Light Duty Tow Truck Training Class- May 17, 2017
March Board Meeting
JOHN “BUTCH” MANTON THOMPSON, JR.
JOHN “BUTCH” MANTON THOMPSON, JR.
( August 28, 1944 – May 22, 2017 )
John “Butch” Manton Thompson, Jr. 72, Barnum, died Monday, May 22, 2017 in Solvay Hospice House, Duluth. He was born on August 28, 1944 in Duluth to Edna and John Thompson, Sr. He grew up in Lawler and Duluth and later moved to Barnum where he attended Barnum High School graduating in 1962. Butch attended Dunwoody for a short time and later enlisted in the United States Army until receiving a medical discharge. He later worked on the Railroad, plowing snow for the State of MN, and as a mechanic for Odberg & Ryan in Duluth and Moses Chevrolet in Carlton. In 1967, he began working for his father at Thompson Motor Service in Barnum and in 1981 went on his own with Thompson Motor Service. He also operated Big T Truck Center in Carlton for about 5 years and also purchased Lake City Towing in 1992.
He was a member of Barnum Community United Methodist Church. Butch was also a member of Barnum Community Club, Barnum Fire Department, Barnum Lions Club, and the Moosehorn Rod & Gun Club. He had a great love for classic cars and organized several car shows in the area and was a member of both the National and Minnesota Impala Clubs. Butch was also involved in the Minnesota Towing Association. He truly loved his Barnum community and loved to help support and promote events that were happening. Butch loved to visit and was often found in area restaurants soaking in the latest news or enjoying a game of cribbage with his friends.
Butch is preceded in death by his parents.
Butch is survived by his wife, Sharon; two sons: Chad (Erica) of Esko and Jay (Shanna) of Duluth ; 5 grandchildren whom he thought the world of: Alex, Zach, Nicholas, Grant, and Clarissa; two sisters: Valerie (Terry) O’Rourke and Judy (Ronald) Welhaven; several nieces, nephews, in-laws and many friends.
Visitation will be from 6-8 PM, Friday, May 26 in Barnum Community United Methodist Church and continue Saturday, May 27 from 10 AM until the 11 AM service in Barnum Community United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Barnum.
To sign the guestbook online, go to: www.hhkfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Hamlin-Hansen-Kosloski Funeral Home, Moose Lake.
Heavy Duty Tow Schools with Tom Luciano
It was September of 2014 since the MPTA hosted a 2-day Heavy Duty Tow School featuring Miller Industries Tom Luciano. In all reality, the MPTA, actually towing students were blessed to have Tom here for three days. As most of you know, when Mr. Luciano comes to town, which only means one thing… a disciplined, hard nose approach to learning the techniques of heavy duty towing and recovery.
Between all three days, over 60 towing operators/students attended this highly anticipated event as all were not disappointed. Spending valued time in the classroom learning chains, straps, pivot points and leverage, later trading in the classroom textbooks for a great learning experience in the field. On the third day, for the first time, towing operators/students benefited from working with Tom learning more about rotators and their delicate operations.
Congratulations to those who attended this Heavy Duty Tow School featuring Miller Industries Tom Luciano. We are fortunate as an Association to have Tom back up here every two years. So… hope to see you next time! Special thanks to the Pellow family of Twin Cities Wrecker Sales for hosting our great Heavy Duty School and working with Miller Industries in securing Tom for three days!!!
Presidents Letter by Brett Letourneau
Well, it took a while to get rolling, but we finally have a little winter weather that is favorable to the towing business! Whether your business thrives in the sub zero temperatures, snowstorms, or both, it seems that we have had something for everyone. I hope everyone’s staff and equipment has held up so that we can all capitalize on the seasonal opportunities.
Social media , like it or not, seems like it is here to stay. I read an article recently that claimed over 80% of Americans say they get their daily news from social media! That seems scary to me, but what is more alarming is how it is used in business. It can dramatically effect your business if you don’t use it wisely. We have all seen the mistakes that an employee of a business makes put on Facebook or You Tube and go “viral”. Even if the clip was taken out of context, it can destroy the reputation of a business in no time. On line reviews, if not managed, can also have an adverse effect on the reputation of the business. However, good reviews and light hearted or informative posts can serve as a way to keep a good reputation and stay in contact with your customers. After all, we know that name recognition is one of the most important components to the success of any business. No matter how you feel about social media, it can either be a way to keep your name in front of your customers or a way to earn a bad reputation.
I also want to remind everyone to check our associations calendar for upcoming events. We will have several tow schools and other social events being held throughout the year and we would love to see everyone attend!
As always, I invite all members to attend our monthly board meetings which are typically on the third Tuesday of each month. If you can’t make it to a meeting, please feel free to call me, any of the other board members, or Lance Klatt with any questions or ideas you have. We want input!
Spring is around the corner!