,did you think you'd do a second
class?
Did you foresee yourself beingthis far down the road?
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Oh yeah.
I was determined to make ithappen.
Yeah, I saw a second classRackmasters were just getting
going, so that was kind of partof the magic of all that.
I rode on some of their energy.
I created a little for them aswell.
But uh, yeah, I mean, by nomeans did we.
(39:00):
You know, was there some visionthat you know, in this year
I'll do this many in this year?
It just kind of happened.
But things were going wellenough with the rec master that
I.
I don't think there's muchquestion for that second class.
Well, there would be a secondclass, I guess.
On one level I was concernedthat.
(39:21):
I'd be a part of it.
One of the things I said tomyself was I want to make myself
so valuable in this team thatthey wouldn't want to go to an
event without me being there.
And I had to control some ofthat energy because I can be a
little overwhelming sometimes,but that's what I said to myself
.
That was my goal.
I said how they do this so much.
(39:43):
This is what I want to be apart of.
This is the bigger piece of thetowing industry had a chance to
go to work for homes sellingthe add-on wheel for a few years
earlier.
I didn't want to do it, so Iwant to drive a truck every day,
see myself being involved insomething like that, and several
(40:04):
people did very, very well withthat situation.
That made me think I shouldn'tlet something like that get past
me again.
So you know, connected to whatI like, but just not exactly the
same.
Speaker 3 (40:15):
So so did that?
Did that help you?
Did you feel like maybe youmissed that opportunity?
Did that help you strivetowards once you got into
education?
Did that help?
Did that help like motivate youto say I'm making the best of
this?
Speaker 2 (40:30):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
I was.
You chose that as a learninglesson yes it's important also
the other, the other thing too,and that's for everybody who's
listening and if you've gotyoungins and children at home,
what said I want to be so goodat, just that they won't want to
do this without me.
And if we can go into anythinglike that and put all that
(40:55):
energy into it, that in itselfis something that will carry you
for the rest of your life.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
It definitely did.
Yeah, I just want to do ashout-out real quick.
Speaker 4 (41:09):
Michael.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
O'Brash was the gentleman's name.
If anybody knows MichaelO'Brash, he just wanted to offer
me the deal to get RonaldHolmes and I should have taken
it.
Mike, if you're out therelistening to somebody who knows
him, give me a call.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
I'd love to talk to you and that's an unquantifiable
way that he touched.
Like, how you touch people isunquantifiable.
You don't know when they dosomething safe on the side of
the road, it doesn't get back toyou most of the time.
Sometimes she will call you upand say I I was just at your
class and the thing that Ilearned saved me so much money
(41:46):
from not damaging something.
But most of the time you don'tknow that.
You don't know what you havedone.
It's inclinifiable.
Michael brass, even though youdidn't take him up on this offer
, it was unclinical way that hetouched your life because you
use that to say okay, here's anopportunity, I'm not missing on
(42:06):
on this one.
And here we are.
How many years later?
30, 40 almost almost 40 yearslater because of that one event.
Yeah, I met.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
Michael about 40 years ago.
Probably what I'm talking aboutwill probably happen 35.
And how many?
Speaker 3 (42:23):
years have you been doing education?
Speaker 2 (42:26):
Since 93.
So that's I went to my firstclass in 92.
I helped teach a class in 92,but 93 is when I sold my two
(42:55):
businesses in the training andeducation.
I, 11 years in the industry atthat point got Robin the
industry full time in 82.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
She was all those old mouth in Virginia but they'll
take them show for his life andI think that, even though you
went in different directions, Ithink that we need to talk about
Donny Cree just for one moment.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
Talk about what?
Speaker 3 (43:21):
Donny Cree.
Speaker 2 (43:25):
Oh yeah, donny was a great guy.
He was a challenging individualas well.
Sometimes, if I hadn't had myexperience with him, I wouldn't
be sitting where I am today Ahorrible situation that happened
to him and his family.
Speaker 1 (43:39):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
So much love and respect for Donnie.
Even though we went off ondifferent visions of education,
I still respected him, and Ibelieve the same was vice versa.
He was actually in my home twoweeks before he passed, sitting
there right within a couple feetof where I'm sitting.
Speaker 3 (44:05):
When they would come back to North Carolina for
training, he would stop and seeme, so we were still continuing
to talk, and who knows wherethat relationship might have
gone and I never had the honorof meeting him, donnie cruz but
I I have been around justin alittle bit and talked to him and
he's first class kind of a guytoo.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
Yeah that's definitely yeah, I, I know one
thing.
You know you're talking aboutDonnie Cruz and Kane Cruz and
George Conley and some of thesepeople that are just wonderful,
wonderful people.
But I have to tell you that oneof the very first times Wes
(44:49):
that I met you is Ruthie.
Is Ruthie's last name, landau?
Speaker 2 (44:56):
Yeah, yeah, out of.
Speaker 1 (44:59):
Florida and you guys were at the table for the museum
and I met Ruthie that day.
I met you and you had all ofthese you know I call them props
, but you had all these smalllittle auto, you know, tow
(45:20):
trucks and all of this stuff.
And when a kid came by youdidn't care if that kid had $2
or $1, that kid walked away withone of these tow trucks and I
said you know, you are the mostgenerous human being.
And then later on, when I knewhow involved Ruthie was in the
(45:44):
museum and what she does down inthe Florida Tow Show for that
women's luncheon, I then becameone of her sponsors so that I
went to Car Park and I said youknow, they need stuff.
So all of a sudden we hadstools from Car Park, we had
(46:05):
bottles of bourbon, we had thegifts of gifts given from
industry people to make herluncheon bigger and better.
And last year was probably oneof the most successful luncheons
ever held by Ruthie and she'sjust very gifted and she has
done a lot for the women in theindustry and all of the state
(46:28):
associations that have a women'sbranch.
Speaker 3 (46:32):
It's because of her person like Ruthie, yeah, she
definitely works herself intoexhaustion, getting those things
pulled off too.
I mean, you could see it, andthat's her passion and her love.
Speaker 1 (46:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (46:43):
And it beams out of her.
Speaker 1 (46:46):
Oh yeah, and we talk so much about men in the
industry, but there's some verygifted women in the industry
that Wes, you have helped.
You know.
Michelle suko, you know, you'vehelped her and you know and
those are the things just likeone of your sponsors, gabe
rochester I from ina oh yeah,that's another lady that has
(47:12):
given so much back.
So you know, a lot of times youthink it's a male-dominated
industry, but there are somefemales in it that really have
made a big difference.
Speaker 3 (47:28):
And Gay Rochester is a little bit hard because she
does a lot behind the scenes andshe's unsung and she wants to
be unsung and I want to sing hera lot but it's hard to get her
to come.
She just wants to do what shedoes and she wants to be unsung
and I want to sing her a lot butit's hard to get her to come.
She just wants to do what shedoes and she wants to contribute
, but she doesn't want all thepraise and the credit for it
that she definitely deserves yes, well, I think that I just
mentioned those two ladiesbecause, uh, I just you know
(47:51):
it's.
It's astounding what they putinto it.
It really is.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
Well, the towing industry, wes, the generosity of
some of these towers that giveback to their community, or they
give to St Jude's or they giveto Tunnel to Tower.
It's amazing how many givers wehave in the towing industry
(48:17):
that give back to theircommunity.
They've been blessed and theypass it forward.
So it's just, you know, andyou're the same way, wes, you're
always making sure that thisevent is successful.
Or, just like with me, you'rethe one who got me involved with
(48:38):
the injured drivers fund andnothing would please me more
than every state would have aninjured driver's fund, you know,
for the guy who breaks his legand can't drive the truck and
can't work it.
So he just needs help thoseeight to ten weeks, and that's
(48:59):
what the Injured Drivers Fund'sfor.
And you're the one who got meinvolved in it.
Speaker 2 (49:05):
And now I love it.
That's awesome.
We definitely appreciate yourgenerosity.
Speaker 1 (49:10):
Yeah, well your generosity.
Speaker 2 (49:12):
There are a few states that have an injured
driver's fund.
Colorado and Ohio.
Choose a coat of mine, I'm surethere's another one.
That's one reason people shouldconsider supporting the Ohio
Toe Show.
They'll be back in Great Wolfthis year.
They do an auction.
They do two different auctions.
(49:32):
The women's group there does adollar auction.
That is second to none.
And then they also do a liveauction.
And the live auction I believe100% of the proceeds go back to
that driver's fund?
Speaker 1 (49:48):
It sure does.
Speaker 2 (49:49):
So that's an example of the Toll and Recovery
Association of Ohio, who doessome great things legislatively
for the Towing of Ohio.
Speaker 1 (49:57):
Yep, but see, Wes, you're the one who got me
involved in that, and so you sitback and you know theirs is
coming up in a couple of weeks,the 25th or the 27th of
September and you sit back andyou're the one who got me?
Involved in it and I think thatthis year I got four or five
(50:22):
items going.
But you're a giver, buddy, andit's nice being around somebody.
You're a go-getter but at thesame time you're a go-giver and
then I have a question to asktoo.
Speaker 3 (50:39):
I don't know if we could have time before our next
break, or Because we only gotone break left.
So Okay, let's tease that youguys.
You guys want to come back fromthe break and hear my very
Wonderful question.
Speaker 1 (50:57):
You got a deal, We'll do it April.
Speaker 3 (51:00):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (51:00):
We'll break and we'll come back for the mystery
question that April's going toask.
Speaker 2 (51:06):
Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (51:07):
Let's do it.
Let's do it.
Speaker 4 (51:13):
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Speaker 1 (52:21):
Welcome back listeners.
Of course, this is the AmericanTowing Recovery Institute
podcast, but this year it'scalled the Towing News Now
channel and it's been very, verysuccessful, and it's because of
your kindness of sharing withother people in our industry and
some people that are not in ourindustry.
(52:42):
And out of the 20,000 listeners, do you know that we have close
to a thousand that listenoutside the United States?
So you have people in Australialistening to this.
You have people in the UKlistening.
You have people in Korea.
You have people in Chinalistening.
You have people in Korea.
Speaker 2 (53:01):
You have people in China all listening to the
podcast.
Speaker 1 (53:08):
And we can't thank you enough.
So before the break we weretalking with April and she was
going to ask this question tothe one and only Wes Wilber.
So, april, take it over girl.
Speaker 3 (53:16):
I am going to ask this question, but first I want
to tell a little story aboutwhen I would go to a trade show
or anywhere that Wes wasn't inthe room with me and I would
introduce myself and they werelike who?
And I would say Wes Wilburn'swife.
And they're like, oh so it wasan honor for me to be Wes
Wilburn's wife.
It's an honor to be WesWilburn's wife.
Speaker 4 (53:37):
So it's never, like a sight to me whatsoever so.
Speaker 2 (53:40):
I am West.
Speaker 3 (53:40):
Wilbur's wife.
But my question to my husband,west Wilbur, is it's part A and
part B.
Where is a place that you wouldlike to do a class that you
haven't been to yet, becausewe're coming to our 1,000th
class.
Okay, everybody, hawaii, KennyTom are you listening, hello?
Kenny Tom, are you listening?
Speaker 2 (54:03):
to love.
Speaker 3 (54:04):
I really expected him to ponder on that for a second
thing about it.
But that was right there.
And then part of that class iswhere's he been that?
He would like to go back to youthat.
That it's been like a cup andthat might be a hard question.
They answer because we'restudying anybody else.
But let's see, there, that meansthat he doesn't have an answer
for that, because every placewe've been to, um, he's gotten
(54:25):
something out of it, somethinghe's, he's, yeah, he's, he's,
he's, he's, he's tellingoperating a wonderful
individuals who are doing theexact same thing only totally
different and many differentcorners of the country.
It's been my extreme privilegeto visit them and when I first
(54:47):
met wes for about a year and ahalf I went everywhere with them
to these classes and I came.
My background is towing becauseI worked for henry's worker
service in northern virginia, um, but I was around them and I
knew the pride that they took intheir jobs and their
professions.
I thought from everything thatI've heard about tow truck
(55:09):
drivers and tow companies that Imust be in the unicorn of
places, because these guys aregood, they care about what they
do.
Places because these guys aregood, they care about what they
do.
They.
When they come back from doinga job that they had an issue
with, they go back and forth andthey discuss, like could have
done this, could have done that.
They really cared what they did.
So it's like well, this must bean exceptional place, but on
(55:32):
the road with west wilbur, theirfirst year and a half that that
I was with them, that waseverywhere.
Everywhere I went, and even withthe guys, because we asked a
lot when we go to a place to doa class.
They worked monday throughfriday.
They work 12 16 hours a day andwe're asking them to come in on
(55:54):
saturday, sunday, and sit downfor eight hours.
I mean half of it, half theclasses in a classroom, another
habit outside hands, the lines.
But we're still asking a lot ofthem, when they've already
given 60 or 80 hours to choosethe profession that they love,
we're asking them for 60 morehours.
That's a lot to be away fromtheir, their wives and their
(56:16):
husbands and their kids, inaddition to what they've already
put in.
Sometimes when they would sitdown you could see that on their
face a little wives and theirhusbands and their kids, in
addition to what they've alreadyput in.
Sometimes when they would sitdown, you could see that on
their face a little bit.
And before lunch break wouldcome, you could see one thing
that was said, one little thingmaybe, or one big thing that he
(56:36):
said that hurt them up, thatthey said, okay, I, I just heard
something that might make nextweek, when I go back in, a
little bit easier, a little bitbetter, a little bit safer.
And I've seen that time.
I've seen that time and timeagain and I also learned that my
company that I worked for,henry circuit service phenomenal
company, great toy coat, cookup operators.
(56:59):
They were exceptional what theydid, but they weren't the
exception across the board.
All two operators are like thatthey love this job, they love
this industry, they love whatthey do, they give their lives
to it, and west is a big part ofthat.
So I'm going to thank himbecause he stepped away right
now and I just did my littlerant.
(57:21):
I'm going to ask CJ to come infor a second.
And what else do you thinkabout this, cj?
Speaker 1 (57:30):
Well, I think one of the people that you know we talk
about how great Wes is, I thinkTommy Luciano.
I used to tell people when Iwas up in Baltimore and somebody
would say, well, where are wegoing for dinner tonight?
I said, well, I'm eating abrief dinner so I can go over
(57:53):
and see the movies with Tommy.
Wow, and Tommy would play ascene and then discuss the scene
and we became friends.
And then Luciano, who doesfishing, and he helps kids with
(58:15):
fishing poles, so I landed upfishing poles.
So I landed up in April.
You know I had a four-cargarage, two-car garage on one
side of the house and two on theother.
It's a U-shaped home and theside of my garage was filled
with fishing equipment poles.
(58:36):
And so forthmmy luciano and hisfriends would fix the poles and
give them to kids that didn'thave parents and the kid would
fish, and.
But I met him through west andit's tommy luciano.
Speaker 3 (58:54):
I met him through west he is an exceptional person
, oh.
Speaker 1 (59:00):
Oh, just a wonderful guy.
And then you meet other peoplethat were with Rackmaster Terry,
who was the older gentleman whowas just as kind to me as he
can be, and you meet and, ofcourse, donnie Cruz.
I was a motivational speaker.
(59:24):
Donnie Cruz took me under hiswing and would share with me
techniques and that's how we met.
And Wes and I met in a hallwayup in Baltimore and I said where
are you training next?
And I had my seat there and Iremember taking two or three
guys from the auto recyclingindustry to Chattanooga and we
(59:47):
sat in the audience for twohours and listened to Wes do his
class and the guys from therecycling industry, they were
enthralled.
They were just saying, boy,this guy is really.
But wes has helped so many goodpeople.
And of course, he becamefriends with very, very good
(01:00:09):
people.
I think tommy luciano is one ofthe finest people.
He's like wes, he's he's.
He's one of the finest peopleI've met and and people that
have sacrificed.
When he said, George Connolly,george Connolly, to me, has
sacrificed so much for theindustry.
And those are the kind peopleyou want to remember.
Speaker 3 (01:00:30):
Yeah, you want to remember them and I think we're
better people because we arearound better people.
Speaker 1 (01:00:38):
Yeah, and that's you know.
And I wanted April.
I want when people say you know, dj Harrington was here.
I just want to make the world abetter place.
Wes is the same way.
Speaker 3 (01:00:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:00:57):
You know he wants to make the world a better place.
So you know, when people ask me, I kneel for the cross and I
stand for the flag and that'sthe way life is and I'm going to
be that way and, thank God, Ihave good friends like you,
april and Wes, so I'll turn itback over to you.
That's my final words of thepodcast.
(01:01:19):
I just think it was a good oneand that more and more people
are getting to know who the realWes Wilburn is, because he's a
very generous good guy.
Speaker 3 (01:01:31):
He is, he is, and my final word is we're on the road
to 1,000.
Speaker 1 (01:01:36):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (01:01:36):
We're going to achieve that soon.
We're scheduling classes.
We've got a full fall lineup.
It's not going to happen thisyear, it's going to be next year
sometime, as far as thethousand goes, but every class
that we do is one more classtowards that, and along the way
we'll see old friends and we'llmeet new ones and we cannot wait
.
Speaker 1 (01:01:55):
Now you're talking.
I want to tell all our friendsand April's probably been the
best thing that happened to Wesbut besides Wesley, wesley, his
son, is just a gift of gifts andhe's going to continue training
and teaching people.
But he'll be teaching youngpeople how to do the key bars
(01:02:19):
and sing a note and do theaterand do all that stuff, because
he's a very gifted young man.
Speaker 3 (01:02:26):
Wesley is very industrious.
That is a fact.
Speaker 1 (01:02:29):
Very much so.
He'll be a success no matterwhat.
But I want to thank all of ourlisteners for listening and I
want you to know develop fromwithin so you never go without
and always have that Kenaispirit constant and never-ending
improvement.
So, april, until next time.
(01:02:50):
We'll see you on the nextpodcast from the new Towing News
Channel.
Thank you.
you're on the train to success with April and Wes
Wilburn.
I'm DJ Harrington, the co-host,better known as the Toe Doctor.
We're all on our way to thetown of proper towing and
recovery, along with ourproducer, chuck Camp, in the
studio.
Don't go to the town of woulda,coulda, shoulda.
You coulda had done this.
(00:28):
You should have done that.
Listen every week tothought-provoking wisdom from
great guests iTunes, pandora,stitcher, iheartmedia or the
number one podcast, or maybeAmazon or wherever you get your
(00:50):
podcasts.
Turn in on Wednesday and beturned on all week long.
If you are a state associationand want your announcements or
upcoming state association newsannouncements or upcoming state
association news, or maybe aco-show that's coming up, let us
know.
Our podcast studio phone numberis 706-409-5603.
(01:14):
I'm proud to be part of a greatteam at the American Dorm
Recovery Institute.
Let's make 2025 our best yearever.
I will turn it to April andMiss.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Well, dj, as always.
I appreciate your kind words.
I also appreciate yourinteraction with the industry in
general and me in particular.
How are you doing today?
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Well, I'm doing fine.
We should tell our listeners Ihave Guillain-Barre for the ones
who don't know and it's a nervedisease in your legs and Wes.
Seven weeks ago I qualifiedbecause I have lymphemia in my
legs and my legs have swollen up.
(02:08):
So the best example to tell ourlisteners my legs look like
they belong to a pregnant womanwho's about to give birth to
twins.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
It sounds like some swollen going on there.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Oh yes, swollen and I can't use.
I used to use support stockingsand my legs swell so much that
Cigna Insurance I qualified forwhat they call wraps.
So they're four pieces and theystart at the ankle and go all
(02:48):
the way up to the thigh and ithas helped me tremendously.
And I was so worried.
The doctor said, oh no, healready looked it up that Cigna
would pay for them.
Because I started thinking, ohboy, here's another thing I'm
going to have to pay for andCigna paid for them.
(03:10):
They're like $400 and somedollars each.
So I have one on the right legand one on the left leg.
But, folks, I want to tell yousomething God's been very good
to me.
He's been good with me in theindustry and with friends, and
so I walk a little slower Wesand April but I'm walking.
(03:31):
And there's a lot of peoplewith Guillain-Barre that are
paralyzed, sitting inwheelchairs and with these wraps
now I'm actually doing so muchbetter.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
That's great to hear.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
That is an improvement.
Quality of life is a.
I know people say that a lot,but it's really, really
important.
You could be alive, but what isyour quality?
And it sounds like your qualityof life has improved.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Oh, yes, and for me.
You know, I just told ourproducer, Chuck Camp, just
before we got on the air,because he texts on me all the
time.
He said, OK, so what happened?
I said, well, now the veindoctor is saying he doesn't need
to see me.
You know, like for every sixmonths He'll see me twice a year
(04:19):
, but that's it.
He said.
Now that I'm going to theneurologist, I got wraps on my
legs and and your, your feetswell so much that I am now.
I used to wear a 10 and a halfshoe.
I'm on a 12 shoe right now sobecause of my legs swell so much
(04:39):
.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
It has to be uncomfortable.
If there's any pain related tothat, I'm not sure, but it
definitely has got to beuncomfortable.
If there's any pain related tothat, I'm not sure but it
definitely has got to beuncomfortable.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Oh yes, yeah, it's pain related.
But I want to tell yousomething.
I want all of you to know thatwhen you process what we're
doing here in the podcast, everytime we help a fellow toer, it
makes me feel so good that yousit back and you go okay, we're
(05:07):
doing the right thing for theright person.
So hopefully, you know, we have20,000 listeners and we're
still growing.
So out of the people thatlisten, april and Wes if we can
just touch 1%, 2% and let themget better instead of bitter,
(05:29):
let them get better and that'swhy I'm proud to be part of the
podcast.
I am so proud of what you guysdid as the Institute and now
what you're doing with the TonyNews Channel.
I mean you guys are alwaysimproving what Tony Robbins
called, can I?
You know, the constant andnever-ending improvement.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Well, you're right.
When I heard Tony Robbins talkabout can I?
And that's how the Japanesecame back after World War II and
created a very fierce economy.
I adopted the strategy ofconstant, never-ending
improvement.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
And Vince.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Lombardi said it the best what you should aim for is
perfection in anything that youdo.
While perfection isunachievable, what you will
achieve is excellence.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Well, that's given in our constitutions a more
perfect union.
It will never be perfect, butas long as we're striving for
that, then we'll always dobetter.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yeah, and that's why, when you go to the Japanese
plants and car manufacturing andyou'll hear them yell Kaizen,
and that means the same asconstant and never-ending
improvement.
It's a Japanese word for it andthey say Kaizen.
So it's a philosophy thatyou've embraced, wes, and you
(07:01):
think about the people and thegenerations.
When you had three and fourgenerations, you trained the
grandfather, then you hadtrained the son and now you're
training the son of thegrandfather.
I mean it's just perfect forgenerations and, wes, you'll
(07:22):
never know until you go toheaven and see how many people
you've assisted and helped, whokissed their wives goodbye in
the morning and was able to kisstheir wife good evening when
they came home from work,because you helped them with the
whole philosophy of towing andrecovery.
(07:42):
So that's why I'm proud to bepart of the podcast.
You and April do a great job.
You bring april in and you knowit's.
It's all part of.
You know kazan, you know it's,it's all part of the constant,
never-ending improvement, whatthey call can I and it's uh, I'm
just proud to be part of it,buddy, and I'm proud to see what
(08:05):
you have done with theInstitute.
I'm proud to see how you'veextended it and you think about
all the families that you'veembraced to become better human
beings and better moms andbetter dads because they had
good training by Wilburn.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Well, DJ, you're very kind with your words and
talking about people that havetouched me.
Well, you touch way more than Ihave.
Very humbling.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Well, my friend, if I could do something like that.
And when someone comes back andsays, well, what do you do?
And just like a Bible schoolteacher, they'll never know how
many people they influence untilthey go to heaven.
And then God will say okay, lookat all these people that you've
helped you know, and that'sthat's the whole philosophy of
(09:03):
life have we made it a betterworld to live in by how we dealt
with it ourselves?
You know, did we leave theworld a better place because of
what we've done?
And that's, you know, doingthese podcasts that's no light
job, you know.
(09:27):
You have to get the guests on,you have to do this, and you've
influenced a lot of people Westand April, and you think about
it.
You think about the toe showsthat you put on in Myrtle Beach
and how much I learned from yousitting in the audience, how
much I I learned from Moore,your buddy.
I mean, it's just yousurrounded yourself with good
(09:50):
people and that you know you'venever worried about some guy
outdoing you.
If he's a good guy, bring himin.
I want him in front of ourpeople so that our people can
grow.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Well, thank you for noticing those things.
Something that's always beenimportant to me is when people
talk about superiority andinferiority there are two sides
of a counterfeit coin.
We all as human, as humanbeings, our own unique gifts and
(10:28):
abilities that we can share, sothere is no superior or
inferiority or inferiority.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
I think just going to build off of what Wes said.
You could and you too, DJ.
An example is Ron Moore, who isan excellent cross-training
instructor.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Excellent individual.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Excellent individual and his strength is fire.
That's what he's done for hiswhole entire life, and Wes's
strength is towing.
So what they did was complementeach other in as far as what?
Their trades of profession aredifferent.
There are some similarities,but they're different and they
brought those two thingstogether and that's not inferior
(11:15):
or superior.
That's one strengthcomplementing another strength
and bringing it together at thesame table their strength and
bringing it together at the sametable.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Well, april, I'm going to tell you, one time we
were at a show, wes and I, youand I think it was Chattanooga
two or three years ago, andsomebody asked me and we were
Chuck Camp, the producer and Iwere eating a hot dog and we
were with bill georges and someguy came by and asked about wes
(11:52):
wilburn and and here.
You were not at the table west,and it was just the three of us
talking.
And I said to the guy who askedthe question I said Wes Wilburn
reminds me of the guy who workson you so you develop from
within, so you never go without.
(12:14):
And Wes Wilburn has that touchwhere he helps you develop from
within and you'll never gowithout.
And then you get a chance tosee your son, wesley, and I have
watched him grow from a youngkid to an adult to a teacher and
(12:39):
he picked up so much from you,wes.
You've helped him develop fromwithin and Wesley, your son,
will never, ever go withoutbecause you have helped him grow
.
And then you start thinkingabout all the people that you
have stopped in the middle of aconvention.
(13:01):
And here we are trying to go eatdinner and Wes out there, and
April you know what happened atall, all the time rushes out
there in the middle of thehallway I'll be right with you,
I'll be right with you and he'shelping a guy go through a
family situation and he says trythis next time, then let me
(13:25):
know how it works and let's keepin touch.
And Wes always says that let'skeep in touch and go.
Just like the time April, youwere not there, but he was going
to a conference.
We met in Atlanta.
He was talking to the towers ofGeorgia and we met at an okay
cafe in downtown, right near thegovernor's mansion.
(13:49):
That's where we ate lunch.
It's a fantastic restaurant andhere's Wes sitting talking to
this guy and I'm thinking tomyself, good lord.
And Wes says to me, as we'reeating our great food at OK Cafe
, he says DJ, I only get achance to see that guy maybe
(14:11):
twice, three times a year.
So when I get a chance to seehim I want to plant a seed.
So down the road he'll thinkabout doing this.
So Wes is.
You know Wes wants to developpeople so they never go without.
So that's that's why I likehanging out with them, and you
know I enjoy him paying for themeals too.
(14:33):
That helps.
Try to do my part.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
DJ.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Well, you did pay that date at OK Cafe.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
I appreciate all the kind words I do.
It's very humbling.
I don't focus on a lot of thatstuff.
I just focus on one thing theeducation in the towing industry
.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
And for many towers that's.
All they get is one shot atformal education.
So they're going to take theirmoney and their time and then we
get off to be in class.
I've always tried to make thatclass the most informative I can
, and one of the things Ilearned very on.
My job in that classroom is notto tell people what to think.
(15:28):
My job is to give people thingsto think about they don't take
open apply in their own world socases yeah now you said that
April and I could ask yourquestion but let's do that after
the break, djyes can we have I?
Speaker 3 (15:50):
have.
I have lots of questions too,so I'm just for the bridge.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
let me ask them one question and then we'll take a
break.
Here's the one question.
And I'm so sincere, wes, I sawyou get involved with the museum
in Chattanooga and you put yourheart and soul in it and you
wanted people to see, you know,the first Holmes truck and you
(16:20):
wanted them to see you know thepost-war boom that they have on
display and stuff like that, sothat people coming to the museum
could actually see what westarted with and how they
initially started towingvehicles to right where they are
(16:40):
today.
And so, before we take thebreak, can you just tell our
audience what caused you to getinvolved so deeply into the
museum?
Speaker 2 (16:53):
I have several things in interest for history.
George Connolly and JerryBullock welcomed me welcoming me
and others in my age rangetrying to get us involved.
Most of the when we gotinvolved at the turn of the
(17:15):
century, Most of the board ofdirectors of the museum was in
their 60s or older.
So there was four of us thatwere in our 40s somewhere around
there, so that was part of whatgot us involved.
Um so I?
I guess that's my simple answerto your question yeah both very
(17:39):
bullet to do it finally andwriting and making me feel so
welcome, and um so the wholething about getting a huge limit
on that, but I think that'salso and I'm going to elaborate
on this when we come back to thebreak but that's also an
example of what you said.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
You don't know the impact you have on people.
I don't know if they, if theytry to get other people involved
in the museum, or if it wasjust West and who else was with
us could put us a little rest up, but they chose Smith they took
the ball and they advanced the.
They advanced the history andgot more stuff in there because
(18:18):
they had that passion for it andwasn't very humble, so he's not
going to go into all doubt, butthat's what it took is I'm sure
they asked 100 people, but onlytwo or three people stepped up
and um made those sacrificeswith their time and and money.
Because even if you're notputting money into what you're
saying, you're eating, you're,you're paying hotel, hotel bills
(18:40):
.
So that's an example of whatyou said.
As far as you don't know whatimpact you have on people and
George Connelly and Jerry Riggs,I'm sorry, jared Bullock should
be remembered.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Yeah, I, jerry, bullock and Jerry.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Rich, if you remember ?
Yeah, I mean they were.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
But Jerry Bullock and George were the two.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
And Jerry Bullock.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
The reason that we have the museum.
Yes, where we're at today.
Yes, the base of what that was.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Now let's go to break .
Speaker 1 (19:09):
You got it.
We'll take a break and be rightback folks.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
When that next call comes in, will you be ready?
At the American Towing andRecovery Institute, we make sure
the answer is yes, Withstate-of-the-art training that
prepares you for anything theroad throws your way.
Our instructors, JT Reaser andWes Wilburn, bring over 60 years
of combined towing and recoveryexperience.
They've seen it all, and nowthey're passing that real-world
knowledge on to you.
(19:41):
From light duty to heavy duty,roadside service to rotator
recovery, every class is packedwith techniques, safety
practices and certificationsthat give you an edge, Because
in this business, stayingtrained isn't just smart.
It's the difference between arisky guess and a confident
solution.
(20:01):
Don't settle for good enough.
Take your career, your crew andyour company to the next level.
See the upcoming schedule andregister today at amtosignuporg.
That's A-M-T-O-W-S-I-G-N-U-Pdot O-R-G, the American Towing
(20:22):
and Recovery Institute, smallenough to know you and big
enough to serve you.
Don't forget that'samtowsignuporg.
Or feel free to give us a callat 636-800-ATRI.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Welcome back listeners.
Of course you know you'relistening to the number one
podcast in the towing andrecovery industry and this is a
real important one.
The American Towing andRecovery Institute started the
podcast and then this year weturned it into the T Cohen News
Channel, which has reallyembraced the industry.
(20:59):
But I can't thank you guysenough.
Remember that every week we doour best to bring you exciting
episodes like this one here, andI want you to know we're
available on Spotify, itunes,pandora Stitcher, iart Media,
itunes, pandora Stitcher,iheartmedia, amazon or wherever
(21:20):
you catch your podcasts, and Ican't thank you enough for
helping us build such a wideaudience.
It's because you tell yourfriends about us.
So, without further ado, wehave Wes and April Wilburn.
So, april, I'm going to turn itover to you and maybe you can
ask your sweet husband the nextquestion.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
I'm going to ask him what was the fuel that led him
into training?
And education into the industry.
I think that's the big thing,yep.
I'm sorry, do me the questionagain what motivates you to be a
trainer or an instructor?
Speaker 2 (22:06):
I was looking for something to stay involved with
the industry but not be involvedin operations 24-7.
And also I wanted to travel alittle bit.
I knew I wanted to get out ofthe Washington DC area, which is
where I was living at the time,so I guess the combination of
(22:28):
this was new and different wasthe hotel industry.
It was helping the hotelindustry become more
professional.
It was helping the industrybecome more professional.
It made a lot of sense.
It made better sense to me fora way to achieve continuing
education in the tellingindustry.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
So I, I, yeah, I guess I would it sounded like
you still wouldn't be involvedin the towing industry.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Yes, definitely but I didn't.
Yeah, I wanted to be involvedin the towing industry.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
I wanted to do something that has the meaning
of life as well a purpose inlife yeah which is what we all
want, you know, and one way orthe other we we search for that,
and if we could find it and andstrive for that, then that's
just an added bonus yeah, um,and I've been very blessed.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
I've gotten to travel .
Speaker 2 (23:37):
I've met some great people, shared good information,
helped people.
I've been truly blessed.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
And I'm going to say that there are great people in
the industry.
Because I worked at a towcompany, that's how I met Wes,
and when I worked there, theguys I worked with were very
good operators.
They were always trying tolearn more things or do their
job better.
They were always trying toachieve that.
They were top-notch,first-class tow truck operators.
(24:09):
Wes was doing a class.
I don't think I'd met him atthat point, but I was like why
are they going to a class?
What do they need to learn?
I didn't even understand theimportance of it even at that
time.
But when they came back fromthat class they were, I mean,
just amongst themselves talkingabout this happened and I
learned that.
(24:29):
And then this little, otherlittle tweak and sometimes this
simple little tweak is somethingthat they already know and it's
a build on um educationalexperience for them and that
opened my eyes to a certainextent.
And then meeting the great westwilburn, you know, a year or
two later, but just seeing their, just seeing the impact it made
(24:52):
on them, not ever meeting westat that point was an eye-opener
for me.
And they came back with with alittle fire in their belly and
they, they actually went outback to, they actually went out
back to practice some of thestuff that west had given them,
um, and that was an eye-openerfor me.
I mean that that just showed mesomething then and it made me
(25:17):
more relatable with them becausethey were trying to do their
job better.
That made me want to do my jobbetter, so, and I was just a
dispatcher.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Now how about if I ask him a question and I'm doing
it because of all our listeners?
Wes, the first time I listenedto you train, I sat off on the
side and I thought to myselfokay, here I used to think of
(25:46):
myself as a pretty good trainer.
And then I saw you and then Iwatched how you wanted to make
sure the person got classroomtraining.
He got hands-on training sothat he actually picked up the
chain, and you were explainingto the class about blocking and
(26:12):
how important this is.
And all of a sudden I look backand here you are in a mini class
teaching them that the safetyof the truck is progressing.
So back when they were towingwagons.
And then you go from towing awagon clearing the streets and
(26:36):
the safety and one of the veryfirst podcasts we ever did
together you're the one that wassaying okay here's how you
instruct the passenger of thetruck car, say, sir, you don't
come out on the traffic side.
Do me a favor, just go acrossyour seat and come out the
(26:56):
traffic side.
Do me a favor, just go acrossyour seat and come out the
passenger side of your car ortruck and I'll meet you over
there and I'll explain whatwe're going to do.
But we're going to do in thesafety zone and Wes.
Those are the things thatimpressed me the most about you,
because you wanted to make surethe people were safe.
(27:19):
When they come out with a newlight or a new cone or something
to protect the industry, thedriver, you're the first one
explaining it to somebody.
And that's the reason why Ihave been impressed with you
since the day I met you and satthere.
You know watching you trainYou're a very gifted guy time
(27:52):
just in the trucks of howthey've improved little by
little to make it a better andsafer environment for what we do
as a very dangerous job.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Oh, there have been many things.
I guess a few of them would becomputers on the booms on these
trucks, like the folks that Iwould kind of wait they're
actually dealing with yes um theuse of better steel, a better
technology to make the towingequipment in the region easier
(28:30):
to handle.
Stronger designs specificallyfor what they're doing.
Look at it as close as you canget.
Those would be a few of thethings that come to mind.
Tj yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Do you think the strapping today is better than
the strapping from before?
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Yes, definitely there's more fibers being used,
different configurations.
Definitely what we were doingin the 90s with twin-path planes
, which were a type of roundslide and grabbing wheels we we
(29:17):
use we spent a lot of moneydamaging straps doing that.
The technology of the strapconstruction itself, with
built-in protection, has come along way.
So, yes, the strappingtechnology is way better because
the movement of the booms andwhatnot, we don't need as big
(29:38):
and as long as I say as big asthe longest straps anymore.
We use a lot shorter straps.
That makes them easier tohandle.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
So I know that in April it was kind of funny
because I had a call West onetime and I said can you believe
that at St Vincent's Hospital inTampa, florida, they're only
allowing so many EVs per floor?
(30:07):
Because the EV vehicle was soheavy in weight?
Because the EV vehicle was soheavy in weight and when they
built those garages at StVincent's Hospital in Tampa they
only had to wait for a regularcar.
So now they have to tell thesedoctors there's only eight EV
vehicles allowed on each floorand once eight are filled on the
(30:30):
top floor, you have to park theEV on another floor and they
keep track of them and they haveEV spaces and when those EV
spaces are filled you have tophysically take your vehicle and
park it on another level,because the weight of all those
EVs in one floor would actuallycollapse the floor.
(30:53):
And that was amazing.
So I had to call you know Wes onthe phone and I said Wes, can
you believe this is happening?
He said oh yeah, dj, the weightof an EV battery is so heavy.
Then the towing of it isdifferent and there's no blocks.
You don't have the skid blocksand all this.
(31:14):
There's going to be actually apiece of equipment that's going
to pick up that EV and bring itout.
So I mean I learned so much fromWes with this new technology.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
Well, you know, we're learning stuff all the time,
and one of the challenges withelectric vehicles is there's so
much different information forthem, and, of course, we
developed the EV Clever app.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
That's exactly right.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
It's funny you can look at these different reports
on here from the app what peopleare actually going to look at,
and on several different timeperiods.
Just as a random thing I'm juststumbling through looking at
stuff.
The wait is, you know, going tothe wait, clicking the wait
(32:03):
button.
You know, because we have thefast button that takes you right
to whatever.
It's one of the most quickbuttons.
Sometimes is what I'm trying tosay to you, right?
Speaker 1 (32:11):
So yeah, the wait is quite a bit different.
Yeah, it's one of the mostclick buttons, sometimes to what
I'm trying to say to you right,so, and yeah they, the way that
they're quite a bit different.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
Yeah, so, uh, that's what they want to do is, and the
uv clever app is to put thatkind of information at, uh, the
students fingertips, and that'ssomething that's changed.
We used to um, shareinformation with the student in
a limited workbook format.
I'm talking about with theindustry.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Right.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
And then when I started on my own, I started to
change that somewhat.
I tried to give them moreinformation than just what we
covered in the course.
So they have referenceinformation and whatnot covering
the course.
So they have referenceinformation or what not.
Nowadays that referenceinformation, we have very little
workbook information.
When you come to class, we'renot trying to make you memorize
(33:02):
bunch of numbers.
We do talk about those numbers,we talk about how they involved
in what you do, but we don'tfocus on all the charts and the
graphs and we make thatinformation available to them on
our website after the class.
So that's one of the many ways,over this road of 1,000 classes
(33:22):
, that things have changedtremendously.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
And we are on the road to 1,000 right now.
Right now.
This weekend we'll be at 9 970,so we have 30 to go and I'm
going to tell you now that thatis a great achievement, because
I do this for a living.
As far as like helping get theclasses put together, there's a
lot to get in your class.
There's not just not justwhat's going up on the spot and
(33:50):
teaching the seminar.
He has to do a lot of researchand keep his material up here in
a fresh still.
As you said, dj, the trucks arenewer, the vehicles that
they're towing are newer, theroads are a little bit different
.
There's all these differentdynamics and things that goes
into it.
Plus, teaching a class in LasVegas can be different than
(34:12):
teaching a class at Ohio, as faras your terrain goes.
That has to be taken intoconsideration.
That's our life, that's what wedo.
Wes continuously developsinformation.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Well, it's not just me.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
There's several people involved in that part,
and there are, there are, andthat's one of the past to a
thousand that we're doing umbecause what's also innovated
and known, that we are gettingbigger and we're growing, we, we
need to actually get bigger.
We've um partnered withcardinal, cardinal legacy group
and that ngat research is um afantastic instructor that's
(34:51):
working with west right now.
Fantastic instructor that'sworking with Wes right now.
That's part of the developingand the growing that we're doing
.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
If you sit and still you're pulling behind.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
There's nothing else to sit, and still, that's very,
very true, april.
Well, how about?
If we do this, we take a breakand I want to tell all our
listeners this is a specialedition of Towing News Now, and
this is a great one, because wegot a chance to ask the guy, the
(35:25):
man behind the wall, who knowsit all, and he's been really
gifted.
This is one guy that you canactually say he's forgotten more
than a lot of people know.
So we'll be right back, folks,hang tight.
Speaker 4 (35:45):
Special edition of Towing News Now T-R-A-A.
The Injured Drivers Fund andlegislation that makes all of us
safer are what makes thisindustry special.
Ina Towing supports all of thisand more.
When there is a need, gayRochester is always one of the
first to come forward and askhow can I help?
The American Towing andRecovery Institute is honored to
(36:07):
have the support of the INATowing Network.
Together, we all make adifference.
Ina Towing Network Simpl allmake a difference.
Ina Towing Network simplifiedsolutions, superior service.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
For electric and other alternative fuel vehicles.
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We also offer the National TowOperator Certification, an
(36:42):
independently sourced virtualtesting program covering light
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Speaker 1 (36:51):
Thank you guys.
And of course you know you'relistening to the new Towing News
Now channel and we have Wes andApril Wilburn on.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
And.
Speaker 1 (37:01):
I'm asking periodic questions.
I can't thank you enough.
We have over 20,000 listeners.
Remember to like, review andshare everywhere and if you want
an industry expert on thepodcast, let Wes and April
Wilburn know.
We have a hotline number herein the podcast center
(37:22):
706-409-5603.
And we'd love to hear anything.
If your association is havingan event and you want to get the
word out, give us a hotlinenumber 706-409-5603.
And Wes and April Wilburn willdo their very best to have it on
(37:46):
the next podcast and get theexposure your association has.
And we always believe that ifyou belong to your state
association, it's one of thebest investments you could ever
make for your industry.
So, without further ado, I'llpass it over to April Wilburn.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
Thank you, dj.
And we're talking about Wesgetting to his 1th class Now.
I came in with Wes at the endof 2011.
He had been doing it for a fewyears and has been doing it for
a few years since then.
But I have a question to askWes when he started doing this
and he had his first class, didhe?
(38:29):
Once that first class happened,did you think you'd do a second
class?
Did you foresee yourself beingthis far down the road?
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Oh yeah.
I was determined to make ithappen.
Yeah, I saw a second classRackmasters were just getting
going, so that was kind of partof the magic of all that.
I rode on some of their energy.
I created a little for them aswell.
But uh, yeah, I mean, by nomeans did we.
(39:00):
You know, was there some visionthat you know, in this year
I'll do this many in this year?
It just kind of happened.
But things were going wellenough with the rec master that
I.
I don't think there's muchquestion for that second class.
Well, there would be a secondclass, I guess.
On one level I was concernedthat.
(39:21):
I'd be a part of it.
One of the things I said tomyself was I want to make myself
so valuable in this team thatthey wouldn't want to go to an
event without me being there.
And I had to control some ofthat energy because I can be a
little overwhelming sometimes,but that's what I said to myself
.
That was my goal.
I said how they do this so much.
(39:43):
This is what I want to be apart of.
This is the bigger piece of thetowing industry had a chance to
go to work for homes sellingthe add-on wheel for a few years
earlier.
I didn't want to do it, so Iwant to drive a truck every day,
see myself being involved insomething like that, and several
(40:04):
people did very, very well withthat situation.
That made me think I shouldn'tlet something like that get past
me again.
So you know, connected to whatI like, but just not exactly the
same.
Speaker 3 (40:15):
So so did that?
Did that help you?
Did you feel like maybe youmissed that opportunity?
Did that help you strivetowards once you got into
education?
Did that help?
Did that help like motivate youto say I'm making the best of
this?
Speaker 2 (40:30):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
I was.
You chose that as a learninglesson yes it's important also
the other, the other thing too,and that's for everybody who's
listening and if you've gotyoungins and children at home,
what said I want to be so goodat, just that they won't want to
do this without me.
And if we can go into anythinglike that and put all that
(40:55):
energy into it, that in itselfis something that will carry you
for the rest of your life.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
It definitely did.
Yeah, I just want to do ashout-out real quick.
Speaker 4 (41:09):
Michael.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
O'Brash was the gentleman's name.
If anybody knows MichaelO'Brash, he just wanted to offer
me the deal to get RonaldHolmes and I should have taken
it.
Mike, if you're out therelistening to somebody who knows
him, give me a call.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
I'd love to talk to you and that's an unquantifiable
way that he touched.
Like, how you touch people isunquantifiable.
You don't know when they dosomething safe on the side of
the road, it doesn't get back toyou most of the time.
Sometimes she will call you upand say I I was just at your
class and the thing that Ilearned saved me so much money
(41:46):
from not damaging something.
But most of the time you don'tknow that.
You don't know what you havedone.
It's inclinifiable.
Michael brass, even though youdidn't take him up on this offer
, it was unclinical way that hetouched your life because you
use that to say okay, here's anopportunity, I'm not missing on
(42:06):
on this one.
And here we are.
How many years later?
30, 40 almost almost 40 yearslater because of that one event.
Yeah, I met.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
Michael about 40 years ago.
Probably what I'm talking aboutwill probably happen 35.
And how many?
Speaker 3 (42:23):
years have you been doing education?
Speaker 2 (42:26):
Since 93.
So that's I went to my firstclass in 92.
I helped teach a class in 92,but 93 is when I sold my two
(42:55):
businesses in the training andeducation.
I, 11 years in the industry atthat point got Robin the
industry full time in 82.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
She was all those old mouth in Virginia but they'll
take them show for his life andI think that, even though you
went in different directions, Ithink that we need to talk about
Donny Cree just for one moment.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
Talk about what?
Speaker 3 (43:21):
Donny Cree.
Speaker 2 (43:25):
Oh yeah, donny was a great guy.
He was a challenging individualas well.
Sometimes, if I hadn't had myexperience with him, I wouldn't
be sitting where I am today Ahorrible situation that happened
to him and his family.
Speaker 1 (43:39):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
So much love and respect for Donnie.
Even though we went off ondifferent visions of education,
I still respected him, and Ibelieve the same was vice versa.
He was actually in my home twoweeks before he passed, sitting
there right within a couple feetof where I'm sitting.
Speaker 3 (44:05):
When they would come back to North Carolina for
training, he would stop and seeme, so we were still continuing
to talk, and who knows wherethat relationship might have
gone and I never had the honorof meeting him, donnie cruz but
I I have been around justin alittle bit and talked to him and
he's first class kind of a guytoo.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
Yeah that's definitely yeah, I, I know one
thing.
You know you're talking aboutDonnie Cruz and Kane Cruz and
George Conley and some of thesepeople that are just wonderful,
wonderful people.
But I have to tell you that oneof the very first times Wes
(44:49):
that I met you is Ruthie.
Is Ruthie's last name, landau?
Speaker 2 (44:56):
Yeah, yeah, out of.
Speaker 1 (44:59):
Florida and you guys were at the table for the museum
and I met Ruthie that day.
I met you and you had all ofthese you know I call them props
, but you had all these smalllittle auto, you know, tow
(45:20):
trucks and all of this stuff.
And when a kid came by youdidn't care if that kid had $2
or $1, that kid walked away withone of these tow trucks and I
said you know, you are the mostgenerous human being.
And then later on, when I knewhow involved Ruthie was in the
(45:44):
museum and what she does down inthe Florida Tow Show for that
women's luncheon, I then becameone of her sponsors so that I
went to Car Park and I said youknow, they need stuff.
So all of a sudden we hadstools from Car Park, we had
(46:05):
bottles of bourbon, we had thegifts of gifts given from
industry people to make herluncheon bigger and better.
And last year was probably oneof the most successful luncheons
ever held by Ruthie and she'sjust very gifted and she has
done a lot for the women in theindustry and all of the state
(46:28):
associations that have a women'sbranch.
Speaker 3 (46:32):
It's because of her person like Ruthie, yeah, she
definitely works herself intoexhaustion, getting those things
pulled off too.
I mean, you could see it, andthat's her passion and her love.
Speaker 1 (46:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (46:43):
And it beams out of her.
Speaker 1 (46:46):
Oh yeah, and we talk so much about men in the
industry, but there's some verygifted women in the industry
that Wes, you have helped.
You know.
Michelle suko, you know, you'vehelped her and you know and
those are the things just likeone of your sponsors, gabe
rochester I from ina oh yeah,that's another lady that has
(47:12):
given so much back.
So you know, a lot of times youthink it's a male-dominated
industry, but there are somefemales in it that really have
made a big difference.
Speaker 3 (47:28):
And Gay Rochester is a little bit hard because she
does a lot behind the scenes andshe's unsung and she wants to
be unsung and I want to sing hera lot but it's hard to get her
to come.
She just wants to do what shedoes and she wants to be unsung
and I want to sing her a lot butit's hard to get her to come.
She just wants to do what shedoes and she wants to contribute
, but she doesn't want all thepraise and the credit for it
that she definitely deserves yes, well, I think that I just
mentioned those two ladiesbecause, uh, I just you know
(47:51):
it's.
It's astounding what they putinto it.
It really is.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
Well, the towing industry, wes, the generosity of
some of these towers that giveback to their community, or they
give to St Jude's or they giveto Tunnel to Tower.
It's amazing how many givers wehave in the towing industry
(48:17):
that give back to theircommunity.
They've been blessed and theypass it forward.
So it's just, you know, andyou're the same way, wes, you're
always making sure that thisevent is successful.
Or, just like with me, you'rethe one who got me involved with
(48:38):
the injured drivers fund andnothing would please me more
than every state would have aninjured driver's fund, you know,
for the guy who breaks his legand can't drive the truck and
can't work it.
So he just needs help thoseeight to ten weeks, and that's
(48:59):
what the Injured Drivers Fund'sfor.
And you're the one who got meinvolved in it.
Speaker 2 (49:05):
And now I love it.
That's awesome.
We definitely appreciate yourgenerosity.
Speaker 1 (49:10):
Yeah, well your generosity.
Speaker 2 (49:12):
There are a few states that have an injured
driver's fund.
Colorado and Ohio.
Choose a coat of mine, I'm surethere's another one.
That's one reason people shouldconsider supporting the Ohio
Toe Show.
They'll be back in Great Wolfthis year.
They do an auction.
They do two different auctions.
(49:32):
The women's group there does adollar auction.
That is second to none.
And then they also do a liveauction.
And the live auction I believe100% of the proceeds go back to
that driver's fund?
Speaker 1 (49:48):
It sure does.
Speaker 2 (49:49):
So that's an example of the Toll and Recovery
Association of Ohio, who doessome great things legislatively
for the Towing of Ohio.
Speaker 1 (49:57):
Yep, but see, Wes, you're the one who got me
involved in that, and so you sitback and you know theirs is
coming up in a couple of weeks,the 25th or the 27th of
September and you sit back andyou're the one who got me?
Involved in it and I think thatthis year I got four or five
(50:22):
items going.
But you're a giver, buddy, andit's nice being around somebody.
You're a go-getter but at thesame time you're a go-giver and
then I have a question to asktoo.
Speaker 3 (50:39):
I don't know if we could have time before our next
break, or Because we only gotone break left.
So Okay, let's tease that youguys.
You guys want to come back fromthe break and hear my very
Wonderful question.
Speaker 1 (50:57):
You got a deal, We'll do it April.
Speaker 3 (51:00):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (51:00):
We'll break and we'll come back for the mystery
question that April's going toask.
Speaker 2 (51:06):
Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (51:07):
Let's do it.
Let's do it.
Speaker 4 (51:13):
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Speaker 1 (52:21):
Welcome back listeners.
Of course, this is the AmericanTowing Recovery Institute
podcast, but this year it'scalled the Towing News Now
channel and it's been very, verysuccessful, and it's because of
your kindness of sharing withother people in our industry and
some people that are not in ourindustry.
(52:42):
And out of the 20,000 listeners, do you know that we have close
to a thousand that listenoutside the United States?
So you have people in Australialistening to this.
You have people in the UKlistening.
You have people in Korea.
You have people in Chinalistening.
You have people in Korea.
Speaker 2 (53:01):
You have people in China all listening to the
podcast.
Speaker 1 (53:08):
And we can't thank you enough.
So before the break we weretalking with April and she was
going to ask this question tothe one and only Wes Wilber.
So, april, take it over girl.
Speaker 3 (53:16):
I am going to ask this question, but first I want
to tell a little story aboutwhen I would go to a trade show
or anywhere that Wes wasn't inthe room with me and I would
introduce myself and they werelike who?
And I would say Wes Wilburn'swife.
And they're like, oh so it wasan honor for me to be Wes
Wilburn's wife.
It's an honor to be WesWilburn's wife.
Speaker 4 (53:37):
So it's never, like a sight to me whatsoever so.
Speaker 2 (53:40):
I am West.
Speaker 3 (53:40):
Wilbur's wife.
But my question to my husband,west Wilbur, is it's part A and
part B.
Where is a place that you wouldlike to do a class that you
haven't been to yet, becausewe're coming to our 1,000th
class.
Okay, everybody, hawaii, KennyTom are you listening, hello?
Kenny Tom, are you listening?
Speaker 2 (54:03):
to love.
Speaker 3 (54:04):
I really expected him to ponder on that for a second
thing about it.
But that was right there.
And then part of that class iswhere's he been that?
He would like to go back to youthat.
That it's been like a cup andthat might be a hard question.
They answer because we'restudying anybody else.
But let's see, there, that meansthat he doesn't have an answer
for that, because every placewe've been to, um, he's gotten
(54:25):
something out of it, somethinghe's, he's, yeah, he's, he's,
he's, he's, he's tellingoperating a wonderful
individuals who are doing theexact same thing only totally
different and many differentcorners of the country.
It's been my extreme privilegeto visit them and when I first
(54:47):
met wes for about a year and ahalf I went everywhere with them
to these classes and I came.
My background is towing becauseI worked for henry's worker
service in northern virginia, um, but I was around them and I
knew the pride that they took intheir jobs and their
professions.
I thought from everything thatI've heard about tow truck
(55:09):
drivers and tow companies that Imust be in the unicorn of
places, because these guys aregood, they care about what they
do.
Places because these guys aregood, they care about what they
do.
They.
When they come back from doinga job that they had an issue
with, they go back and forth andthey discuss, like could have
done this, could have done that.
They really cared what they did.
So it's like well, this must bean exceptional place, but on
(55:32):
the road with west wilbur, theirfirst year and a half that that
I was with them, that waseverywhere.
Everywhere I went, and even withthe guys, because we asked a
lot when we go to a place to doa class.
They worked monday throughfriday.
They work 12 16 hours a day andwe're asking them to come in on
(55:54):
saturday, sunday, and sit downfor eight hours.
I mean half of it, half theclasses in a classroom, another
habit outside hands, the lines.
But we're still asking a lot ofthem, when they've already
given 60 or 80 hours to choosethe profession that they love,
we're asking them for 60 morehours.
That's a lot to be away fromtheir, their wives and their
(56:16):
husbands and their kids, inaddition to what they've already
put in.
Sometimes when they would sitdown you could see that on their
face a little wives and theirhusbands and their kids, in
addition to what they've alreadyput in.
Sometimes when they would sitdown, you could see that on
their face a little bit.
And before lunch break wouldcome, you could see one thing
that was said, one little thingmaybe, or one big thing that he
(56:36):
said that hurt them up, thatthey said, okay, I, I just heard
something that might make nextweek, when I go back in, a
little bit easier, a little bitbetter, a little bit safer.
And I've seen that time.
I've seen that time and timeagain and I also learned that my
company that I worked for,henry circuit service phenomenal
company, great toy coat, cookup operators.
(56:59):
They were exceptional what theydid, but they weren't the
exception across the board.
All two operators are like thatthey love this job, they love
this industry, they love whatthey do, they give their lives
to it, and west is a big part ofthat.
So I'm going to thank himbecause he stepped away right
now and I just did my littlerant.
(57:21):
I'm going to ask CJ to come infor a second.
And what else do you thinkabout this, cj?
Speaker 1 (57:30):
Well, I think one of the people that you know we talk
about how great Wes is, I thinkTommy Luciano.
I used to tell people when Iwas up in Baltimore and somebody
would say, well, where are wegoing for dinner tonight?
I said, well, I'm eating abrief dinner so I can go over
(57:53):
and see the movies with Tommy.
Wow, and Tommy would play ascene and then discuss the scene
and we became friends.
And then Luciano, who doesfishing, and he helps kids with
(58:15):
fishing poles, so I landed upfishing poles.
So I landed up in April.
You know I had a four-cargarage, two-car garage on one
side of the house and two on theother.
It's a U-shaped home and theside of my garage was filled
with fishing equipment poles.
(58:36):
And so forthmmy luciano and hisfriends would fix the poles and
give them to kids that didn'thave parents and the kid would
fish, and.
But I met him through west andit's tommy luciano.
Speaker 3 (58:54):
I met him through west he is an exceptional person
, oh.
Speaker 1 (59:00):
Oh, just a wonderful guy.
And then you meet other peoplethat were with Rackmaster Terry,
who was the older gentleman whowas just as kind to me as he
can be, and you meet and, ofcourse, donnie Cruz.
I was a motivational speaker.
(59:24):
Donnie Cruz took me under hiswing and would share with me
techniques and that's how we met.
And Wes and I met in a hallwayup in Baltimore and I said where
are you training next?
And I had my seat there and Iremember taking two or three
guys from the auto recyclingindustry to Chattanooga and we
(59:47):
sat in the audience for twohours and listened to Wes do his
class and the guys from therecycling industry, they were
enthralled.
They were just saying, boy,this guy is really.
But wes has helped so many goodpeople.
And of course, he becamefriends with very, very good
(01:00:09):
people.
I think tommy luciano is one ofthe finest people.
He's like wes, he's he's.
He's one of the finest peopleI've met and and people that
have sacrificed.
When he said, George Connolly,george Connolly, to me, has
sacrificed so much for theindustry.
And those are the kind peopleyou want to remember.
Speaker 3 (01:00:30):
Yeah, you want to remember them and I think we're
better people because we arearound better people.
Speaker 1 (01:00:38):
Yeah, and that's you know.
And I wanted April.
I want when people say you know, dj Harrington was here.
I just want to make the world abetter place.
Wes is the same way.
Speaker 3 (01:00:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:00:57):
You know he wants to make the world a better place.
So you know, when people ask me, I kneel for the cross and I
stand for the flag and that'sthe way life is and I'm going to
be that way and, thank God, Ihave good friends like you,
april and Wes, so I'll turn itback over to you.
That's my final words of thepodcast.
(01:01:19):
I just think it was a good oneand that more and more people
are getting to know who the realWes Wilburn is, because he's a
very generous good guy.
Speaker 3 (01:01:31):
He is, he is, and my final word is we're on the road
to 1,000.
Speaker 1 (01:01:36):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (01:01:36):
We're going to achieve that soon.
We're scheduling classes.
We've got a full fall lineup.
It's not going to happen thisyear, it's going to be next year
sometime, as far as thethousand goes, but every class
that we do is one more classtowards that, and along the way
we'll see old friends and we'llmeet new ones and we cannot wait
.
Speaker 1 (01:01:55):
Now you're talking.
I want to tell all our friendsand April's probably been the
best thing that happened to Wesbut besides Wesley, wesley, his
son, is just a gift of gifts andhe's going to continue training
and teaching people.
But he'll be teaching youngpeople how to do the key bars
(01:02:19):
and sing a note and do theaterand do all that stuff, because
he's a very gifted young man.
Speaker 3 (01:02:26):
Wesley is very industrious.
That is a fact.
Speaker 1 (01:02:29):
Very much so.
He'll be a success no matterwhat.
But I want to thank all of ourlisteners for listening and I
want you to know develop fromwithin so you never go without
and always have that Kenaispirit constant and never-ending
improvement.
So, april, until next time.
(01:02:50):
We'll see you on the nextpodcast from the new Towing News
Channel.
Thank you.
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