With its rich 80-year history, Popow & Sons Towing is thriving under the leadership of the third generation exemplified by Wayne Popow, Top 10 WreckMaster of the Year (2023).
By Pat Rediger
Some people just seem to have towing in their DNA because once they try it, they would never think of a different career. Such is the case for Wayne Popow, who started driving at his father’s company shortly after he obtained his driver’s license at age 16.
“I know you hear a lot from long-time tow operators who say that once it gets into your blood, you can’t get rid of it,” laughs Wayne. Today Wayne is the manager of Popow & Sons Towing, based in Lacombe, Alberta. He was recently awarded Top 10 WreckMaster of the Year for 2023 at the American Towman Expo in Baltimore, Maryland.
“They have a wonderful awards show,” he said. “All the other top WreckMasters show up for these awards. It’s a big award for WreckMasters. They do a presentation, and then they call up each one of the top 10 of the year from across North America.”
May-June 2024
Wayne is not the father or the son at the company—rather the grandson. The company stretches its roots back to 1945 in Clive, Alberta, about a 20-minute drive east of Lacombe. Victor Popow began the company as an autobody business with towing as sideline, but it wasn’t long before towing became a key aspect of the business.
In those days the company made a name for itself by hauling livestock and farm equipment, along with pulling cars and trucks out of the muddy roads. Victor eventually relocated the business to Lacombe as the growing community began to emerge as the leading centre in the area.
"We were one of the first companies in central Alberta to have a rollback deck truck.”
The move proved to be a successful one as the company added an auto recycling division to complement the towing and body shop divisions. In addition to the towing division, the company includes Popow & Sons Auto Recycling and Popow & Sons Body Shop.
The autobody shop has since moved to an expanded location, and the auto recycling facility has been expanded several times. All of the divisions are located within a few blocks of each other. Victor’s three sons all became involved in the business, and eventually they assumed full ownership when he passed away in 1994.
One of his sons predeceased him in 1980, but the other two sons retained ownership, along with the spouse of the deceased son. Both sons are still active in the business at ages 74 and 84.
"There is always room to learn, and it’s very difficult to do without the proper knowledge and training.”
Wayne became involved in the towing business during the 1990s, and despite his affection for the business, he decided to seek his fortune elsewhere for a few years. After stints in the healthcare and oil and gas industries, Wayne returned to the towing side and never looked back.
“I began working on everything from the winch trucks that do recoveries to wreckers and the rollback deck trucks. In fact, we were one of the first companies in central Alberta to have a rollback deck truck,” he said.
Now the company offers towing solutions through its fleet of trucks, ranging from light-duty wreckers to tandem-axle flat-deck vehicles. The company also owns a 50-ton heavy wrecker capable of big truck towing and recovery work.
The WreckMaster award was a complete surprise to Wayne when he received the call.
“I was shocked. It was definitely unexpected.” The Top 10 WreckMaster Awards recognize towing and recovery operators who demonstrate exceptional skill, dedication, and expertise in their field. Selections are based on nominations from peers and co-workers based upon their experiences in light-, medium-, and heavy-duty recoveries. The awards are presented at the annual Baltimore tow show.
One proficiency that captured the attention of WreckMaster was Wayne’s experience towing hybrid and electric vehicles.
“We’ve done a few of those types of vehicles, and it is definitely new technology for the towing and recovery industry that is changing everyday,” he said. “There is always room to learn, and it’s very difficult to do without the proper knowledge and training. Education via the Internet or from the manufacturer is key, as well as proper training facilities.”
Wayne’s pursuit of knowledge in this area was not conventional. He had a friend at the autobody division who was also part of the fire department. This friend showed him how to work on hybrids and then electric vehicles. From there, he conducted on-line research, met with manufacturers, and attended various presentations. Wayne emphasized that training is a key component of success in the towing industry.
Although he may have entered the business because of his family, Wayne said he stays because he loves it. “It’s been instilled in us that this is a family business, but it’s much more than that. It’s being able to actually help someone else so they can continue on with their day. It’s always changing—it’s never the same thing.” 🍁
