Tow Professional Podcast
Tow Professional Podcast
Celebrating Towing with DJ Harrington: A Festive Fundraiser and Tribute to Fallen Heroes
Ever wondered how the towing industry celebrates the holiday season while championing safety and community support? Join us as we chat with DJ Harrington, the Tow Doctor, and Darian Weaver, the vibrant voice behind Tow Professional Magazine. Darian shares his experiences from a memorable event in Baltimore, orchestrated by Gay Rochester of INA Towing. Her legendary Christmas party not only dazzled attendees but also raised significant funds for the TRAA scholarship fund through a spirited bourbon auction. Listen in to feel the warmth and generosity that marks this annual gathering.
In our heartfelt tribute to the unsung heroes of the towing world, we reflect on the enduring impact of the Wall of the Fallen ceremony. We delve into the new vision for 2025, where we aim to amplify the voices of the families of the fallen, celebrating their loved ones while spotlighting the critical support provided by the Survivor Fund. Through poignant stories and a dedicated call to action, we seek to offer solace and strength to those left behind, highlighting the industry's unwavering commitment to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Stay ahead of the curve with our discussion on essential industry trends and insights. As we approach the challenging winter months, we offer vital recommendations for maintaining operations during adverse weather. Discover the latest from top-notch companies like TowBook, Azuga, and TowMate, equipping professionals with the knowledge to make informed decisions. Plus, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to healthcare heroes, reminding everyone to spread kindness and empathy during the holiday season. Join us in making this time of year a joyful and meaningful one for all.
Welcome, when at all, to Toe Professional Podcast. Remember, this is your podcast. It's for the pros that have a need to know, that are on the go. This is truly the voice of the towing and recovery industry. I'm DJ Harrington, your co-host, better known as the Toe Doctor, and the real man, the head of this whole thing, who's the president and publisher of Toe Professional Magazine, a good friend of the industry and a dear friend of mine, Darren Weaver. Darren, how are you this beautiful day? How?
Speaker 3:are you this beautiful day, dj? I am fantastic, as always, man. It's good and toasty here in the office and about 45 outside, so hey, I can't complain. I know the folks up north are going to be throwing snowballs at me after the weather week. It's a great day and, man, I'm excited about this podcast. It gives us an opportunity to recount a little bit about the year and talk about what's going on, and I think it's going to be a great day for it and a great show.
Speaker 2:Well, I know our listeners. When you and I get together on these things, it gives me a chance to kind of tune in for our listeners. So here's what I want to ask you you recently went up to Baltimore for a trip. I could not make it, but you were there. So tell our listeners a little bit about your trip and a little bit about that one night there.
Speaker 3:Man. I tell you, DJ, it was a fabulous trip to Baltimore Very cold, but a great trip up there. I got there and the whole purpose was to cover an event that Gay Rochester, ceo of INA Towing, does every year and I tell our listeners, if you've ever been there, it is phenomenal. She does a Christmas party every year, but I tell you, when I got there the first night, she has a tremendous dinner. And the way this works, dj, is these are leech hoes that she works with. She brings them into town and sits them down in a room that would hold I think there was about 60 of us in there, down in a room that would hold I think there was about 60 of us in there and treated everyone that was there to a five-course meal. And you look at it and you go hey, let me think about this. This is somebody in Tollington that had a phenomenal year and all she had to do was send out thank yous.
Speaker 3:But from what I've seen, every year in a row, it's a lot more than that with Gay Rochester.
Speaker 3:She likes to bring them into town, see them face to face, remind them right there of how important they are to the network and then thank them and their families with a phenomenal meal and let me tell you it was one of those meals.
Speaker 3:I wish you were there, but I did drink Estella for you and in your memory there, I drank Estella for you and you know it was just a way for her to sit down and talk about the goals for next year, and one of the biggest goals that INA Tong has and Gay Rochester is their CEO, is safety in the marketplace. The over one lose none program that she's worked with for so many years to save lives out there and to promote safety on our roadside. And that's one thing she was talking about with all the tow professionals that were there attending was that their safety meant the most to her and she wanted to make sure that they got home safe back to their families, and also she wanted to make sure that they were paid for their excellence in towing and for being that tow professional. So I'm going to tell you that first night it was unbelievable. You've been there before. You've seen the mills and the love that she pours out on her folks.
Speaker 2:And the wines and any kind of drink you thought of, but any kind of a drink I have to tell all the listeners. The gentleman who created and founded Auto Data Direct was a guy named Jim Taylor. And Jim Taylor said to me one time DJ, you're always telling me that you're happy to do anything. I ask and I said well, jim, what would you like? He said I want you to introduce me to Gay Rochester. So I took it upon myself Jim Taylor to that Christmas party and Jim Taylor and, of course, gay Rochester are dear friends today. But tell our listeners about the INA towing Christmas party and the TRAA scholarship fund where she raised all that money to help this program.
Speaker 3:Man, I tell you that is something else. And if you think you've ever seen a little Christmas village or a home that's decorated for Christmas, let me tell you she's with the penthouse at the Lord Baltimore and it's a tremendous spread, from carved meats to every vegetable, everything you could imagine that would be at a Thanksgiving dinner, and some of the best desserts I've ever seen, and take my word on it, they were phenomenal, best desserts I've ever seen, and take my word on it, they were phenomenal. And what they do every year, dj, the past couple years, is she's been doing a INA bourbon nation and it's a tasting event to where you're able to, to go there, give a donation towards the TRAA scholarship fund and taste some of the finest bourbon. You know some of that stuff you see on the top shelf and you say, how much is the tasting of that? I don't think I can swing that. That's what you get to take part in at the event.
Speaker 3:And with that they also did an auction of some of the finest bourbon you've ever seen, had a table full of it and, dj, you've seen this before. You talk about gracious hearts, I saw bottles of bourbon that were bought and sold three or four times it sold for $1,500, $2,000, $3,000 a bottle Haven't got the numbers on it yet I do know INA matched everything that was given that night towards the auction and I know last year they raised $34,000 for the scholarship fund. So I'm finishing up an article on it right now that's going to come in the, that'll be in our upcoming issue and I'll have the final numbers on it. But it's, you know, just again when we talk about people, also women of towing in the industry that have a heart for service and that go out of their way with their passion for the industry to give back to others. And that's what I've seen at these events.
Speaker 3:And let me tell you, when the folks see the pictures from the Christmas party in the magazine, they'll be blown away. You don't want to miss it next year. Gay Rochester just has a wonderful way of showing others in industry how much they mean to her, and so it's a tremendous event. Dj.
Speaker 2:It's a wonderful event and I'm going to tell all of our listeners. Mark on your calendar if you go to the Baltimore show, it's usually that Friday night or Saturday night that they do this Christmas gathering and she decorates just like Darren said, she decorates the place like a little wonderland. It's phenomenal. Every room and you go through this little tour and every bathroom, every bedroom of this penthouse is decorated to the hilt on Christmas and she stores all of this at the Lord Baltimore in her own room year round.
Speaker 2:People said, well, how do you? She used to bring a you know a trailer and the trailer with her. Now she rents a room and leaves it in the room year round. That's how much decorations are. She's an amazing lady. Why don't we take a fast break and when we come back we'll talk a little bit more about the upcoming edition, but a little bit more about what you're going through and what's happening at the museum. So, folks, stay with us, we'll be right back.
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Speaker 2:Welcome back listeners. Of course you know you're listening to Talk Professional on the Go podcast Every week. Darren and I do our best to bring you informative episodes. Make sure you download and listen, and remember we're available on Spotify, itunes, pandora, stitcher, iheartmedia, amazon or wherever you get your podcasts. Well, darren, now we're back into this thing. Let me ask you tell our listeners a little bit about the museum spread and your cover honoring the fallen.
Speaker 3:I'll tell you, dj, from my first entrance into this industry I was blown away. First off, blown away by the museum and also blown away by what Miller had done and the museum to honor the fallen there, and it certainly touched my heart. All I had to do was go to one wall of the fallen ceremony. It touched my heart. All I had to do was go to one wall of the fallen ceremony. It touched my heart and I said, hey, listen, we've got to do something to support the survivor fund and push dollars there, because I know how much this helps families in a time of need and how it can shore up a family when everything's due. But everything's went wrong. So we've done that for a little over 13 years.
Speaker 3:And in addition to that, when I first got in the market, I asked Cheryl, I said has anybody ever put the fall in on the cover? And she just looked at me with starry eyes and said no and I said well, that's what I want to do from now on. I want to honor a fall in on the cover. So that's something that's always been passionate for me. It's always been something near and dear to my heart. We have set aside a month for slowdown move over three years in a row here in our own state and I'll be attending next this coming Saturday, dj, I'll be attending the eighth annual slowdown move over event here put on by Classic Industries, because their loss of a, a toe, or John Hubbard that was very young, that lost his life, so that's something that's very close to me, near and dear of my heart. But I thought that it might be a time for a change from doing a two page spread in the publication. You know, long term I thought hey might be a better use for it.
Speaker 2:Well, that's what I want to ask you. I know our listeners would be saying right about now. Now I know there's going to be a change for the spot. You used to do a two-page layout, donated it and I want people to know. You donated those two pages to the museum, every issue. So tell us now and help us with the impact, to help the Survivor Fund, but also to aid the families in honoring their fallen with a national voice. So tell us a little bit. Share your vision of what you want to see for 2025.
Speaker 3:Well, I tell you, dj, it came to me the night before when I was in Chattanooga. As you know, I had to stay over the night in Chattanooga. I had an award I was presented with there at the breakfast for being a continued supporter of the museum the last 13 years and for the donation of the spread in the centerfold of the magazine. But as I was there, I was talking with Godwin and Tom Tedford and the others and I told them. I said you know, this is something that's been here and it's been impactful. But I think something that would be more impactful for our industry is you know, we go to the wall of the fallen and we hear the toughest times that families have to hear of what happened to their family members and it got them to that wall. What I want to do is I want to give our family members a national voice to honor the fallen and talk about the things that they loved, about their brother, their sister, their father, their mother. The things, not the tragedy in their life, but what things lifted them up in life, about their life and also what the Survivor Fund did for them in that time of need.
Speaker 3:I've talked to many out there.
Speaker 3:One is a great friend of ours that we've just come to know under some of the hardest circumstances, but Matt Spencer, and Matt Spencer lost Keegan Spencer a little over a year ago today, dj, I just talked with him the other night and he will be the first family member that is filling this space in the publication.
Speaker 3:So what we're going to do is we're going to allow those loved ones Keegan's wife and others are going to talk about the high points of Keegan's life, what made him special, his daughter and other things. We're going to showcase that inside that section that used to be the two-page spread, talking about also how Matt Spencer said it was the museum, the survivor fund, really had to shore up some things at a difficult time. So he'll tell that story in there, how it helped. And then we're going to have a half-page island ad that'll be there for the Survivor Fund as kind of a call to action, because I think it's much more important for us to give the fallen loved ones a voice to talk about their past love and about what they meant to them, rather than just have an ad there. So we're going to give them a space for their voice and I think it's going to be something that's going to be very touching and very impactful.
Speaker 2:Yeah, sometimes our listeners Darren remind everybody what was the it happened during the Tennessee Toe Show that the museum did give you an award and what was the award for.
Speaker 3:Yes, that was a.
Speaker 3:It was an award for the ongoing support of the Toeing Museum and Survivor Fund for, as Colin put it, for 13 years of including the uh, the two-page spread and the center mass of the, the publication, a little over 55 000 worth of advertising space, um.
Speaker 3:But my thought was when I came into the market, dj, as you know, I didn't have a lot to offer as far as dollars, um, but I knew I had to be impactful in some ways. You can't be in an industry and dip from it without pouring back into it, and this was something near and dear to my heart and I said, hey, this is a way that we can give back, and I think we're at the point, now that we've given back to the museum, we've helped funnel some funds there and bring some awareness about this, which is so important. But also, I think a better way to energize the Survivor Fund is to let the family members have a voice nationally about their loved ones, and I think that would be more impactful and I think it's going to really reach our industry in the long run.
Speaker 2:I agree with you, darren, very, very much. I think the 25 forward, having the families mentioned in the magazine will be fantastic and will help out a great deal of everybody understanding more about it. Let's do this, let's take one more short break and we'll come back for our final segment of Tow Professional on the Go-Fi Kit. So hang tight, folks, we'll be right back.
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Speaker 2:Welcome back listeners, and first of all, darren and I want to remind you to like, review and share everywhere. This podcast has grown only because you told your friends about it. So thank you so much. If you'd like to hear a professional person from our industry on the podcast, dial our hotline number here at the Podcast Center, 706-409-5603, and give us the name of the professional you'd like to hear. And if you're a state association and you have news that you want to present, by all means dial the number and Darren and I will get back to you and we'll put your association news on the podcast. It's an open invite for any association. We want to help the state associations in any way we can. Now, darren, before I pass the ball to you, with this bad weather coming up, do you have any suggestions for some of our listeners?
Speaker 3:Well, man, I tell you, DJ, I had a, a company the other day said you know, what worries me the most is we. We start dealing with all this snow, everything coming in. I get a truck damage. The next thing I know my, my competitor down the street's grabbing all the business and I'm missing it. And I told myself, man, I've just got to remind you, one of our sponsors of the show is rentareckercom. It's their web address, it's Rekker Rentals and their web address is rentareckercom and that's the key to it.
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Speaker 2:And they go all over. I mean, they sent a truck last a couple months ago out to Dallas, texas, so they go all over, folks. It's not just you know, southeast or something. Alright, now let me ask this of you I know this is going to come up. So the upcoming issue and we talked a little bit about the next issue of Toll Professional. You got me writing an article. I'll pass the ball to you. Tell our listeners a little bit about the upcoming issue.
Speaker 3:Well, man, dj, you know this issue every year the top products and services of the year issue, and also being a feature on insurance, which is one of the bigger worries of everybody in the industry what's it going to be like so long? And a feature on finance. I mean, it's just one of those that knocks it out of the park because the key to it, my idea, is the difference between any business being small or big, is having adequate knowledge and making good decisions along the way. So our whole key here is to hit you with an issue at the end of the year. It goes out 12, 16, but let me tell you, folks, santa Claus gets in the way a little bit, hits hands around the first week of January. It hits hands around the first week of January. But the top products and services is going to showcase many different companies, top products from companies like ToeBook, azuga, towmate, many across the board, collins Manufacturing, custom Built, manufacturing, custom Products, many others throughout the industry. So we're going to have products throughout the year that have showcased that we've taken a look at and we've picked out our top products of the year, and that's also based on availability in the market, the business they're doing inside the market.
Speaker 3:Now the next part about this DJ. The best part is our readers have been using this publication the last 13 years as a buyer's guide. You know this thing is the top products of the year, top services from companies like your service providers, like INA Towing, just like Recovery Billing and many others, and it highlights the different products and they can use this to make their purchasing decisions going forward. Secondly, we'll hear from insurance companies. So we'll have insurance companies in there, from Progressive Insurance we'll have Weiss Insurance, we'll have Weikert Insurance, we'll have Austin Insurance and others that will talk about their time in the industry, what you can look at for their services and so on. So it helps you know who to go to in the industry, know some of the trusted keys in the industry, and just gives you the people right there at your fingers to call.
Speaker 3:Also, if you don't have it at your fingertips, you can go online, because the best thing is Tow Professional is online. There's no password, there's no subscription. You've got to go through to take a look at this thing. You just go to Towprofessionalcom, you click on digital editions and you just pick the one you want. It's turn-page technology. The great thing is a lot of our advertisers DJ include videos with it. So if the ad gets your attention, you want to know more about the product. Some of our advertisers have included ads where you click right on it link to it see the product in action and then click right on the link, go to the website, get more information. So we try to make it very simple, very informative and, as always, one of the our readers resource for towing and recovery when it's asked.
Speaker 2:Well, I know one thing I'm looking forward to. I know the best products. One of them is going to be Phoenix, usa and. E-ax payment of ours for 2024 that's going to be exposed to everybody in 2025.
Speaker 3:I thought you might have had a sneak peek at the magazine DJ. Hey, buddy, I got a.
Speaker 2:I thought you might have had a sneak peek at the magazine DJ. Hey, buddy, I got it. When you come to Phoenix, usa, or to Axe Freemans, when people start looking at that kind of stuff, that's out-of-the-box thinking, that's what we need and so, professionally, we need it in our industry. That's the reason why so many of the advertisers are now putting a QR code in their ad to drive people right to the website and look at a full video of how the product works, which is fantastic thinking.
Speaker 3:Yeah, without a doubt, dj, We've got to stay ahead of the curve. You know a toe professional, we've strived for 13 years to be number one in the industry in the print publication and then we turned around and strived to be the first and most effective digital publication in the industry. And that takes some work. But I tell you I'm not here for my hairstyle, if anybody's seen me, so I'm going to do the magazine 100%. You know the calendar's still been very effective. You know, I was talking to one of my clients today and she said you know, somewhere there's 10,000 calendars hanging that's got our vendors in it and we've had tremendous feedback from our vendors that have been seeing in those. And I think I covered it in the publisher's letter. So everybody pay attention to that when you see it this year because it means a lot to me.
Speaker 3:You know, going into 25, I know everybody on the market can turn around and say wow, it's been a tough year, been through the ringer. I don't think anybody has it. I don't think anybody has it, but I can tell you, looking into 25, it's going to take me looking back because we've got a tremendous team From DJ Harrington and Dan Messina I was blessed with from an early time in industry. They just have not only a passion for the industry but have had a passion for lending an ear to me, giving me knowledge and want me to be successful and wanting the publication to be successful for the vendors. And then also looking back at the vendors that looked at a guy that walked up to them and with a face for radio that 13 years ago, with just a business card and a media guide to give me an opportunity, and they took a chance. Some businesses didn't, but some took a chance.
Speaker 3:And when you look at our list of advertisers that are top tier advertisers. That's what it takes. It's stepping out there and taking an opportunity to take a chance. Sometimes we make a decision and miss out on an opportunity because we make it too quick, but these vendors came in at the beginning. We under-promised, over-delivered and delivered for them and they've been loyal 13 years, plus 97% of them, which is the highest rate in industry. So I'm so thankful for them, thankful for my editors, like I said, dj, like you and Dan, and also Michelle Succo has come in with a tremendous writing talent and has really given women a telling, a voice nationally from just talking about what women deal with in the industry, when they're part of this, to going out there and getting stories from those women that are in their running companies just like herself. So very blessed is what I've got to say for 2024, going into 25.
Speaker 2:All right. So before you come to your closing and I ask, are you, do you, do I have your permission to make a gigantic announcement about what's going to happen in September, September 25th through the 27th in Ohio.
Speaker 3:Is that okay, yes, without a doubt, we've got to talk about that, because that's huge. I am so excited about that.
Speaker 2:All right, so let's be the first. We'll be the first in the neighborhood, because it's not online. It's not on nothing. I looked it up this morning. It is not online, but we can tell you the Midwest Regional Toe Show will be going back to the Wolf Lodge in Mason, ohio. So mark your calendar. I'm going to tell every one of you. It's the second best show in the nation, of course. The first, I think, is the Florida Toad Show. The second is the Midwest Regional Toad Show and I'm going to tell you, bruce Pender and the team up there spent months negotiating and this was a lot of compromise. It was not just they had to compromise both sides. But we're going back to the Wolf Lodge and this will be fantastic. So I'll turn it over to you because I know you want to tell our listeners something more.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I got to tell you. I listened to so many vendors and they said man, I remember what it was like when we were at Wolf's Lodge and, like you said, because of circumstances they got pushed away. But with them coming back, all I've got to say to the vendors is man, I want to see you there Because, like you said, dj, that was a tremendous show. It's one of them that helps wear me out, because you had to stay busy to see everybody and it was always one of the great shows and just seeing all the kids run wild around there have fun, go out at the night when they had the light, up the night with the lights, and just hang out and listen to the music and the DJ in the parking lot. It's a tremendous show. Back at the location, everybody's been asking for it, so we hope to see you there. I'm excited.
Speaker 3:But, as always, I want to end in prayer and I'll start with just saying dear Heavenly Father, I just ask you to continue to keep your hands on our nation. I ask you to continually keep our hands on our vendors, watch over them, ask you to continually keep our hands on our vendors, watch over them, increase them and their knowledge and their ability, grow them in their expanse for products that they can bring to the market, for safety of our professionals. And, heavenly Father, I thank you for every one of our tow professionals. I thank you for everyone connected in this industry. I thank our people.
Speaker 3:Don't know enough how hard our health professionals work and how Thanksgiving that just passed, a lot of them were out there serving others. So, dear Heavenly Father, we just ask you increase their lives financially, spiritually, mentally and physically. Be with them. Bring them back home to their families, safe In your precious name. Amen and until next time. Listeners, hey, we appreciate you so much. We hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year. We ask that you be safe out there and always remember love your neighbors, treat them with kindness. Just know everybody's going through a lot. Let's put the smiles on it at that time of season. We look forward to seeing you next time.