Tow Professional Podcast
Tow Professional Podcast
Behind the Scenes with TRAA's New Executive Director
Bruce Bender brings his extensive industry knowledge and passionate advocacy to our podcast as he steps into his new role as Executive Director of TRAA. This conversation reveals the crucial behind-the-scenes work happening at the federal level to protect and advance the towing and recovery industry.
Bruce shares the significant announcement of his transition from Ohio Association leadership to the national stage, replacing retiring executive director Cynthia Martineau. His dedication to representing towers of all sizes becomes immediately apparent as he explains how TRAA works tirelessly as the industry's watchdog on Capitol Hill.
The heart of TRAA's advocacy happens during their annual Hill Day events, where towers directly educate lawmakers about industry challenges. Bruce recounts powerful moments when legislators learned that towing is more dangerous than crab fishing on "Deadliest Catch" and that operators often respond without guaranteed payment. These personal interactions have built crucial relationships with key committees and federal agencies, creating pathways for meaningful legislative change.
Beyond advocacy, we explore the tangible benefits of TRAA membership, from professional certifications to strategic partnerships offering substantial discounts from industry suppliers. Bruce makes a compelling case that supporting the national association isn't just good citizenship—it's smart business that protects your livelihood.
The conversation shifts to the exciting return of the 47th Annual Midwest Regional Tow Show to the Great Wolf Lodge this September. This family-friendly event combines business opportunities with entertainment, featuring no-cost educational sessions, networking opportunities, and special events supporting the Injured Drivers Fund.
Whether you're a veteran tower or new to the industry, Bruce's perspective illuminates how national representation strengthens the entire profession. Connect with TRAA at traaonline.com and consider joining them for Hill Day 2026 on February 24-25—because when it comes to protecting your business, having skilled advocates on your side makes all the difference.
Welcome one and all to the Toe Professional Podcast. 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 main host of this podcast is the president, the publisher of toe professional magazine, a good friend of the industry, a dear friend of mine, darren weaver. Darren, how are you this beautiful day, now that atlanta has the storm passed?
Speaker 2:man, dj, I tell you I am. I am fantastic. We've got a. We've got a nice shade of overcast here. Now, um, I'm getting the arc built, uh, since we've had rain for about 25 days so far straight. Um, so I think we'll get everything together, but it's a. It's a wonderful day to be a frog, but a a fantastic day to be a listener man, because we've got one of my favorites back on here, bruce Bender, who is the incoming executive director for TRAA and also, still wearing the hat, he's TRAO's administrator and show coordinator as well. So you're talking about a man with a book of knowledge on the industry and a heart of passion for it. So, listeners, this is going to be great. Bruce Bender's on with us and I'm so happy to have you back.
Speaker 4:Bruce, thank you so much.
Speaker 1:Bruce is a great guy. Okay, Bruce, we're so glad to have you back on and, of course, Darren said it properly the last time you were on we went over a lot of dates on the Midwest Regional Show.
Speaker 4:So can you let us in on some of the big news that has hit since the Florida show. Well, in the Florida show this year there was some votes that took place and an announcement, and that is that Cindy and Elizabeth, which Cindy was the or is the executive director for TRAA is retiring July 11th and Elizabeth, which has been working for TRAA, her and her husband have a successful tree business and her time is much needed there. So she's leaving and I agreed to take the position because I love the industry so much. It was a very difficult decision at first for me because I've been with Ohio Association for 11, almost 12 years and I've put my heart and soul into it, work with the industry and help with the industry from a whole different level. Because they said they know that my my passion is for the towers. Uh, such a, such a good group of folks that I've met through the years and I I truly want to be able to be there to help them.
Speaker 1:Gotcha. Well you are. You're very well received in the industry. Everybody knows you, everybody. Industry Everybody knows you, everybody thinks very highly of you. So this is going to be a good one. And of course me. I try to promote as much as I can the Midwest Regional Toe Show. What are those dates?
Speaker 4:Those will be September 24th through the 26th this year and the big news is we're going back to the Great Wolf Lodge this year. We had to leave for a couple of years but we're going back. So the excitement is so real about going back and I'm telling you we've got most of our regular exhibitors are going to be there. We've got new ones coming in. I've always felt that we have the best exhibitors around that support our show and support the association and support our industry. So I'm really looking forward to it.
Speaker 1:Well, I want you to know. You have a dear friend in Darren Weaver. He makes sure every time we're doing a commercial during the podcast he says off the air, uh, will you be at the ohio midwest regional? Yes, darren, you tell that dj, and you I'll be there, because we do our best to promote on the podcast. But privately, off the podcast, during the commercials that are running, we're drilling these guys. And Darren says, dj, lighten up on him a little bit. I said, well, we can make it good or we can make it hard, but you got to be there and this is the most family-friendly show of all of them. So my article that's coming up in the toe professional magazine is all about the Midwest regional toe show.
Speaker 4:So it's it's the best. Well, I appreciate you guys. I mean, that's uh, you know that the show is celebrating its 47th annual Been around a while, and anybody that has been there knows exactly what you said DJ Family friendly, and that's the way we want to keep it. We want people to be able to bring their family and enjoy the show, Enjoy the Great Wolf Lodge and do a lot of business while they're there. Make it a little mini vacation while being able to do good business.
Speaker 1:Exactly, exactly. All right, darren, I'll let you do the next question.
Speaker 2:Thank you, sir. Well, I tell you, I can't help but admit that is my number one family show in the industry. I absolutely love it and I look forward to it every year and I actually drive there every year so that I can stop through Louisville, kentucky, go to the Corvette Museum and drive up and just watch the city open up as you drive in through Cincinnati. It's just absolutely gorgeous. But to get back to what you were saying, bruce, yeah, I tell you, I think Cynthia Martineau did a phenomenal job over the years with TRAA and putting a good foot forward and establishing the guidelines and the passion for the industry and the quest to make sure that safety was the forefront of the industry, as well as Elizabeth being the director of education there and her actions and all of this. So I certainly got to say we welcome them and wish them the best going forward.
Speaker 2:We certainly say, cynthia, we certainly hope you get to kick them feet up because you put a lot of hard work in. We hope you get to kick them up, rest them a little bit, enjoy a good glass of wine next to a pool and relax a little bit for all your hard work, as well as yourself, elizabeth. But I can tell you, I think we're also all your hard work as well as yourself, elizabeth but I can tell you I think we're also the industry's very excited about having a you know, a fresh person in there taking a look at things and just moving forward and with a fresh spirit up under them. So I think it's a great combination here on both sides. What I was going to ask, bruce, is so now you're the new incoming executive director, would you tell us a little bit? Tell our listeners I know this forwards and backwards, but tell our listeners a little bit about what TRAA does as a national association for their members and for the greater good of the industry.
Speaker 4:Yeah, darren, listen, people have a lot of different perspectives and a lot of different ways of looking at how any association represents an industry. But I'm going to tell you I always try to explain to people this I know in Ohio it's the same as what it's going to be on a federal level when we represent the industry. We're there to represent small companies, large companies. We're looking at representing the industry as a whole. Now we're I'm just going to give a quick breakdown here so that it's understood here. Not always is every procedure that happens or every statute or piece of legislation going to be agreeable with every single company out there. There's always different perspectives on it, and so sometimes you have to take the good with the bad, and what I mean by that is is for the there, there's a lot of folks out there that understand how working with legislators and congressmen and all that are, but for the folks that don't, sometimes you may be going after something really big and to get there sometimes you have to negotiate and make deals and take a little bit of the bad with the good to get to that big picture. And just remember that, as your executive director for TRAA, the thing that I'm going to be always looking for is your back, and that's what we do, I do, that's what the cabinet will be doing. These folks that are on the cabinet are there because they care. They're there trying to fight for you. We have a full-time lobbying firm that's there at feet on the ground in DC lobbying firm that's there at feet on the ground in in dc um, there to try to catch you know they're right there catching um bills or things that are being trying to be passed through that would have a negative impact on the industry, um, and that way they can stop some of these bills or or fight, or, you know, fight for good, positive impact. I mean, we're always going to fight for slow down, move over. We're always going to fight for safety for our guys and we're always going to fight for anything and everything that will positively impact your businesses.
Speaker 4:At the same time, we're always going to fight and be there to fight against things that will negatively impact your businesses. At the same time, we're always going to fight and be there to fight against things that will negatively impact your business. But again, remember that sometimes you're not hearing what's going on. It's because, to be able to get some things through. You kind of have to keep things quiet to slide something through and things like that, but always remember that 24-7. 365 days a year, what we're doing is watching out for your business, where we've got your back, because we understand that you don't have the time as a business owner, to be out here dealing with trying to talk to legislators or talk to senators or you know, house representatives or, um, different departments that you know transportation department, things like that. You, you don't have that time. So that's what we're here for, um and with, with your support, we can continue doing this.
Speaker 2:Well, bruce, that's, that's one thing why I have to commend uh TRA on the Hill Day events that TRA has put on year after year, because until I attended one myself, you really don't understand the inner workings of how the legislative side of Congress and all that works.
Speaker 2:And once you go there you're able to see why things take so long or what all goes into getting the directives that you need for your small business or your large business done on the legislative side. So I would say, as a third of the media in this industry, if you're an association president and you have not attended one of these Hill Day events, it's well worth every dollar 10 times over. And it's just simply because of the knowledge it'll give you on how the National Association can work for you and what they're doing behind the scenes. It helps you understand the full picture and the tightness of the relationship they have with the various members of the House and Senate. So with that, bruce, let me do this. Let's take a quick break for our listeners. We're going to step out, listen from one of our sponsors and we'll be right back with more phenomenal information from our executive director of TRAA, our incoming executive director, bruce Bender, when we come back. Hang in there, folks.
Speaker 5:TRAA is the national association representing the US towing and recovery industry. We act as the voice of America's towing industry by offering representation, education and leadership at the federal level. Much of our focus is on representing the interest of the towing and recovery industry on Capitol Hill, including promoting positive legislation and opposing potentially negative legislation. Traa is the industry's watchdog on Capitol Hill.
Speaker 5:There are so many compelling reasons to be a TRAA member. Besides being the right thing to do, membership gives you exclusive member benefits worth thousands of dollars a year, including exclusive TRAA member discounts from our featured partners, such as Coast Fuel Cards, ev Clever, app, tow Book, wreckmaster, tow Cert, haas Alert Zips. We Buy Key Fobs, auto Data Direct and Fleet Compliance Solutions, free advertising in our national membership directory and online directory, email updates, invitations to exclusive events and scholarship access. But best of all, you are pouring back into the industry to assure we together make it stronger for generations to come. A special thank you to our partner Gay Rochester of INA Towing for her continued ongoing support service to TRAA and her commitment to safety for our industry. With one over lose none Become a National Association member today at TRAAonlinecom.
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Speaker 1:Welcome back listeners. You know you're listening to Toe Professional on the Go podcast Every week. We do our best to bring you informative information. This one's a great one, with Bruce Bender. Please download and listen. Give us good reviews. We're available on Spotify, itunes, pandora, stitcher, iheartmedia or wherever you get your podcast. Now let me ask this question of you, bruce. You're a good guy, so first I want to ask you can you give us a? Let's break it down this way Give us a recap on 2025 Hills Days, and then I'll ask you the next question.
Speaker 4:All right, that sounds great. Just so you know, the 2025 Hill Day was the seventh annual Legislative Action Workshop, hill Day. So it and it has grown every year I mean had a lot of growth this past year I think we were right between 30% and 40% growth. On attendance, we had over 27 states from across the country represented, which was absolutely phenomenal. I'd love to see us get every state represented from across the country, which would be great.
Speaker 4:But we made we made real progress. We were advocating for the Preventing Roadside Deaths Act, electric EV vehicle policies that include tours. We worked with weights and measures amendments and more. We worked with weights and measures, amendments and more, and every year we come up with an outline as to what we're going to be focused on and we make it very easy. It's all printed off, ready to go for you. We go over a lot of stuff.
Speaker 4:We hit the ground for one day of the Hill Days and we're actually visiting offices and getting to talk with folks there. You know, on the Hill, that can make a difference for us, and so the more feet we can get on the ground there with the same perspective and objectives, the more progress we can make. So I think this would be a great thing if we could get more people to come join us, come fight with us. Listen, you come up for two days. Two days, that's all we're asking. Come up for two days and help us, because strength is in numbers and when they, when they, when we're hitting, when we can hit more offices and talk to more folks, because we have the bodies to do it and the people that care, then we can get more stuff done.
Speaker 4:But I mean, listen, we've, we, we meet with a lot of, a lot of Congress members and I mean to give you eight I'm just looking here real quick eight members of Congress on key committees for our industry. We met with Congresswoman Laura Gellin, congressman Jared Golden, congressman Kevin Kiley, congressman Jim McGovern, congressman Pat Ryan, congressman Greg Stanton, congressman Dave Taylor, congressman Dina Titus. Those, those guys, those are people you know that are either on, that are usually like members of the House Committee of Transportation and Infrastructure and things like that. So you know, we we've met with where we met with the FMCSA senior advisor to the administrator. We met with the director of communications with FMCSA. So these, these folks want to hear us, they want to communicate with us. We just have to be there to do it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I want you to know, I went to Hill days years ago, matter of fact, my Senator, mark Rubio, was brand new Senator and they were fixing his office up and we met with his aides and, as we're going down the hall and I don't want anyone to get embarrassed they gave you dummy sheets so anybody can go in and talk to their representative or to their aide, and it gives you all the stuff to leave behind. So they know it was simple to do. It wasn't that kind of thing. But do you know that Rubio stopped us as he was going back into his office? Of course, now he's Secretary of State, but that time it was really. It was great, it was a great two days, I'm telling you, bruce, it was well worth the time. Okay, here's what I want to ask Give the dates of the 2026, and then, is there any additional announcements about Hill Day 26 that you'd like to share with our listeners?
Speaker 4:Absolutely Hill Day 26. Now, keep this. Everybody needs to jot this down in their calendar because I expect to see a lot more folks this year supporting the industry. But it is February 24th and 25th February 24th and 25th of 2026. So if everybody jots that down and makes plans but you know I encourage folks go on to TRA's website. There is so much information that if you've never been on there to look at it, ever been on there to look at it.
Speaker 4:Listen, elizabeth and Cindy have done a lot of hard work to make sure that there's so much good quality information on there. If you want to look at things you know the benefits of being a member things that are going on and legislatively, things like that, go to that website, visit the website. You know, take that time. I mean, you know it doesn't take very long to sit and scroll and with the way today's society is I know everybody has a smartphone or a laptop or a computer that they can get to just to take a few minutes and sit down and look, because you would be surprised at how much is actually going on if you just take a few minutes and look.
Speaker 1:Exactly All right. What was the special announcement about the 26th that we could share with our listeners?
Speaker 4:Well, I'm just going to tell you 2026 is just going to tell you what 2026 is just going, just going to blow everybody away because you know we're, we're going to, we're going to pack that place, we're going to go up there and we're going to make a stand and we're going, we're going to talk to the right people. Dj, listen, and you've been there, darren, you've been there. These folks, just when you go in, you don't have to be afraid to sit down and talk to these folks and feel like you have to speak a whole nother language to be able to talk to them. These guys will sit down and talk to you, just as you and I are talking to each other. Just good down to earth people that, unless you take a little bit of time to talk to them, you don't even realize that, and I would say 99.9% of them, when you sit down and actually talk to them and educate them on our industry, are so surprised because all they hear until we go there and we educate them on the industry and to be able to get a yes to our ass is all they hear is what the big news medias say, which we all know focuses on the negatives. So they hear that and they think, oh, you know, these are bad people and everything.
Speaker 4:And then when they get to sit down and talk with us and realize I mean I love, love, love, love to educate someone on the dangers of the industry, the importance of the industry, the costs of being in business and the fact that you know these guys are out here doing a community service and they're not even guaranteed that they're going to get payment. And you know to look at these guys' faces when you tell them they're not even guaranteed to get payment. They could get cited for shooting down the burr mare to get to your family member that's trapped. They don't know this. So once they start understanding it, it's so much easier, when we ask them for something, to say oh yeah, we'll support you on that. But it takes enough of us out there, because taking that two days and they're starting to really recognize us, they're starting to remember us. Now, after being there seven years in a row, they're starting to really see us and that's what we need to keep going with.
Speaker 2:Well, bruce, that's one thing I was going to mention is, you know, one week I was there for Hill Day Bruce was there at the same time and we were able to shadow each other and go and see the different legislators and to see their eyes just glow and them come alive when they heard the stories.
Speaker 2:And then when you mentioned to them, hey, this is, uh, I think we mentioned to one of them, this industry is more dangerous than the deadliest catch and their mouth just dropped open. They're like then then I was fishing for crab and I'm like and we give them the statistics and they just you, you don't know what you don't know. And they were for them to be able to identify with the people that were coming in and seeing that those men serve at heart and were just trying to go out there and offer a great service and help those in need. You could see the light bulbs come on and, with the tight knit relationship with those same representative senators and them networking through others, it's it's gave you guys a tremendous base to be able to get your ass when you go in there. Like you said, they know who you are. Yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And it.
Speaker 4:This isn't an industry that you know. That's just like a convenience store or a grocery store, anything like this. This, this industry. It takes people that have, have a heart and they want to help. You know. That's that's why we partner up so good with, you know, police and fire and EMS, and all that is because you have to have the passion to help others to be able to do this.
Speaker 2:That's right, that's right. Well, that's why we're so happy to be working with you guys on it, without a doubt. Well, I guess the next question we have, bruce, is what's the feedback you've got from those members that have attended Hill Day and the benefits that they've seen, that they've, you know, told you and others that they've received for being there?
Speaker 4:You know I like talking to folks. We had a gentleman come this past year from Ohio that had never been there. Of course I haven't asked him if I could disclose his name so I won't, but I will tell you. I think you know talking to him after the Hill Days, he was really surprised at how much gets accomplished there at the Hill Days and I love talking to people that have never been there before after the fact because they're always so shocked at how much gets accomplished in that short of amount of time, how many key people we get to actually visit and hear, speak or talk to in that short of amount of time and the amount of quality people that we get to talk to in that amount of time.
Speaker 4:Because you know, I talked with this, like I said, the gentleman from Ohio. I talked with him and I think he was really surprised and I really really want to encourage others that have never been there to come support, let your voices be heard, because it's amazing and you'll be surprised and once you come you'll be hooked. You'll want to keep coming back because you actually feel it while you're there. You feel that you're making a difference, that you are making a positive impact.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm going to tell you, just a trip to Washington, just a tour of the capital, just a stay in the hotel is worth the cost. But when it's something that's part of your business, that you can go and you can get this much information, understand the underworkings behind, why you're having to pay for things or not, and how that works, the benefits are through the roof, man. So that's why I say everybody, if you haven't been there, make sure go on to traaonlinecom. Just like Bruce said, there's a tremendous amount of information there that can direct you to the next Hill Day, that can give you information on any corporate advertising sponsors that they recommend or are loyal to the industry and passionate for the products they put out there. They've got the local TRA news and they've got the Women of Towing and Recovery Association, wtra, that we all know and love, and that's an opportunity there for the women to get involved in this and it's been, from what I've seen, such a blessing to the industry and that's what inspired the Women of Towing and Tow Professional right there was giving back to the women and their dedication to the industry.
Speaker 2:I'll give you the next one. I'll hush here for a minute. Dj lets you hop in there.
Speaker 1:All right, let me just do this one, and then we'll take a break. After this one, bruce, we'll do a commercial message. Tell our listeners why being a member of the national association is so important. And, of course, I think you should be a member of your own state association, and that's why I believe so much in the Midwest Regional Tow Show. What comes along with the benefits of being a member of TRAA?
Speaker 4:Well, I'll tell you, traa has been the voice of America's towing industry since 1979. So, been here, we've fought and fought and fought for the industry and will continue to fight. But I mean other than having someone there to fight and watch out for you, for your business, which is, in most people's cases, their livelihood, it's what supports their families and everything. So we want to be there to support you. But by supporting TRA and allowing us to be there for you, I mean you've got to remember TRA is there with a full-time federal lobbyist firm that's right there watching out for you. So where they're fighting for statutes and regulations, anything legislatively, traa has educational resources, they have written resources, they have training videos, they have professional certifications for both operators and support staff. You know the representation from TREA. You know we represent've been working with the TREA is how many different groups and projects and committees that TREA is on you know, such as US Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration, national Transportation Safety Board, transportation Research Board, international Associations of Chiefs of Police, international Association of Fire Chiefs, professional Certification Coalition. I mean I could just keep going on and on. And that's that's where we're here fighting for you.
Speaker 4:But the other thing is is by by being a member. There's there's different discount, discounts with different corporate sponsors and things like that that you can access. If you go to the TRA's website, you'll see there are a list of companies that supportA, that offer discounts on product from them, and things like that. So you can make your money back that you've given to us to support us, just in the discounts from the products that you're purchasing, you know, from these companies you're already purchasing from. So why not, you know, save money at the same time and use this money that you're saving to support your business by? You know I'm glancing at this site right now as I'm speaking to you. I mean we've got EV, clever App, toebook, recmaster, toecert, haasalert, zips and AWDirect. We buy key fobs, autodata, direct Fleet Compliance Solutions and many more that offer different discounts or savings and things like that.
Speaker 4:So and I know a lot of you recognize some of those names that I just mentioned you would get your complimentary listing in our national membership directory and buyer's guide. You get a complimentary listing in the online directory you get by being a member. You get regular email updates on federal legislation. You receive proprietary articles. I mean newsletters, I mean there's just so much that goes along with it. Keep in mind you're helping save your business because you're supporting somebody that's out there fighting for you.
Speaker 4:Listen, if you think that paying for lobbyists and paying to get out here and do this fight that it comes free, it doesn't.
Speaker 4:There is a cost to it and it's a very large cost. I mean the lobbyists and the lobbying firm itself. I mean you're up in six figures, way up in six figures, and so it takes the membership dues, it takes fundraising and everything to be able to keep going and keep fighting for you, and if you don't have the funding to fight, it comes back and bites everybody in the rear. It really does, because if you don't have somebody watching your back and somebody out there trying to make sure that negative impacts don't happen from a federal level guys listen, and I'm not going to say just from a federal level, guys, listen, and I'm not gonna say just from a federal level if your state association is doing what they're supposed to be doing and and I'm sure that most, every one of them out there are they're, they're watching from a state level and they need your support, if you know. If you don't give your support, then you don't have the room to whine when something bad happens.
Speaker 1:I'm just being blunt, it's exactly right. So it's. There's so many benefits with it. So let's do this. Darren, let me take a commercial message break right now and when we come back this will be the last segment of the podcast We'll talk a little bit more about the greatest family show around, and we can't thank Bruce Bender enough. So let's take a break and we'll be right back, folks.
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Speaker 1:Welcome back listeners, please. I'm going to tell you I can't thank you enough for making it the number one podcast. Remember to like, review and share everywhere. We're always available. But if you'd like to hear another industry expert like Bruce Bender, the incoming executive director for TRAA, just dial our hotline number 706-409-5603. And Darren and I will do our very best. And if you're a state association, you want your news on the podcast. Do the same thing. Call the 706-409-5603 and let us know. So let me do this, darren, pass it over to you so you can ask?
Speaker 1:our dear friend. The next one, yes sir.
Speaker 2:Well, well, I know Bruce knew I wasn't going to let him off here without talking about the Midwest Regional Show. That's one of my favorites, bruce. I know you didn't want to self-promote on on that. We wanted to to stay on the topic of TRAA and I appreciate all the the news there. But hey, let's talk a little bit about my favorite and the 47th, uh annual midwest regional toe show. Uh, the the 24th through the 26th and uh, man, tell us what all people have in store. And I want to remember our listeners before you do. Um, a lot of you said if this thing goes back to the, to the greatodge, I will be there and I'm going to be looking for you. Two years ago I put every one of your names in the magazine for your loyalty to the publication and to that show and to the association.
Speaker 2:So I want to see you at the Great Wolf Lodge because I remember when I was there the year after COVID Bruce and everybody said, man, this thing is like a mini Baltimore because there's so much business being done here. So remember that when you look at the show, folks. I'm going to let Bruce talk about it.
Speaker 4:Yeah, you know, we kind of highlighted on the beginning of the show. You know, the Midwest Regional Toe Show has, and always will be, a very family-oriented show. We take a lot of pride in that. We take a lot of pride in the show, the exhibitors and the attendees at our show. It's just it's been around for 47 years because we love what we're seeing and we love what's happening and we try to do our best each year to make it fun and entertaining but at the same time allow you to do business at the show.
Speaker 4:We've listened this year because, like we said, we left for a couple of years from Great Wolf but we listened, we worked, I worked very hard, a lot of negotiating, to be able to get back to the Great Wolf Lodge. We're going back and from what I'm hearing from exhibitors, from attendees, everybody's just as excited as I am about going back to the Great Wolf and really want everybody to come out join us. We've got a lot of fun events going on, a lot of training going on, a lot of seminars, a lot of absolutely awesome exhibitors, some that haven't even been at our show in a few years that are coming back and we're glad to have them back. They heard that we're going back and they're excited. So let's just knock it out of the park.
Speaker 1:Let's let's have one heck of a good show yeah, I'm with you and I want to remind all our listeners there is no feed. Come to the classes. A lot of commercial shows. There's a fee. There's a door gate fee to come in. There is no fee for the classes at the Great Wolf Lodge.
Speaker 4:Yeah, listen, you know, for the, for our attendees, you, the only thing that we ask is you come up and register for a name badge. No fee to get your name badge. We just ask that you register and help us to keep accurate counts, because that helps us when promoting the show to future exhibitors and everything, so that we have some accurate numbers for that. So come and enjoy it, come and have a good time. And as far as for exhibitors and everything, guys, you guys are number one and we appreciate you, we appreciate your support.
Speaker 4:The most important thing about this is the funding from the show is not going into pockets of people to help them buy bigger homes and everything else. The funding from the show is going right back into the industry, because that's what TRAO uses to help pay for their lobbyists and their battles and their fights. I mean, we've got a big battle going on in Ohio right now that I can tell you. Between the two associations in Ohio, we've already spent over $90,000 in a with PUCO trying to fight for the rights of the towers. Without the show, the membership dues alone just won't pay for all that. So the show is what supports the industry. So come, come, support a show that supports the industry, please.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well. I want to ask the final question, and then I'm going to turn it over to our dear co-host, Darren Weaver Bruce. The article I wrote in this upcoming magazine edition is the article about the toe show.
Speaker 1:I am very much excited about raising money for the Wounded Toers program and all the all of the items that are auctioned off on Thursday night. I can't tell you enough, but here's what I want to ask, could we, is there anything you'd like to add to it, anything else that you would like to leave with our listeners before we go?
Speaker 4:You know, as far as the show goes, thursday Thursday we'll have our golf outing, thursday day. Thursday evening We'll have a celebration of life for those that have went on before us. We will have a parade, we'll we'll have music, we'll have food out there. Have a good time celebrating. On Friday evening, after the show, we will have our as you mentioned, that auction that supports the Intered Drivers Fund. There's always food and a good time there. We have different things going on after that and Saturday evening, after the show is done, we will have an awards banquet and everything and entertainment even after that. So we have good, we have entertainment, we have great entertainment, we have great food. If you miss this, you're missing out on something that's really good, fun and beneficial.
Speaker 1:You got that right fun and beneficial. You got that right and darren could tell you if you're a karaoke guy or a lady, by all means, or if you know your brother-in-law can sing, you better go there, because on friday and saturday night they got the best karaoke going in town oh, it's a lot of fun bruce. One final thing is there a special announcement that's being released Could you share with our listeners?
Speaker 4:Absolutely yes. Each year the magazines will send in proposals to handle the cabinet and tow professional. Darren Weaver will be handling the 2026 TRA Hill Days marketing and we want to congratulate him and his magazine for their hard work and efforts in getting this and securing it and look forward to working with him this year.
Speaker 8:Well, bruce, I tell you I am absolutely excited about this opportunity. A co-professional has attended in the past the Hill Days and we are certainly excited about being part of it and appreciate you having the confidence and giving us this opportunity and allowing us to put our bid in and have this opportunity. So we're absolutely excited about it. And with that, listeners, I want to finish as I always do. Just, dear Lord, I ask you to protect our industry, watch over our vendors, help them increase their knowledge, the products that they put out, that increase safety in the industry, bless them, bless their house and their families.
Speaker 8:And, dear Heavenly Father, we ask for your protection over our towers, our men and women of service that go out there and put our family first, above theirs, with their heart of service. Bring them home safe. Increase their family, their health, their wealth and happiness, lord, and bring them back every day to their family safe. Amen. Well, guys, with that, thanks again for listening. And bring them back every day to their families safe. Amen, well, guys. With that, thanks again for listening, you've helped make Toe Professional on the Go podcast number one in industry. We'll be back next time with more great guests like Bruce Bender of TRAA. Have a blessed week, thank you.