IRVINE, Calif.,
(February 2005) William H. Smith, former executive director of the Antique Automobile
Club of America (AACA) for 17 years, will be honored as the Car Hobby’s Person of the Year on April 9, 2005 as the 11th annual Meguiar’s Award gala event returns to the spectacular 3,500-seat Kodak Theatre at Hollywood and Highland in Hollywood, Calif. The award pays tribute to individuals whose contributions have significantly impacted the rapidly
expanding car hobby that now embodies more than 25 million people in the United States.
William
H. Smith has had a tremendous influence on the car hobby in a multitude of
areas. Under his leadership, AACA became the largest collector car club in the
world, with more than 60,000 members and 400 regional clubs worldwide. He was
the co-founder of the Automotive Restoration Marketing Organization (ARMA) and
was the driving force behind the renowned Hershey Swap Meet.
A
collector of antique autos since the age of 14 when he acquired a Model A Ford
and a 1939 Chevrolet Coupe, Smith joined the AACA in 1966 when he began restoring a 1927 Ford roadster pickup, which subsequently won a 1st Junior, Senior and a Grand National Award. In 1975 Smith was elected to the AACA Board of Governors and served for two years (1979-1980) as the organization’s National President. During his tenure he has judged at 155 meets throughout the U.S.
and been published in numerous hobby magazines including Old Cars Weekly and Hemmings
Motor News.
One
of Smith’s dreams – to establish an AACA
Museum as the climax of
the organization’s on-going efforts in preservation and education – became a
reality when the AACA
Museum opened in
2003. The Museum features more than 80
automobiles and hundreds of artifacts and is located near Hershey, Penn.
Today, he serves on its Board of Directors. While he officially retired as AACA
Executive Director in 2003, Smith continues his activities on behalf of the
collector car community as a spokesperson and lobbyist for the hobby.
The selection process for the Meguiar’s Award is
kept separate from the business interests of Meguiar’s, Inc. Keith Martin, editor and publisher of Sports Car Market Magazine and
contributing editor to the SPEED Channel, led this year’s committee to its
unanimous decision. The Meguiar’s Award
Selection Committee brings together a
cross section of leading automotive journalists and serious car enthusiasts
each year to make this all-important decision.
Candidates are evaluated on their contribution to
the growth, quality, visibility and respectability of the hobby, their
assistance with federal, state and local legislation affecting the hobby, and
their community involvement. The 2005
selection panel consists of:
BJ Birtwell, DaimlerChrysler
Brian Brennan, Street Rodder Magazine
Rich Ceppos, AutoWeek
Pete Chapouris, So-Cal Speed Shop
Richie Clyne, The Auto Collections at the Imperial
Palace
Dick DeLoach, Lowrider Magazine
John Dianna, Super
Rod/American Rodder
Michael Dobrin, DriveMedia
Tom Gale, retired Exec. VP/DaimlerChrysler
Winston Goodfellow, Sports Car International
Keith Martin, Sports Car
Market Magazine/ SPEED Channel
Tara Baukus Mello, Edmunds.com/Streetscene
Phil Patton, The New York Times/Esquire/Vibe
Robert Ross, Robb Report
Bob Stevens, Cars & Parts
Matt Stone, Motor Trend
Brock Yates, Car and Driver
William H. Smith will be joining a distinguished
list of Meguiar’s Award recipients who have been honored with this award that
is considered equivalent to receiving an Oscar. The award is a replica of the
perpetual wood sculpture trophy created by noted automotive artist Dennis
Hoyt. Over the past 10 years, the U.S. recipients
of the Meguiar’s Award have included Chester “Chet” Krause, founder of Krause Publications;
Bill Miller and Chip Miller, recognized internationally for their Carlisle
collector car events; Tonight Show
host Jay Leno; Jules Heumann and Lorin Tryon, previous co-chairmen of the
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance; Bruce Meyer, renowned Beverly Hills car
collector and hobby activist; Robert E. Petersen, founder of Hot Rod and Motor Trend magazines; J.B. Nethercutt, creator of The Nethercutt
Collection, one of the most comprehensive auto collections ever assembled; Bill
Warner, founder of the Amelia Island Concours, Steve Earle, founder of the
Monterey Historic Races, and last year’s winner, Corky Coker, president of
Coker Tire Company and SEMA chairman.
The black-tie celebration will also honor people who
have made lifelong contributions to the car hobby by recognizing them as Treasures
of the Hobby. A car show on the plaza and red carpet interviews with notable automotive
enthusiasts and celebrities will kick off the evening’s festivities. For more information on the Meguiar’s Award, visit
www.meguiars.com. For ticket
information, or a 2006 nomination form, please contact Kim Milman or Elizabeth
Perry at JMPR at 818-992-4353.
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