A year ago, I introduced you to the first additions to the CC Corps, our car-crazy cadre of talented Editors and Contributors. Since then, the ranks have swelled, thanks to our lavish compensation packages. So let’s meet and greet the more recent additions to the gang that makes CC go, and is it ever going…
CC continues to grow steadily; some 70,000 Unique Visitors visited us this past month. That’s up more than 400% from this time last year. Some check in daily or regularly; others find us via google searches for a specific car or subject in our growing library of Curbside Classics and Histories.
You might have met some of the CCC before, but here they are. And their full bios, as well as the rest of gang (Jim Cavanaugh, Laurence Jones, David Saunders, and Michael Freeman, are all in the “About” page here.
Tom Klockau: Tom must have just missed our CCC round-up last year, as his first post (Porsche 912) ran exactly one year ago. Tom relieved me at the helm for a couple of months this spring, for which I am very grateful. Tom has gone back to a day job, at his father’s Insurance company, Illinois Casualty Company. But he keeps finding and writing up CCs in and around his home in Rock Island, IL.
Ed Stembridge: Ed is our Tech Guru as well as a Contributor, and has upgraded and cleaned up the site, even if we aren’t yet quite at warp speed. If he can keep that old baler going, he’ll keep us going.
An industrial designer by education, Ed has worked in product design, “old” and new media development and brand management for businesses ranging in size from his own consultancy (one employee) to the Fortune 50 company (150,000+ employees) where he currently manages product branding for an extensive line of earthmoving machines and related equipment. The father of two grown sons, Ed and his family moved from an Atlanta, Georgia suburb to a small farm in the Mid West in late 2001, where his attempts at small-scale farming regularly provide entertainment to the local “real” farmers.
Tony LaHood (“Imperialist”): If you’ve noticed fewer typos and dangling participles, it’s thanks to Tony, who is reviewing and editing our posts before they go live. He’s a behind-the-scenes asset to CC, and we’re very thankful. Now if I could just get my posts to him consistently before they go up; I have a bad habit of putting up a post, then editing it afterwards. What’s the hurry?
Tony has worked in advertising and PR for thirty years. He was an advertising copywriter on the Hyundai account back in the early days. After unsuccessfully pitching the tagline, “The relentless pursuit of adequacy”, he went on to work as a creative director and writer on Olds, Land Rover, Mazda and Kia. His non-automotive campaigns have sold everything from consumer electronics to real estate developments to cemetery plots. Tony currently works as a freelance copywriter and voiceover talent, and performs comedy and improv on various Orange County, CA. stages.
Len Peters (“Canucknucklehead”): Len is just wrapping up his turn as COAL-man (Cars Of A Lifetime), and will hopefully find other subjects to share with us. A businessman, Len resides in Vancouver, B.C. with his three children, little dog and his wife, Annie. Len was born in Quebec but left for the West Coast at the age of 12; “It’s definitely influenced me a lot in the way I grew up, with lots of freaks and hippies,” he has reported to have said.
Len has always been an avid car nut and he possess considerable knowledge due to his taxi and garage experience. In addition, he has worked in dealer service. He has fortunately left the car business and now spends his free time traveling, scuba diving and sampling the hot springs of British Columbia.
Kevin Martin: He’s been regaling us with his photo-essays of Indy, Bonneville and Pikes Peak, and shortly, Kevin will become the next COAL-man here. Now that promises to be a ride.
Lee Wilcox: Lee hails from five acres in the heart of Texas (near Houston). He served in Vietnam, has worked as an HVAC contractor and more recently as a Special Ed teacher, where he and his students built an EV trike. Lee has been writing a regular series on motorcycles, as well as other CC posts.
And of course, there’s also our less-frequent Contributors: Ian Williams, Eric Van Buren, Mike George, Richard Bennett, Mike Butts, Ric Wayman; did I forget anyone? Oh right, Alan Petrillo. Probably others too. And feel free to introduce yourself, if we haven’t had the pleasure yet.
Welcome, all! It’s great to see the faces behind the names.
Maybe when I retire (in the not-too-distant future), I can join you — we’ll see how it goes.
Indeed, nice to put the faces to the byline…… It’s great to meet you all and thanks for all that you do. This is a nice place to stop by every day!
I wish to add my welcome as well. As much as I enjoy contributing to the site, I get at least as much enjoyment from reading the fine work that everyone else puts up on the site every day. I love the wide variety in age, experience, geography and viewpoint that comes to us via all of the site’s contributors (and commentators, as well).
Now, if I can just figure out that secret, elusive place in the “middle west” where Ed Stembridge makes all of his technical magic . . . . . 🙂
It’s what’s known as an ‘undisclosed location…’ (c:
Welcome Ed! Do you give advice on the repair of Ford 9n/8n tractors? I’m having a hard time getting used to the fluid leaks coming from everywhere.
Sure thing! Head over to the 8N forums at http://ytforums.ytmag.com/viewforum.php?f=16 and ask away there – that’s another of my online hangouts…
Nice to put some more faces to names. Quite a varied set of backgrounds we have.
A special thanks to all who contribute and support a great website. Nice to put a face to their work. Great job folks!
I know I’m parroting other folks, but it’s nice to meet all of you guys!
Well I have to say that it is quite an honor to be named among such an extraordinary group of writers and historians!
As a small child in Ypsilanti, MI, no one really knew why I took such an interest in cars, myself included. All I did know was that I knew what I liked. I guess it could be said that I was a bit of a Broughamaholic from the very beginning!
My dad used to set me on the picnic table on the back porch of our home and he and his friends would be amazed as I would name every car that passed by on the busy road behind our house.
As for automotive “connections”, I credit my grandfather, who was in Transmission Troubleshooting with Ford, and his brother my uncle that was one of Lincoln-Mercury’s top troubleshooters, with providing me with lots of inside information and technical insight that helped me to understand how the automobile, and the automobile industry worked.
As some of you know, this past year has been a rough one for me, what with the loss of my father and grandfather (not to mention my uncle), as well as my own significant health issues, which is why the stories have not been frequent. But thankfully, my health seems to be improving, and I am always on the hunt for the perfect specimen for me next CC!
I’ll try harder next year. Although I do kinda like the title “semi-frequent.”
Hmmm…the Edit function is not working tonight…
I wanted to also share a little more about me. These days I work as a Representative for a large Credit Union in Northeast Michigan, and teach Sunday School to teenagers.
I decided this year after doing wedding and portrait photography since 1992 that it was time for a change. I now focus on what I call “City and Scenery” photography, which of course includes cars!
Good to know you Richard, and everyone else on here who contributes. I Look forward to your next CC! I Have missed seeing you Richard. I too appreciate a nice Deluxifacation, mixed with a helping of gingerbread, in my American car Tastes.
Thank you, I appreciate that!
Umm, Paul, I think you made a mistake . I’m sure that’s Wilford Brimley in the second to last photo. Thank you for your contributions – all of you. I’m usually here most nights.
How dare you, sir!
Paul, thanks for welcoming a novice such as myself into the fray. It has been a blast!
This is what makes CC such a great site. Thanks to all.
What a pleasure to find out a little more about the folks behind the names that keep me interested and informed. Gentlemen: from the Southern Hemisphere, I salute you!
+1
What a great round-up of talent we have on this site! Thank you, Paul, for providing us with refreshment from all the hard core and sometimes over-passionate goings-on at TTAC.
These two sites are a perfect compliment to each other, and I hope to be able to enjoy them both for many years to come, even if my stories and experiences are boring!
Oh I see how it is. Apparently two articles a year doesn’t justify my huge signing bonus, so I got written out of the will. 😉
I’m sorry, do I know you? 🙂
If that slacker Mike George is in, so are you.
Fords, New Hollands and a Cub Lo-Boy-now I know we are in good hands! Now all we need is some John Deere green and we will be set.
Perhaps I should take a picture of my New Beetle pulling my JD manure spreader – “Herbie: Fully Loaded.” (c:
That’d be great! And be sure to “keep your hands and other body parts within the ride at all times,” not forgetting to wear your hard hat. I still recall Adventures in Cattle Yard Cleaning-we had rocks!