Latest / Towing News Now / Bruce Bender's Guide to the Midwest Regional Tow Show
Transcript
- 0:05Speaker 1: Welcome one and all to the American Toe and Recovery Institute podcast.
- 0:09Speaker 1: This is your podcast to promote safety, education, positive public relations and networking within the professional and business-minded Toe and Recovery industry.
- 0:19Speaker 1: I'm your co-host, dj Harrington, better known as the co-doctor, and our model, as always, the co-host of today's episode of 40-Year Toe Industry Veteran the founder of American Toe and Recovery Institute, a guy who has done well over 910 classes and counting hands-on classes the one and only Wes, Wilbur Wes, how are you on this beautiful day and we both missed this form.
- 0:52Speaker 1: Oh, I'm wonderful.
- 0:53Speaker 1: I'm wonderful.
- 0:54Speaker 1: We, as you said, missed the storm here in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
- 0:58Speaker 1: Of course, we had to prepare for it yesterday.
- 1:03Speaker 1: So, yeah, we feel good.
- 1:06Speaker 1: The storm coming through, some limbs came down.
- 1:09Speaker 1: Besides that, no issues here.
- 1:11Speaker 1: A little bit of product got wet in one of the buildings but it's repackaged in some product, not the end of the world.
- 1:19Speaker 1: So yeah, we're doing real good.
- 1:23Speaker 1: We just got back from Elkhart, Indiana.
- 1:25Speaker 1: We had a great class up there.
- 1:27Speaker 1: Can I thank Michael Lard and a team at Tom's 24-hour telling In Elkhart, Indiana.
- 1:34Speaker 1: They were great hosts, put together great schools.
- 1:38Speaker 1: The companies up there work real well together.
- 1:40Speaker 1: Dj, there's Truths Telling Father and Son team from the Wadjack, Michigan.
- 1:47Speaker 1: You remember from your time at the station in Elkhart I'm actually just right at the north edge of the town of Elkhart, yeah, so anyway, they worked together, helped with the casualty, sponsored one of the days of lunch, so we had a great school there.
- 2:08Speaker 1: Nick Muzzy, operator at New Jersey, came out and helped with the class.
- 2:14Speaker 1: So feeling really good, Getting ready for a busy fall, Excited about our interview coming up.
- 2:23Speaker 1: We did it a couple days ago.
- 2:26Speaker 1: It's all about the Midwest show, which is the next big event for us.
- 2:31Speaker 1: Really, we're going to be there with podcasts, live on the floor again this year, aren't we DJ?
- 2:39Speaker 1: We sure are buddy, and I want all our listeners to know.
- 2:43Speaker 1: You're the fastest growing podcast in the industry All over 12,000 regular listeners and what I have to tell you is I got involved with the Ohio show because of Wes Wilburn.
- 3:00Speaker 1: He told me all about the Ingers Drive this one.
- 3:02Speaker 1: So this year we did out of video and a lot of you have seen the video on bringing artwork with me for that Thursday night's auction, because Wes Wilburn kept emphasizing the fact that all the proceeds go to the Ingers Drivers Fund.
- 3:19Speaker 1: So that's the reason I got cups these beautiful glass cups from Carpart.
- 3:26Speaker 1: They donated them.
- 3:27Speaker 1: I have artwork that's in the video that we're bringing with us, so I'm going to encourage all of our listeners to make sure you're there Thursday night for the Ingers Drivers Fund auction.
- 3:40Speaker 1: It's always a great time.
- 3:42Speaker 1: You'll have a great thing.
- 3:44Speaker 1: Well, the eye is near and dear to my heart, coming from this industry as a hands-on operator.
- 3:52Speaker 3: And.
- 3:52Speaker 1: I definitely think Ohio has done an outstanding job on the state level, and that auction has got a lot of cool stuff.
- 4:01Speaker 1: All the money goes to the fund that you talked about, and then you also have the women's auxiliary of the basket.
- 4:35Speaker 1: The whole show is just a great show, wes.
- 4:39Speaker 1: And I really got involved with them because of you.
- 4:41Speaker 1: So this interview with Bruce Bender is a good one and they were really like it.
- 4:48Speaker 1: Yeah, also for all of our listeners, especially Bender.
- 4:56Speaker 1: If you're wondering about what kind of facility they moved to, they did a Facebook live where they showed the inside hall, the walk, the whole property, including the camp ground, which I think is huge, with the camping facilities on site and how there's a whole generation of younger folks that myself that I see camping nowadays.
- 5:20Speaker 1: It's a great opportunity to make this a true family event and be right there I can see a lot of tailgate-type party happening and when you watch, listen to our podcast, watch the live Facebook, you'll get a really sense of what a great facility they moved to.
- 5:42Speaker 1: So the interview I think you'll find very interesting.
- 5:47Speaker 1: Like I said, the interview happened a few days ago.
- 5:51Speaker 1: Since that time, as a matter of fact, literally a day before you're listening to this podcast being released, we're cutting this short segment and we just made an arrangement for a seminar that we're going to do at the Midwest Show.
- 6:11Speaker 1: It's going to be Saturday afternoon.
- 6:13Speaker 1: We're going to bring in Fred Schiller from Henry's Records Service.
- 6:18Speaker 1: He just did that mastery class, got exit strategies.
- 6:22Speaker 1: We're going to do an hour seminar there on the show floor, bringing him in on Zoom to answer people's questions and explain in a little greater detail some of the different things that are happening in the industry as far as consolidation and whatnot.
- 6:44Speaker 1: So if I could tell our listeners before we did this podcast with Bruce Bender, I can now tell everyone it's a term the producer of our podcast, chuck Kemp, famous band from Georgia, three-chord chaos, will be appearing Saturday night up at the Ohio Show in Midwest Region Pocha.
- 7:10Speaker 1: So all of you listeners, make sure you come by and listen to one of the best bands from Georgia ever and meet Chuck Kemp himself personally.
- 7:20Speaker 1: Chuck is the magic behind this podcast.
- 7:25Speaker 1: Me and DJ are just the pretty faces.
- 7:27Speaker 1: He's the one that does all the work to put it all together and knows how to do it, where to do it, et cetera.
- 7:33Speaker 1: And this podcast will be nothing without Chuck.
- 7:37Speaker 1: And we appreciate him and I'm really excited about this band being that we have the same general interest in music and Chuck tells me there's going to be some exciting surprises, so I can't wait to see that.
- 7:52Speaker 1: So I guess we'll see what's the best band from here.
- 7:56Speaker 1: Thank you.
- 7:56Speaker 1: We're excited about the Midwest show.
- 7:59Speaker 1: We're going to be doing podcasts there and any of our listeners that ever wanted to be on a podcast episode If you've got something to talk about, we'd love to have you.
- 8:07Speaker 1: We'll be there on the show floor looking forward to it.
- 8:12Speaker 1: The American Tony Recovery Institute is going to have a booth there, also Little different booths than what we've normally done.
- 8:21Speaker 1: We're going to be talking more about some of the exciting new things we have with the tele-industry and focusing on a couple of those.
- 8:31Speaker 1: We're really looking forward to the show.
- 8:33Speaker 1: I want our listeners to just hang around for a minute.
- 8:36Speaker 1: Right after the break we're going to have Bruce Bender with the Ohio Association and he's the administrator that puts the whole show together.
- 8:45Speaker 1: I appreciate everybody.
- 8:47Speaker 1: Thank you for liking, sharing, subscribing etc to the podcast.
- 8:53Speaker 1: We appreciate your help.
- 8:55Speaker 1: Help with the growth.
- 8:57Speaker 1: Thanks for listening and we'll be right back.
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- 9:12Speaker 3: Purpose Record exclusively specializes in towing and hauling From parts in service to financing.
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- 9:35Speaker 3: For more information, visit them on the web at PurposeRecordcom, or speak to a specialist by calling 636-639-9700.
- 9:45Speaker 3: Celebrating 40 years in the towing industry, that's PurposeRecordcom.
- 9:52Speaker 3: You have been listening to the American Towing Recovery Institute podcast with Wes Wilburn, dj Harrington, each and every week.
- 10:00Speaker 1: we do our best to bring you informative episodes like this one.
- 10:05Speaker 1: Make sure you download and listen.
- 10:08Speaker 1: We're available on Spotify, itunes, pandora, google Play, stitcher, iheart Media, amazon or wherever you get your podcast.
- 10:20Speaker 1: And so, wes, let me turn it over to you so you can ask our great guest, bruce Bender.
- 10:26Speaker 1: All about the Midwest Regional Toe Show.
- 10:30Speaker 1: Thanks, dj.
- 10:33Speaker 1: And before we get started with Bruce, I do want to thank our listeners.
- 10:36Speaker 1: We're really humbled that we're at a level that we're not just talking about, but we're really humbled that we're at 11,000 subscribed listeners, people that have subscribed.
- 10:47Speaker 1: So I definitely appreciate that Review share, like we appreciate all that stuff.
- 10:53Speaker 1: So we're just humbled by our growth.
- 10:55Speaker 1: So DJ mentioned we have the great Bruce Bender, bruce who's the maestro of the Midwest Regional Toe Show, which is the fastest growing toe show in the country.
- 11:06Speaker 1: It's a great event.
- 11:08Speaker 1: If you haven't been there, you should be there.
- 11:10Speaker 1: They're in a great new location this year.
- 11:12Speaker 1: The location has a lot of new possibilities, able to expand vendor space camp right there inside many great things.
- 11:24Speaker 1: So we're going to talk about that.
- 11:26Speaker 1: Bruce, I know most folks listening probably know who you are, but would you mind introducing yourself and tell us a little bit about how you got involved in the industry, and then we'll want to talk about the show as well.
- 11:38Speaker 2: Absolutely, absolutely.
- 11:39Speaker 2: My name is Bruce Bender and I've been with the Toe and Recovery Association of Ohio since I think it was right around 2014.
- 11:48Speaker 2: And I actually got my taste of towing before I ever came on and worked part-time for the association from a toer that's been around many, many years, Bob Maher's, towing out of Owenville, Ohio.
- 12:06Speaker 2: I used to run with his son, Harry, and which we lost, Harry, just about a year ago here.
- 12:13Speaker 2: But sad loss, but yeah, I used to run with Harry and learned so much about the proper way to hook vehicles up, proper way to roll one over and everything.
- 12:27Speaker 2: And I mean it takes a special process.
- 12:31Speaker 2: It takes special people to do this job.
- 12:35Speaker 2: It's not a job that just anybody can do and I'm honored to be around these folks that are in this industry.
- 12:43Speaker 1: Well, that's a great family to be involved with.
- 12:45Speaker 1: Bob Maher was definitely a gentleman and his vehicle at the Telly Museum that's on loan from the family is just an incredible piece of history that he preserved.
- 12:58Speaker 1: When we moved from the one location to the current location of the museum, I was part of the group that volunteered a week there and I personally, along with Jerry Riggs, towed that vehicle and Bob had given you a sheet of paper, maybe two sheets of paper, and he gave you every step on how to move it, to make it to how to move it without having a problem of removing some of the glass out of it and whatnot.
- 13:26Speaker 1: And you can tell by these notes how meticulous Bob Maher was.
- 13:30Speaker 1: I had the pleasure of meeting him.
- 13:32Speaker 1: You know enough to say hello to Toe Show Matter of fact, I think it was an early Ohio show, but besides that, I was never around him, but you could tell he was a true professional individual.
- 13:43Speaker 1: That made things easy by having this checklist of how to move that antique vehicle.
- 13:47Speaker 1: I thought it was like a 1913 locomobile what's there at the museum and just an incredibly gorgeous antique tow car.
- 13:57Speaker 2: Yes, I've been over and tried to help polish that thing.
- 14:02Speaker 2: It takes a lot of work, yeah.
- 14:06Speaker 1: Can you imagine riding around in that big orders, brand new.
- 14:09Speaker 1: You must have been something, because that was some kind of fancy automobile, especially for the brass lanterns.
- 14:15Speaker 1: Anyway, I digress.
- 14:16Speaker 1: 45th year for the Toe Show.
- 14:20Speaker 1: That's pretty outstanding feat just on its own.
- 14:24Speaker 3: Yeah.
- 14:25Speaker 1: And I've survived many changes, many different phases, so to speak.
- 14:29Speaker 1: Tell us a little bit about the history of the show and tell us about the future of the show, if you would please.
- 14:36Speaker 2: Yeah, the show.
- 14:38Speaker 2: I mean, one of the things that we've always taken pride in is keeping it a family friendly show and it has had its moves through the years, some that were good moves, some that maybe weren't so much.
- 14:51Speaker 2: And then we had the pleasure of being a great wolf for almost 15 years at Great Wolf Lodge and they, their management, has decided to go a little different direction and people have asked well, why would you leave Great Wolf?
- 15:09Speaker 2: Well, it wasn't our decision to leave Great Wolf, it was a Great Wolf decision and I mean I don't hold any bad feelings, go ahead.
- 15:21Speaker 1: Great Wolf Lodge left us.
- 15:23Speaker 1: We didn't leave them.
- 15:24Speaker 1: Yes, yes.
- 15:27Speaker 2: And that's really what it is.
- 15:28Speaker 1: Yeah, sorry to interrupt.
- 15:30Speaker 2: No, you're fine.
- 15:30Speaker 2: Now they have new management that, when they pushed their pencil in numbers, felt like that they could have the rooms 50% occupancy at full rate and not have to add staff on or add supplies and things like that, and and and make the same bottom line as bringing on extra staff, discounting the rooms as deeply as they discounted them and things like that, which, as much as we hated Seago, it's their business and we have to respect their their business decisions.
- 16:07Speaker 2: And so we started looking and found a new location to try out let me address the great wolf just real quick.
- 16:16Speaker 1: Like the great location, anybody in business trying to staff any kind of business nowadays it's got to have an ounce of appreciation of you know, when they're, when we're there, they're running full staff, full capacity, and that's challenging nowadays.
- 16:33Speaker 1: So I get, I get their decision.
- 16:36Speaker 1: I'm not saying it's totally right, I wish it was, I wish it was different, but it's not.
- 16:41Speaker 1: And but again, as a business person, boy, I it's like be a no-brainer when you start putting a paper to pencil, I bet you, especially when you struggle trying to be at 100% staff or they're probably at 110% staffing.
- 16:56Speaker 1: When we were there you know, yes, so, and we have to listen.
- 17:01Speaker 2: We, you know.
- 17:01Speaker 2: One of the things is that place has 401 rooms and we, we had to take the whole hotel.
- 17:07Speaker 2: It was all or nothing, which we had no problem filling all 400 one rooms.
- 17:11Speaker 2: But the last year we were there that was at 189 a night plus the, you know, taxes and resort fees.
- 17:18Speaker 2: But once, once the new offer came out, it came out at listen, I'm black and white, I am just I tell you how it is.
- 17:27Speaker 2: The new offer came out at $290 a night plus the taxes and resort fees, which would have made it approximately $370 a night.
- 17:36Speaker 2: Plus they wanted to add, if you had more than four people in the room, it was $50 a person per night over and above that four per well, we never had that in the past.
- 17:48Speaker 2: And then the rental of the convention center and parking lot area was raised by $35,000, and then they raised the food and beverage minimum, and I mean by the time you do it did all that.
- 18:02Speaker 2: It.
- 18:03Speaker 2: It wasn't feasible because we had to guarantee all 401 rooms and if we did not fill that hotel we had to pay that difference ourselves, which very easily could bankrupt the association.
- 18:15Speaker 2: So it, you know, the decision was we, we just could not do it with the new terms, and so I mean and we, you know that that that was their business decision to come up with the new numbers, that pushed us out, and and we had to make a decision that we couldn't take that kind of a big risk you know we deal with hotels a little bit just with business travel.
- 18:40Speaker 1: The price of everything's gone through the roof.
- 18:42Speaker 1: Doing one small event that I'm trying to arrange a block of 12 rooms is a challenge right now.
- 18:51Speaker 1: It the hotels are a challenge to work with.
- 18:55Speaker 1: It's just a whole different world.
- 18:56Speaker 1: It is a whole different world.
- 18:58Speaker 1: Folks don't realize how much it's changed hospitality business.
- 19:02Speaker 1: So the shame that it is what it is.
- 19:05Speaker 1: But it makes it makes the choice very clear that you folks had to do something and I commend you that you found a very reasonable choice.
- 19:13Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to it.
- 19:14Speaker 1: Actually, the I will let you tell about the, the, where we're going, and I'm gonna tell you a little bit about some of the SP now work.
- 19:23Speaker 1: I've done talking to the R&L drivers.
- 19:26Speaker 1: I've been checking up on things.
- 19:31Speaker 2: So all right.
- 19:32Speaker 2: Well, r&l, you're correct, r&l is the one that owns the convention center we're going to, which is called Robert's Center, and it's right off the well-maintained exit, also 71, I mean you can literally see it from the highway there and they have a huge convention center that even the one thing we've never been able to do is we've never been able to allow trucks indoors.
- 19:57Speaker 2: We've never had that kind of space.
- 19:58Speaker 2: This place not only has the space for that in the height, in the ceiling, but it has the reinforced floors to make sure that they can, because they have RB shows, they have deep shows and everything there.
- 20:12Speaker 2: And one thing that I did not want to do is I did not want to go away from an indoor outdoor show.
- 20:17Speaker 2: And we still have that capability there at Robert's Center we can still do an indoor outdoor show, which, if anybody's been to our show, knows that when the inside exhibit hall closes at five, your, your dealers and anybody selling product outside usually just continues until they feel like shutting down and everybody.
- 20:42Speaker 2: And it gives people time to socialize and you'll see them out there sitting under tents, just sitting around and enjoying a beverage and and talking and catching up, and you know things that I really enjoy seeing because these these tours and owners of the towing companies and dealers and all the other exhibitors to grow out there.
- 21:04Speaker 2: They are so busy all year round for them to be able to just sit back, relax and enjoy time with each other and talking.
- 21:14Speaker 2: It just does my heart good to see that it's a like a tail, if you ask me.
- 21:19Speaker 1: It's like a tailgating live yeah, it seems like the night a nice chance for folks, no matter what level they are in the industry, whether than the operations or in management.
- 21:30Speaker 1: It seems to me it gives them this nice opportunity to network a little bit but to relax a little bit.
- 21:37Speaker 1: And the family you know your events always family friendly.
- 21:41Speaker 1: I just wanted to tell out there that it's a total tailgating live.
- 21:45Speaker 1: It's really not felt as any other show in the country.
- 21:48Speaker 1: If you ask me to the level, it is the jurors anyway, absolutely, absolutely.
- 21:58Speaker 2: The nice thing about this is I think we're probably going to.
- 22:03Speaker 2: I'm just going to think ahead.
- 22:04Speaker 2: I haven't seen any notes or anything that you're probably going to ask me Well, what about the campground that's over here?
- 22:10Speaker 2: Well, they have a campground here also.
- 22:13Speaker 1: I'll tell you.
- 22:14Speaker 1: That's one of the things, bruce.
- 22:16Speaker 1: That's one of the things that's come up with my espionage work I've been doing on you.
- 22:21Speaker 1: We get prayed here at the shop Arnell many times brings it.
- 22:27Speaker 1: I've just started asking them.
- 22:28Speaker 1: I would say eight out of ten and I haven't kept an exact count, but let's just say I asked ten different drivers about it.
- 22:36Speaker 1: Eight out of ten knew about the place.
- 22:39Speaker 1: I would say five or six of them have been there said it's a great place.
- 22:42Speaker 1: One of them brought up camping because I have the old camper that I used to travel in the country, my wife's extra bedroom down storage area here at the house.
- 22:51Speaker 1: We don't take it out on the road anymore.
- 22:52Speaker 1: One of them said without even asking are you going to take that out there?
- 22:56Speaker 1: It's camp, it's got a great campground.
- 22:59Speaker 1: I told them we're not taking the campground anymore the old diesel that I had.
- 23:04Speaker 1: I understand there are campsites there as well, but we were still RVing.
- 23:12Speaker 1: That's one of the things that makes this place sound better than the old place.
- 23:17Speaker 1: That's great you can tell us about the campground.
- 23:20Speaker 1: Thanks, folks, thanks for listening.
- 23:22Speaker 3: We'll be right back.
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- 24:38Speaker 1: We're listening to the American Towing Recovery Institute by guest with Wes Wilburn, dj Harrington.
- 24:43Speaker 1: Special guest is Bruce Bender from the 45th Midwest Regional Toe Show being held at the Roberts Center up in beautiful Wilmington, ohio.
- 24:54Speaker 1: This is a place nestled between Canton, dayton and Cincinnati, ohio, and I'm going to tell all our listeners, I believe that three to five years from now, this show will be larger, if not the same size as the Florida Toe Show.
- 25:10Speaker 1: Only one reason it's the only family friendly show, with a campground right there for RVs, fit wheels, family tents, and so let's go right back to Wes and Bruce Bender.
- 25:24Speaker 1: Yeah, dj, I'm not so sure you say three to five years.
- 25:29Speaker 1: It's on a faster track than that.
- 25:32Speaker 1: We did the show the last couple of years.
- 25:34Speaker 1: Great results I've done the big shows.
- 25:38Speaker 1: I've done over 30 years.
- 25:41Speaker 1: I've done a lot of different shows in the country.
- 25:42Speaker 1: I haven't done them all, but I've done a lot of them as a vendor.
- 25:46Speaker 1: This is one of the best for many reasons.
- 25:48Speaker 1: It's for all people getting serious about gearing up for their winter business in this part of the world and it's busy enough that you're almost always talking to someone, but you don't have people lined up waiting to talk to you and there aren't a lot of tire kickers there.
- 26:06Speaker 1: Any show there's going to be some tire kickers, but we found, from the business environment, a great trade show to be in and plan on being back there this year.
- 26:15Speaker 3: But I digress.
- 26:16Speaker 1: Bruce, I interrupt you.
- 26:18Speaker 1: Tell us about the camping at the new location, Would you please?
- 26:21Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely the way the camping is there.
- 26:24Speaker 2: I mean, when you think campgrounds, you think all these trails and trees and woods.
- 26:29Speaker 2: Now, it's not that type of campground.
- 26:31Speaker 2: It is a big, uh, uh graveled lot and everything.
- 26:36Speaker 2: They have, um, certain number of full hooked up sites and then a lot of primitive and everything.
- 26:41Speaker 2: They're okay with people, but, you know, filling their uh campers up with the water in their storage tanks and bringing their generators for all the primitive uh camping out there.
- 26:54Speaker 2: And the nice thing is is that there's the.
- 26:56Speaker 2: If you ever go online and look at the aerial view, you'll see it there and it's.
- 27:01Speaker 2: There's a little roadway which is a private road owned by that, by R and L, and then there's the parking lot where the show and the convention center is.
- 27:10Speaker 2: I mean, it's right there.
- 27:11Speaker 2: You just walk right across the little street right there which they've told us they they have no problem closing down during the show so that people can walk back and forth safely.
- 27:19Speaker 2: Um, and you know, the R and L, being a trucking outfit, understands the towing, towing industry.
- 27:28Speaker 2: They understand that, uh, we're just good down home folks, and so they're like you know what?
- 27:34Speaker 2: You tell your guys to bring their campers out there, you tell them to sit back and enjoy it, tell them to build them a little fire, crack open a, a beverage of choice, and enjoy themselves.
- 27:46Speaker 2: Take a break from the everyday.
- 27:48Speaker 2: You know run, run, run that they do.
- 27:52Speaker 1: Yeah, it sounds like you know set up like many different campgrounds are.
- 27:57Speaker 1: Yeah, and you say their site was full hookups, and then I'll wait down to yeah.
- 28:04Speaker 1: Do you know if there's bath houses?
- 28:09Speaker 2: Um, I, I'm actually talking to a company currently that has, um, the mobile bath houses With the restrooms and everything that it goes.
- 28:19Speaker 2: Uh, we, we would be able to hook that up to one of the full sites and that way it's, uh, it can you know I'm not having to worry about a storage tank for water or anything like that it would be.
- 28:29Speaker 2: It'd be set up to go and so I'm working with that and I'm working on trying to get a sponsor for the um mobile bath house.
- 28:38Speaker 1: Yes, yeah that you know the as a pretty experienced camper.
- 28:43Speaker 1: Slash RVer, you, if you've got that, you, you got everything you need right there and that's going to be perfect for folks and it sounds like it's going to be the right atmosphere and the right attitude for just a nice relaxing weekend and people get themselves prepped for business.
- 28:59Speaker 1: I'm going to sell the the new stuff at the show.
- 29:01Speaker 1: Buy the new stuff out this year, definitely.
- 29:04Speaker 1: So tell us this the site there, if people, uh, does it lend itself to have room to do hands on training and whatnot?
- 29:13Speaker 2: Oh, there is a lot of five room there.
- 29:16Speaker 2: They own all the big fields all the way around it, um, and there's a couple of ball fields right there Close, I think there's soccer fields or things like that, and they had already told us.
- 29:26Speaker 2: They said if you guys need to do any training or have rollovers or whatever you need to do, you can do it here.
- 29:33Speaker 2: We were okay with that.
- 29:35Speaker 1: Um, that's awesome here.
- 29:37Speaker 1: I was just sitting there thinking I've dealt with several different hotels and different facilities over the years.
- 29:43Speaker 1: It must be such a joy to deal with an organization where they bring up if you don't need a room to do rollovers, we've got a space over here.
- 29:50Speaker 1: You know there are now trucking up understanding what we do, as opposed to trying to introduce that concept to a hotel I've for a number of years I had a hard time visiting the hotel down at Myrtle Beach to let me up up, right up, track the trail in the parking lot oceanfront.
- 30:06Speaker 1: So it just must be such a different stance dealing with the organization that understands who we are and what we need.
- 30:16Speaker 2: Well, they have been very welcoming and the difference is they truly want us to try out their facility and they said they would understand if we tried it out that wasn't right for us.
- 30:28Speaker 2: They understand it totally, but they're willing to work with us in any which way they can to make it right for us.
- 30:35Speaker 1: Yeah, with the presentation that we saw when we were there last year, it just seems like such a great choice.
- 30:40Speaker 1: And another thing that I noticed about the new location is the parking.
- 30:44Speaker 1: There's no hassle with parking that I won't say there was a hassle with parking at the other show, but anytime you're in that hotel environment, parking and become a challenge and a lot of times that gets out of the hands of the show promoter, the hotel handling the way they want to handle it.
- 31:00Speaker 2: Yes, well, it has a huge parking lot there where people, even our attendees, don't you know?
- 31:08Speaker 2: At Great Wolf we had to park our attendees parked off-site, we had to show them over on false carts and everything, whereas here they can park right on site.
- 31:18Speaker 1: Right, yeah, because that was a challenge.
- 31:20Speaker 1: I know you folks worked hard with that, but that was a challenge to be shuttling the people back and forth and trying to move all the people at one time.
- 31:28Speaker 1: So that's good to hear.
- 31:30Speaker 2: Yeah, and we, you know, one of the big questions I keep getting asked over and over and over is well, they don't have the big water park and everything for kids.
- 31:40Speaker 2: So how are you going to keep this family friendly and everything?
- 31:43Speaker 2: And listen, we thought that true because that was a concern of ours.
- 31:46Speaker 2: The hotel does have an indoor heated pool.
- 31:49Speaker 2: It's not a huge one, but it does have that and we knew we needed more than that.
- 31:53Speaker 2: So we've contracted with a company out of Cincinnati that has blow ups, the big blow ups.
- 32:03Speaker 2: They have the big oversized games.
- 32:05Speaker 2: Like you know, you've seen the great big connect force and all those great, big oversized games.
- 32:09Speaker 2: They have all that.
- 32:10Speaker 2: They're going to come in, they're going to handle all that for us for entertainment for kids.
- 32:17Speaker 2: And then on the Friday and Saturday night, when we have the baby sitting so that the parents can enjoy bands both nights, they've got jugglers going to come in for the kids.
- 32:28Speaker 2: They've got face painters coming in.
- 32:30Speaker 2: They've got all kinds of things.
- 32:31Speaker 2: So you know, yes, we definitely intend on keeping it family friendly and have a lot of fun and entertainment for the kids also.
- 32:41Speaker 1: Well, that's awesome to hear, because so few organizations slash events concern themselves with something that the kids do nowadays.
- 32:50Speaker 1: That's actually something for them to do physically get up and stop looking at a phone and do something.
- 32:55Speaker 1: So that's awesome to hear on so many levels it really is.
- 32:59Speaker 1: What about food at the new place?
- 33:04Speaker 2: Oh, they used to have a Max and Hermes in that place and when the contract was done with Max and Hermes, they went in and did their own restaurant.
- 33:15Speaker 2: Oh, it is so nice.
- 33:17Speaker 2: They went in, spent over a million dollars redoing this place and the foods are all trucker and toer friendly foods and they even have a wall that's a bourbon bar.
- 33:32Speaker 1: I don't know what you mean by that toer and trucker friendly, but anyway.
- 33:38Speaker 2: Well, what?
- 33:39Speaker 2: I consider toer and trucker friendly is what I would eat, which is you know your burgers, your steaks, your ribs.
- 33:45Speaker 2: You know anything that you know, because sometimes you go places and they have stuff on the menu you don't even know what it is, I'm not even sure.
- 33:52Speaker 2: When they lay in front of me what I'm trying to eat here, you'll understand it.
- 33:58Speaker 1: That's good to hear.
- 33:58Speaker 1: I was just kidding about that, that's good to hear, though I know the places, people that you go.
- 34:04Speaker 1: Sometimes they get stuck having to go traveling and, yeah, you don't even know what the stuff is on the menu or when they put it on the plate.
- 34:10Speaker 1: I absolutely agree with that.
- 34:13Speaker 2: So that restaurant's right on site.
- 34:14Speaker 2: It is on site.
- 34:16Speaker 2: And then they've got some other big plans for us as far as food out in the parking lot.
- 34:22Speaker 2: They've got these great big.
- 34:23Speaker 2: They said there are some sort of big cattle looking grills that they're going to have out there in the parking lot for us, you know, and doing foods.
- 34:33Speaker 2: Because I told them, I said, listen, I don't know about the rest of them, but I like to eat, so I'm sure they do too.
- 34:40Speaker 2: And the thing that I liked was that I've been out there twice and tried foods off the menu.
- 34:45Speaker 2: Each time I've been out there it's been delicious and at the same time the prices weren't killer prices.
- 34:53Speaker 2: You know.
- 34:53Speaker 2: I noticed the last time that last year's show at the other location I noticed the prices were so extremely high and here they were very, very friendly prices.
- 35:06Speaker 1: Yeah, well, that's good to hear because that's I tell you.
- 35:09Speaker 1: You get a sticker shop on the hamburger and fries nowadays, depending on where you order it from.
- 35:15Speaker 1: So, yeah, that's good to hear.
- 35:18Speaker 1: You know many reasons.
- 35:22Speaker 1: This is going to remain one of the great family shows.
- 35:25Speaker 1: Make sure there's a good place to eat nearby, something for the kids to do.
- 35:30Speaker 1: Everything's there on site that you need.
- 35:33Speaker 1: That's awesome to hear.
- 35:33Speaker 1: I'm really looking forward to this year and change is good and you know I'll tell everybody coming to the show it's going to be your first year there.
- 35:41Speaker 1: So any show that changes venues there's going to be a couple bumps in the road, but short to that.
- 35:48Speaker 1: I'm going to be excited to be there for the first many great shows at this great location.
- 35:54Speaker 1: It sounds like to me.
- 35:57Speaker 2: And Wes.
- 35:57Speaker 2: I know change is scary, Change is scary for people, and but I just ask that they give us a chance.
- 36:07Speaker 2: Give us a chance to show them because, listen, if we never had change, we're going to be there for change.
- 36:12Speaker 2: We'd still be riding horse and buggy, that's right, absolutely Well.
- 36:18Speaker 1: You do a great job on behalf of the Tellers Association.
- 36:21Speaker 1: Vendors can contact you as well.
- 36:25Speaker 1: There's still vendor space available, yes.
- 36:27Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, we had.
- 36:29Speaker 2: This place allows us room for growth.
- 36:31Speaker 2: We were maxed out at the Great Wolf.
- 36:34Speaker 2: We could not grow any further than where we were.
- 36:37Speaker 2: We had no more room to bring anybody in, nor where we were allowed to.
- 36:41Speaker 2: So here there's room for a lot of growth here at this location.
- 36:48Speaker 1: That's an example of why this probably is the right thing, because there's many different things that slide at all at the same time, and that's good to see that now, with the new place, you'll be able to expand and folks can do more there on the property to have a better event for themselves.
- 37:04Speaker 1: Okay, that's great to see that here at this.
- 37:05Speaker 1: Thank good, thank you, okay.
- 37:05Speaker 1: Yeah, let's take a fast break, folks, and we'll be right back with more of the Midwest region on tow show.
- 37:16Speaker 3: Information in this podcast is made possible by generous sponsorship from Henry's Rekker.
- 37:20Speaker 3: Serving the community with quality towing and recovery for over 40 years, Henry's Rekkercom.
- 37:27Speaker 1: You're listening to the American Towing and Recovery Institute podcast with Wes Wilburn, DJ Harrington, the great Bruce Bender.
- 37:34Speaker 1: I want all of you thank you for listening, like, review and share everywhere.
- 37:40Speaker 1: We can't thank you enough for growing this podcast.
- 37:43Speaker 1: If you'd like to hear more people and more state associations, like the Ohio show, this show is being put on by the people out of Kentucky and also West Virginia, hooked up with Ohio Towing and Recovery Association, Remember to like and review and if you want to hear more people like Bruce Bender, dial the number at 706-409-5603 and Wes Wilburn will do their best to have a mind.
- 38:10Speaker 1: I want to remind all of you that the Midwest regional tow show is a state association.
- 38:17Speaker 1: It still has live demos, seminars.
- 38:21Speaker 1: You don't have to pay a passport fee to go and learn all of it's free Friday night.
- 38:28Speaker 1: In Saturday night they have live music Friday night.
- 38:31Speaker 1: That band's been there forever.
- 38:33Speaker 1: Saturday night, Free Core Chaos is going to be playing as a famous Georgia band that's coming up there to play.
- 38:41Speaker 1: There's a beauty contest, a light show, a safety fashion show that everybody knows about.
- 38:49Speaker 1: That goes on there.
- 38:51Speaker 1: Remember that Thursday night and the reason why Saturday night Wes Wilburn was the one who got me excited because the live auction helps the injured driver's fund.
- 39:03Speaker 1: You never hear about that at a corporate show, but at statewide shows they're helping the state association.
- 39:11Speaker 1: When you go there or you take an exhibit there, that exhibitor is helping the association.
- 39:18Speaker 1: I believe every tower should go and visit every vendor that's at that show and thank them for being there Friday night after the candlelight vigil that goes on for all of our lost members.
- 39:31Speaker 1: I'm not in your stomach.
- 39:34Speaker 1: It is a kid's friendly show and I can't tell you how proud I am.
- 39:41Speaker 1: I believe, as a Christian, one door opens and God opens another door.
- 39:47Speaker 1: This will be one of the finest shows in our country if we all together, all the states, come to Ohio and participate in this great function and watch how a state association helps the industry.
- 40:04Speaker 1: All right, Wes, I've said my part.
- 40:07Speaker 1: Well, you said a lot there, DJ, and I agree with it all 100%.
- 40:12Speaker 1: This is what we just talked about.
- 40:14Speaker 1: It was two episodes three episodes ago where I had to read you for the episode.
- 40:20Speaker 3: Yes.
- 40:21Speaker 1: I don't even know if I got there by the time people are hearing this.
- 40:25Speaker 1: Obviously we talked about it.
- 40:29Speaker 1: Where does the money go?
- 40:31Speaker 1: The Toeing and Retail Reassociation of Ohio, which, bruce, is the only paid employer.
- 40:38Speaker 1: They don't spend money on the lobbyists and correct me if I'm saying anything out of line for it.
- 40:45Speaker 1: You're correct the Toeing and Retail Reassociation of Ohio.
- 40:50Speaker 1: Who benefits from this?
- 40:52Speaker 1: Like DJ said, they take care of their injured driver's fund.
- 40:57Speaker 1: The women's auxiliary does the silent auction where they raise all kinds of money to do good things for the association.
- 41:04Speaker 1: Thursday night auction is quite something to see and participate in An excellent event.
- 41:11Speaker 1: It's a fun event and it's all raising money for the industry.
- 41:15Speaker 1: The money's going right back into the industry.
- 41:17Speaker 1: That is the difference, my friends, and this is the kind of show that we're talking about.
- 41:22Speaker 1: Florida, ohio, new York, these are state shows.
- 41:28Speaker 1: If the money goes back into the state to support lobbying efforts and things like that, tell us a little bit about the association and correct me if I'm wrong on anything that I said or expand on any of the things that DJ and myself mentioned, if you would please, bruce.
- 41:45Speaker 2: Well, one of the things that you mentioned was lobbying.
- 41:47Speaker 2: I don't think that a lot of people realize that the associations are here and usually you have a handful of the people on a board that are willing to go that extra mile and work at the state house to work for the rest of the toers in that state, just like you have your national associations and things like that that work for everybody across the state.
- 42:20Speaker 2: They don't realize the time that it takes to make that happen or the money A lobbyist is not cheap at all.
- 42:32Speaker 2: I mean, if you can find a lobbyist for $3,000 a month, you're doing good.
- 42:37Speaker 2: Most are anywhere from five to 10 to 12 to $15,000 a month for lobbyists and to be there to represent the industry.
- 42:48Speaker 2: And it's so important that we have the funds to pay the lobbyists to be there to represent and be the eyes and ears and mouth there for the industry, because if you don't have people fighting for you, trust me, there's so many legislators out there that do not understand our industry.
- 43:12Speaker 2: They just go by hearsay.
- 43:15Speaker 2: They do so.
- 43:17Speaker 2: They assume that all our people do is go out here and tow cars and take people's money.
- 43:26Speaker 2: They don't realize the importance of our industry and what we really are about.
- 43:33Speaker 2: So what they do is they turn around and put bills in to change laws for the industry because they feel like that they're out there working for the consumer.
- 43:45Speaker 2: They forget that the service that our towers are doing out there, the public service that our towers are doing, and lots of times doing for free or giving up time with their families or putting their life on the line every time that they're out there by that white line.
- 44:04Speaker 2: So it takes money to fight.
- 44:07Speaker 2: I don't want to sound like an infomercial hero giving me your money.
- 44:13Speaker 2: That's not what I'm trying to say.
- 44:14Speaker 2: If you're not supporting your local and state association, it can get really bad for you very quick when the money runs dry and there's nobody there to fight for you.
- 44:29Speaker 1: Very well said and it's a fact.
- 44:32Speaker 1: Folks, I'll say it you do need to take money and support associations.
- 44:36Speaker 1: Are associations perfect organizations?
- 44:38Speaker 1: No, very many of them can be challenging.
- 44:42Speaker 1: You got to look beyond the little challenges and see the big hurdles, and that's what we're talking about.
- 44:47Speaker 1: And the lobbying you're talking about is on the state level, if I'm correct.
- 44:54Speaker 2: Bruce.
- 44:56Speaker 1: And that's where a whole lot of laws that affect telling operations.
- 45:00Speaker 1: There's more laws on the state level than on a national level that affect telling operations.
- 45:06Speaker 1: That I have to believe.
- 45:07Speaker 1: So I think it's critical to be involved in support organizations like this and attend events like this trade show.
- 45:16Speaker 1: And you know the trade show is good for many things.
- 45:19Speaker 1: It's a nice little break, get away and recharge your batteries.
- 45:22Speaker 1: It's a nice little tune up to get ready for serious business.
- 45:27Speaker 1: As winter is coming on in that part of the world, Folks from many different states I normally see folks from Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, Kentucky.
- 45:38Speaker 1: What different state associations participate at your show as well?
- 45:43Speaker 2: Well, I mean we have.
- 45:46Speaker 2: We have Kentucky that has even helped at different times, like with our driving, competition, things like that.
- 45:53Speaker 2: West Virginia that helps with different things.
- 45:56Speaker 2: As neat, you know they, you know what.
- 45:58Speaker 2: We have such good, good people in this industry and such good state supporting each other.
- 46:04Speaker 2: And I hate to go back to this whole, to the lobbying thing, that there is one thing I want to say is when these, when exhibitors support the show and that money helps support the lobbying and things like that for the industry, what they don't stop to think about is that if they don't support the shows that are association shows and that money's being used for the to support the industry, when things go sour for the industry because the funds are not there, there's not going to be funds to buy products from the exhibitors either.
- 46:42Speaker 2: Because when things go sour for the industry because of new laws that are being passed that are not beneficial to the towing industry and places have to start shutting down, that's their customers that will no longer be there.
- 46:57Speaker 1: It's a fact you know.
- 46:58Speaker 1: Basically, what we're talking about is when you look at running a business, you can either be playing checkers or playing chess.
- 47:07Speaker 1: Yup, checkers.
- 47:08Speaker 1: There's one jump at a time.
- 47:09Speaker 1: We're talking about people that play chess, and they're in this for the long term.
- 47:13Speaker 1: Let's face it many of these businesses are multi-generational, so helping make it better for your next generation can affect your own family many times.
- 47:27Speaker 2: And listen, these, these laws that get passed, and everything, they set precedence.
- 47:31Speaker 2: So something that happens in Ohio, which you think, oh well, that'll never happen to us, let's say in Tennessee or Florida or somewhere else Guess what.
- 47:43Speaker 2: Once you set precedence, then and they and it's found out, it starts spreading.
- 47:49Speaker 2: It's like a vicious disease going around.
- 47:53Speaker 2: You know it.
- 47:53Speaker 2: It spreads the the more that the states can fight off these things that are going on, the better it is across the whole country.
- 48:05Speaker 1: Right Absolutely.
- 48:06Speaker 1: I cannot agree with that strongly enough, absolutely.
- 48:11Speaker 1: And to be clear, for the association's lobbying efforts.
- 48:17Speaker 1: Sometimes they're supporting legislation, sometimes they're.
- 48:22Speaker 1: Sometimes they're in favor of, sometimes they're opposing.
- 48:25Speaker 2: That's right.
- 48:26Speaker 1: That's a I was going to say.
- 48:28Speaker 1: Is that a correct statement?
- 48:29Speaker 2: That is an absolute, correct statement.
- 48:31Speaker 2: Yes, you know, if, if there's legislation going through that we feel would be beneficial, we'd be the first one right there to back it.
- 48:38Speaker 2: But at the same time, if, if we feel like it's going to hurt the industry as a whole, we're right there to oppose.
- 48:47Speaker 1: And over the years, you all have had bills introduced on your behalf to favor the telling industry.
- 48:54Speaker 1: Right, Right, yes, absolutely so.
- 49:00Speaker 1: I'm just trying to make the listeners aware that it's not only a defensive stand, it's an offensive stand that the association has taken on behalf of Towers.
- 49:10Speaker 1: Whether they're members or not, whether they come to the show or not.
- 49:13Speaker 1: They're offensive stands and defensive stands that have been happening for many years, yeah.
- 49:23Speaker 2: And I encourage people to become a member of the association, those, those you may think, those that small, you know, whatever the association do's, or that small amount is not going to do anything, but those small amounts add up and and you know like here in Ohio we have two, two associations, and if anybody ever calls me and says to me which one should I join, I say both.
- 49:47Speaker 1: Right.
- 49:47Speaker 2: And so you know we're all working towards the same objective.
- 49:51Speaker 2: We're all.
- 49:52Speaker 2: We're all working to, you know, to better the industry and and both associations are putting money into paying for lobbyists to to work on these things.
- 50:00Speaker 2: And so I tell them both, both.
- 50:04Speaker 2: Why would you choose one?
- 50:05Speaker 2: We're both putting we're putting the efforts and money into it to support both.
- 50:10Speaker 2: It's not that you know for what it could, what it could cost you in the long run to not be a member.
- 50:16Speaker 2: It's better to be a member and and be there and know what's going on and support it.
- 50:23Speaker 1: That's a very very mature and very, very business-minded thought process there.
- 50:28Speaker 1: I commend you for that, bruce.
- 50:31Speaker 1: I absolutely commend you.
- 50:32Speaker 1: Hey, wes, can I add something to what Bruce is saying as a business owner?
- 50:38Speaker 1: It's a tax write-off.
- 50:41Speaker 1: Are you going to one of the demonstrations or are you going to a seminar?
- 50:45Speaker 1: It helps you improve your bottom line, so it gets a tax deduction.
- 50:50Speaker 1: This is the most family-friendly event of the whole year, so my suggestion is you put your family in the car.
- 50:59Speaker 1: If you don't have an RV or a camp, they have it.
- 51:03Speaker 1: On their website, midwesttoeshoworg has five different rental places.
- 51:09Speaker 1: You could rent an RV or a fifth wheel or a campsite.
- 51:14Speaker 1: But, bruce, I'm self-telling people bring your hot dogs, bring your cold beverages, make schmores and have a memory built right there at the 45th Midwest Regional Toe Show.
- 51:30Speaker 1: This is a memory-building event.
- 51:33Speaker 1: Every time I've gone to the show, I have never been more proud of being in this industry than I am at this Toe Show.
- 51:42Speaker 1: If folks want more information, how can they get more information about the show or contact?
- 51:49Speaker 1: you about the association.
- 51:56Speaker 2: They can go on wwwmidwesttoeshoworg, or they can feel free to send me a message, send me an email personally, which is brucebruceorg.
- 52:12Speaker 1: Again, that's brucebruceorg, bruce anything else you'd like to share with us.
- 52:22Speaker 2: You know, if there's anything that I can ask of everybody, just give us a chance.
- 52:27Speaker 2: Give us a chance and come on out and check out the new location.
- 52:30Speaker 2: I think you'll really enjoy it.
- 52:32Speaker 2: Listen, I am always open to new suggestions.
- 52:36Speaker 2: If you see me there and you have an idea, holler at me, come see me.
- 52:43Speaker 2: Come tell me about it, because I love ideas.
- 52:45Speaker 2: I know some people have a hard time with that.
- 52:48Speaker 2: I don't have a problem with that at all.
- 52:50Speaker 2: I love new ideas because that's how you grow and that's how you're successful, with not only your own ideas but the ideas of others and things like that.
- 53:00Speaker 2: If I can make something happen that'll help it to grow, and I'm willing to listen, I'm always willing to listen.
- 53:08Speaker 2: You can pick up a phone and call me, or you can walk right up to me and talk to me and I'll take notes.
- 53:14Speaker 1: Well, that's one of the things I like about your Bruce, and you're always willing to listen to new ideas and you do a great job.
- 53:20Speaker 1: On behalf of the towers of the Midwest region, we can't thank you enough for what you do, and we're looking forward to being there in September and working with you.
- 53:30Speaker 1: What's the date?
- 53:30Speaker 1: Again?
- 53:32Speaker 2: September 21st through the 24th.
- 53:34Speaker 1: I guess that's a wrap.
- 53:35Speaker 1: We can't thank you enough for your time.
- 53:37Speaker 1: We'll look forward to seeing you and God bless everybody be safe out there.
- 53:42Speaker 2: Thanks, Thank you guys, so very much.