TWNA @ HDAW
Walter Haessner - Obituary & Biography
Communication Award Update
Awards Banquet Update
Glossary Update
TWNA Lifetime Achievement Award
2007 Industry Awards Banquet Tickets
TWNA @ Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week
We are working with HDAW executives on TWNA involvement with
the pre-show Monday night cocktail party, aiming at a Meet The
Trade Press format along with explanation of what TWNA is and
does. Brochures and flyers will be distributed. If you are going
to be attending the show, bring copies of your publications
to share. The show is January 23-25, Las Vegas.
TWNA Press Members
can obtain a comp registration for the annual Heavy Duty Dialogue,
scheduled for Monday (1/22/07) from 8:00AM to 5:30PM, with a
Continental Breakfast available at 6:30AM. For press registration
and other program details, please contact Margaret Beck at HDMA.
There will be press
conferences and a press luncheon scheduled for Tuesday (1/23/07).
We'll send along a detailed schedule as soon as it becomes available.
Vehicle Enthusiast & Publisher Walter
R. Haessner Dies At 71
Walter R. Haessner died Wednesday morning, December 27th, of
lymphoma-related causes. Always the optimist, he fought this
disease since 1998, never giving up hope there would be a cure.
However, beginning January 14, 2006, one infection after another
kept him bedridden at home or in the hospital for the better
part of the year, until finally his immune system could cope
no longer. It was time for this tough old Marine to move on
to the final adventure.
Walter R. Haessner
was a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers and several
automotive journalism organizations. He held a BS in marketing.
Highly respected
throughout the automotive world, Walt will be missed for his
cheerful laugh that could fill a room, his gleeful enthusiasm
about whatever his current activity might be, his willingness
to share his knowledge, and his dedication to accuracy in media.
His communications
company, AZTEX Corporation, publishes non-fiction books, primarily
in the fields of transportation, auto racing and corporate history.
Long recognized as an automotive expert, Haessner served as
consultant and/or executed projects for the Franklin Mint, Ford
Motor Company, Shell Oil Company, Mobil Oil Corp (ExxonMobil),
Fram Filter Co., Jaguar Cars N.A., Lubrizol Corp., Unocal, and
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Walt was born May
17, 1935, in Passaic, N.J. At an early age he moved with his
mother and step-father to Miami, Fla. Summers were spent with
his father in New Jersey. In 1954 he went on two years active
duty with the U.S. Marine Corps, during which time he completed
high school, went to camera repair school, got married, became
a father, and achieved the rank of corporal.
After service, he
was purchasing agent for Century Engineering Co. in New Jersey,
for which he had worked summers during high school. He then
went to Reaction Motors (Thiokol) as a high speed engineering
photographer working on the X-15 missile project, followed by
a period at Cape Canaveral, Florida, with RCA Missile Test Project
as one of 300 photographers hired out of 30,000 interviewed.
While at the Cape,
he went to the 1960 12 Hours of Sebring as a track photographer.
He left the Cape in late 1962, returned to Newfoundland, New
Jersey, and began his own marketing/public relations/photography/publishing
business. Walt was East Coast photographer for Sports Car Graphic
for 1963 and 1964. His first publishing contract was for the
1964 12 Hours of Sebring race program. One of his more memorable
marketing gigs was arranging to have Great Western Champagne
of New York in the Winner's Circle of the (circa) 1971 Can-Am
races.
Well-known in automotive
corporate and automotive media circles in the 1960s and 1970s
for his involvement with the 12 Hours of Sebring as commercial
public relations director, which incorporated all sales of advertising
as well as solicitation of sponsorship monies, Walt also joined
the late Bill Finefrock in producing advertising/ editorial
inserts and/or full race programs for the Can-Am, Trans-Am and
Formula 5000 sports car series.
Haessner garnered
numerous awards, both for his writing and as publisher. These
include the Imperial Palace Moto Award 1988 for an editorial
in Restoration News Bulletin; two Society of Automotive Historians
Cugnot Awards for the books "MACK" by John B. Montville
(1974), and "My Two Lives: Race Driver to Restaurateur"
by Rene Dreyfus with Beverly Rae Kimes; as well as two Antique
Automobile Club of America Thomas KcKean awards for "MACK"
by John B. Montville (1974), and "Tire Wars: Racing with
Goodyear" by William Neely (1994). Five titles have been
book club selections.
In 1983, Haessner
founded the International Society for VEHICLE Preservation (ISVP),
a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization. The Society's
purpose is to spread an appreciation and understanding of the
benefits of freedom of movement to society worldwide, to assist
in accurate preservation and restoration of vehicles and related
artifacts, and accurate recording of the history thereof.
The idea for this
organization arose from a meeting with the late Henry Austin
Clark, Jr., at his home in Glen Cove, N.Y., at which time "Austie"
told Walt the only way it would happen is if Walt just "went
and did it himself." And so he did, with the support of
an eclectic group of individuals from auto racing, collecting,
media, museums, archiving, restoration--from Italy, France,
England, and the US, who served on the Board of Advisors.
One of the Society's
main functions today is the annual International Automotive
Media Competition, to recognize and encourage excellence in
all forms of automotive media. For the fourth year, the Truck
Writers of North America has asked ISVP to administer its awards
program under the same standards.
Haessner's interest
in things automotive goes back to his childhood. He got his
driver's license at 14, bought his first vehicle: a 1923 American
LaFrance Brockway Torpedo chemical fire truck, and did a ground-up
restoration on it while still in high school. He had an extensive
automotive library as well as photo archives.
Though much of his
life centered around automobiles, Walt became fascinated with
computers while at the Cape in the early 1960s and his interest
therein grew exponentially over the years. He consumed computer
manuals, was an avid science fiction devotee, and was "owned"
by an old grey cat.
He leaves behind
his wife and soul-mate of 52 years, Elaine C. (Jordan) Haessner;
three beloved children: Ursula Haessner Cochran of Florida,
Walter W. Haessner of Arizona, and Dora E. H. Crow and husband
Jim of California; and four adored grandchildren: Lane Ferguson
and Sara Cochran of Florida; and Eric and Stephanie Crow of
California.
In lieu of flowers,
it is suggested that anyone wishing to make a remembrance in
his name send a donation to either the American Cancer Society,
or to the Haessner family church (his great-uncle was the first
pastor there) - St John Lutheran Church, 140 Lexington Avenue,
Passaic, NJ 07055.
A service, followed
by a Celebration of Life, will be held at St John's at a date
to be determined. Those wishing to attend, or to be kept up
to date regarding this, are asked to contact Elaine Haessner
at isvp@earthlink.net
so your e-mail address may be added to the register.
Communication Awards
Although there will be a slight delay in the processing of entries
while Elaine tends to Walter's final arrangements, the TWNA
Communication Awards will still be on target for presentation
at the Industry Awards Banquet.
Numerous entries
were received during the holidays, and the processing delay
should allow a few more stragglers to make the cut. If you are
still interested in making a submission, please drop a note
to Elaine ASAP to facilitate
the scheduling of judges.
Also, we could still
use a few more judges. The process involves reviewing and scoring
5-10 entries. Typically, there is a period of 30 days to complete
the review and scoring, however, that may be truncated slightly
this year. Every effort is made to avoid any conflicts of interest
and each entry is scored by two different judges. If you think
you can help, contact Elaine for further details.
MATS Banquet
We are still seeking sponsors for the banquet. Plans are underway
for a theme for the presentations. David Kolman, DK Communications,
will once again emcee the event.
Glossary Update
Another draft of the Glossary of Trucking Terms has been circulated
to the board. The glossary will be divided into several sections
including General Trucking Terms, Technical Language and Slang.
Board members are working on finalizing the definitions for
slang expressions.
Lifetime Achievement Award
The board has voted to change the qualifications for eligibility
for the TWNA Lifetime Achievement Award. The award now can be
given to any communicator who has made a significant contribution
to the industry. The recipient of this year's award has been
selected.
TWNA
Industry Awards Banquet Tickets
Those wishing to attend TWNA's Fourth Annual Industry Awards
Banquet (3/22/07 @ Mid-America) can begin reserving tickets
now. The price for tickets is $60.00, or $450.00 per table (8
seats). Press attendees who purchase tickets will receive a
complimentary renewal/new-membership at the individual press
member level. To reserve your seats, contact TWNA at admin@twna.org
via e-mail.
