Ken has been on the WPI Board since 1996 and has served as vice president since 2000. He also served on the board for the Gopher State Tractor Pullers. In 1988 Ken was hired as Region 3 Director, bringing up a pulling program from three pulls to more than 25. While serving as Region 3 Director, the Minnesota Tractor Pullers merged with the Gopher State Tractor Pullers to become what is known today as the United Pullers of Minnesota. Ken served as president of UPM for five years and was also hired to schedule and coordinate all state events for the Copenhagen Skoal Pulling Circuit. He has 20 years of experience in the owning and operation of pulling sleds. Ken and his wife, Cindy, reside on their farm in rural Glenville, Minn.

Larry Richwine built his first modified tractor in high school. As a 36-year competitor, he has competed in five different divisions: Modified, Pro Stock, Super Stock, Two Wheel Drive and Minis. Larry has held the position of Secretary and Treasurer with the Hoosier State Tractor Pullers for 20 years and is currently in his 17^th year as Director of WPI/NTPA’s Technical Services, WPI sled program and event management. He has been an instrumental part of the technical and safety development of tractor pulling in the USA and Europe since taking on his position with NTPA. Larry and his wife, Linda, live on the Richwine family farm just north of Brownsburg, Ind. Linda trains Tennessee Walking Horses on land that worked Richwine horses since it was homesteaded five generations ago. 

After a chance meeting with competitors at the now defunct Purdue Boilermaker pull, Alan was asked to help out with the Super Pull in Indianapolis in its next to last year in the venue. The result of that pairing with David “Doc” Riley gave birth to an avocation that has included many of the Grand National events on the current circuit. From Tomah, Wis. to parts of Illinois and Ohio with stops in his home state of Indiana, Alan gets the opportunity to see the best of these classes as the points chases get closer and closer. “To watch the euphoria of a great finish as well as the disappointment of a breakage shows just what these competitors are made of,” says Washburn.

As a farmer from Northwestern Indiana, tractor pulling has long been the staple of Alan’s summer activities. “We used to sit in the top row of the grandstand and cheer our favorite local on to victory. Now I have the best seat in the house and try to bring some enjoyment to others from my vantage point on the stage and behind the mic.”

As a member of the WPI Board, Alan says it has been interesting to watch the development of new safety measures and assist with the rule making procedure. Every rule has someone’s name on it, for better or worse. “The roll cage program is now 10 years old and it was a needed addition.”

Although many may think Alan has had a long tenure as an announcer with NTPA, his announcing goes even further back than the Indianapolis Super Pull. 2009 will mark his 34^th year in the Public Address Office at the Indiana State Fair.

Rick Austin, from Brodhead, Wis., has a pulling career that has spanned over 35 years, including a stint in the Modified division, and for the last couple decades in the TWD Truck class with son Dan taking the wheel of “Dirt Flirt,” a numerous state and regional championship machine. Through the years, Rick has been a member of the NTPA Full Board of Directors and recently stepped down from the Wisconsin Tractor Pullers Association’s Board of Directors after serving in an official capacity within WTPA for more than 30 years. Rick served many years as WTPA President, and as a proponent of the formation of WPI, and encouraged WTPA to support and purchase stock in WPI. His resume also includes working closely with the former Elkhorn “Badgerland NTPA Grand Nationals” in the late 80s.