All-American Soap Box Derby Hall of Fame will induct new members
during the awards ceremonies Saturday evening.
2009 Hall of Fame Inductees
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George Rodenbaugh raced as a youngster in Conshohoken, PA, beginning in 1952, and he later volunteered with the local race program in Bucks Conty, PA. Since 1986 George has been regional director, serving as liaison between the All-American and Local Soap Box Derby organizations in five states and Washington DC. The retired police officer has been chairman of the regional directors since 2000, and also serves on the All-American Soap Box Derby program's board of directors and the competition committee.
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Mayor Don Plusquellic. Currently in his sixth four-year term, Don Plusquellic is the longest serving mayor in Akron's history. He is an ardent supporter and promoter of "all things Akron" and has been a dedicated friend of the Soap Box Derby throughout his public service career. Because of Mayor Plusquellic's leadership, the All-American Soap Box Derby has benefited from the City of Akron's generous funding of the repacement of the Derby Downs Grandstands in 1999, and grants to support the organization's annual operations.
Previous Inductees
1997 -
Myron E. Scott; Bain E. "Shorty" Fulton; Jim Schlemmer;
Jimmy Stewart; Wilbur Shaw
1998 -
John S. Knight; Mason Bell; George W. Brittain; Jim Ott; Howard Flood
1999 -
Marie Wright; Ralph Barnes; Ralph Iula; Loris C. Troyer; Frank A.
'Whitey" Wahl
2000 -
Bruce Bucholzer; Bob Gravett; Ron Baker
2001 -
Don Lenox; Don Meech; Tom Kilroy; Ray Schieb
2002 -
Bill Ford; Jack Morran; Bob Turner
2003 -
Jim Underwood; Bob Troyer; Bill Kuntz
2004 -
Don Adams; David J. Holly; Ira C. Sapozink; Ronald Reagan
2005 -
Shirley Foster, Paul Arnsmeyer, Roy Hartz
2006 - Bob
Campbell, Tony DeLuca, Herman "Tex" Finsterwald, Bruce Hunsicker,
Jeff Iula
2007 -
Bob Campbell, Jack Gormley, Bob McLaughlin, Jimmy Collier
2008 - Brooks Townsend, Don Huminsky, Ron Reed, Russ Kinsey
Three Hall of Fame members (from left to right), "Tex" Finsterwald, Paul Arnsmeyer, and Jeff Iula
