TLCA HALL OF FAME

Bob Garrett

Bob Garrett was the founder of TLCA. If you drove a Land Cruiser around Oxnard, California, in 1976 and Bob Garrett passed you in his FJ40 (that he purchased new in 1972), you would have received a wave and a big smile. Bob is a true Land Cruiser enthusiast and while searching for a Land Cruiser friendly club at the age of 22, he found the usual 4×4 clubs catering to nearly anything except Toyota Land Cruisers, and a feeling of animosity toward the “foreign Jeep.” Thus were sown the seeds of what was to become the largest national Off Highway Vehicle organization, The Toyota Land Cruiser Association. Along with other Land Cruiser owners from the area (such as Dennis and Gloria Van Zandt, John and Melissa Fulton, Ed and Cathy Marzoff, and Terry and Carol Hillegoss), Bob originated the Toyota Land Cruiser Association club in January of 1976.

Earl Warden Jr.

As the head mechanic for one of the very first dealerships to import Toyotas into the country, Earl was working on Landcruisers long before the TLCA was even a pipedream. Earl eventually left the dealership to start his own Toyota repair shop, which soon became a Mecca in the Landcruiser world. He was a heck of a mechanic and a heck of a nice guy.

George Rice

George was one of the original members of TLCA Ventura County. George was very active in the club for many years and held many offices including President, Vice President, Safety Officer, CA4WD representative and being voted member of the year in 1976 and 1977.

Jim Sickles

Jim Sickles of Downey Off Road was one of the first TLCA business supporters. He played a huge role in the early years of TLCA by providing products and services to the young association. TLCA used Jim’s business emblem as the association’s first logo.

John and Melissa Fulton

John and Melissa Fulton were charter members of the TLCA Ventura County and both held offices within the club. They were icons in the Landcruiser community and beyond. They were principled and passionate about the sport and it’s appearance to the outside world. Melissa, long time TLCA Ventura County newsletter editor, created the first TLCA newsletter, which today is the impressive Toyota Trails. 

Gary Bjork

Gary Bjork was Managing Editor of Toyota Trails from 1991 – 1998. Most TLCA members acknowledge that this is when the publication went “big time” making TLCA a legitimate and respected member of the 4×4 enthusiast community. Gary was also the founder of the Land Cruiser Mailing List. The LCML is credited with thousands of connections between folks around the world that have the Cruiser addiction and is even credited with a few marriages!

Marlin Czajkowski

Marlin was the first Truck Tech editor with a column that debuted in January of 1991. His expertise in gearboxes is well-known and respected and he remains one of the most approachable, amicable cruiserheads you will ever meet. Marlin’s Annual Marlin Crawler Round-Up Event has donated over $140,000 to the Rubicon Trail.

Tony Twiddy

Tony has been involved with TLCA since the early 1990’s serving as Secretary, Western Representative, Marketing and Sales VP, Rubithon Chair, and TLCA President. Known for his amazing writing skills, Tony is considered the informal TLCA historian. Much of the research and content that Tony has produced has allowed TLCA to keep a historical record that otherwise would have been lost.

Marv Spector

Marv had been involved with TLCA since 1981 when he founded Spector Off-Road. Marv was not only generous with friends but with anyone, even total strangers within the Land Cruiser community. He was a generous, passionate, good-natured man with a library of information he shared freely and enthusiastically with the TLCA community.

Gary Kardum

Gary Kardum, aka Mudrak, has been a Landcruiser enthusiast for over 30 years. Gary has been a longtime supporter of TLCA and an excellent fabricator, specializing in FJ40’s and SOAs.

Henry Brimmer

Henry was Managing Editor of Toyota Trails from 1999 – 2003. Henry, a designer at heart, dramatically changed the format and design in order to achieve a clean and easy to read layout. Toyota Trails won quite a few awards for content, design, photography and overall excellence of publication during his years as editor.

Henry Cubillan

Henry was a regular contributor to Toyota Trails and is credited with putting the Land Cruiser wagon not only on the trail, but into the future of many TLCA members. Henry entertained TLCA members with stories of pigs in the mud, taverns named after Land Cruiser parts, and even the story of Johnny Appleseed, spreading the seeds of Toyota love throughout the territory. He was a prolific writer, great contributor to both Toyota Trails and the LCML email list.

Nick Stone

Nick has served as Administrative Vice-President of TLCA since the early 2000’s. In the early years Nick brought much needed stability to the role. He has expertly managed the staff contracts over the years and serves as an incredible resource for all things TLCA.

Casey Campbell

Casey has served as TLCA Treasurer since 2004.  With a work background in finance, Casey has shared his expertise with TLCA for many years. He has helped to bring the organization through some especially challenging times. Under his guidance and leadership, the organization remains strong and financially sound.

Dave Brown

Dave served as TLCA President beginning in 2000. He is best known for initiating the Strategic Planning committee in late 2000. The results of that group have had a long lasting positive impact on the organization. Dave was able to map out a long range plan for increasing retention, establishing recruiting programs, and keeping the organization solvent.

Mark Whatley

Mark was Toyota Trails Technical editor from 1999 – 2008. Mark was so talented in that he could effectively take technical instructions and turn them into words that any layman could follow. He was well respected for the technical editorials he consistently provided for the publication.

Brian Swearingen

Brian “Woody” Swearingen has been the full time operator of IH8MUD for the last decade and an enthusiastic TLCA supporter. He is known as one of the best trail spotters around as he is level headed, never gets mad, and has a knack for calming drivers when they find themselves in a sketchy situation.

Todd Kaderabek

Todd was the editor of Toyota Trails for 13 years and brought our magazine into a solid, well respected publication. Many of the years that he was editor were demanding and lean times. Todd helped to keep TLCA afloat thanks to his selfless acts and willingness to go way above what should be required. He was a natural mentor and always encouraged aspiring writers to submit stories for Toyota Trails, offering suggestions and guidance.

Ross Woody

Ross was TLCA president from 2013 – 2020 and is the longest serving president in the history of our organization. Before his role as president Ross was the kitchen and cook crew lead for Rubithon. He is one heck of a cook – especially around BBQ!

During his tenure he brought talented and energetic contractors and volunteers on board and empowered them do what is best for TLCA. His leadership and vision helped to grow TLCA in size during his eight years breaking a new record for number of members.

Kurt Williams

Kurt’s journey into the realm of Toyota began at 15 with his first Land Cruiser, a 1968 FJ40, which he skillfully built. While pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah, Kurt worked at Cruiser Outfitters. In 2006, fresh out of university, he seized the opportunity to become the owner of Cruiser Outfitters.

Under Kurt’s leadership, he has cultivated a skilled team that allows him to further his passion for Land Cruiser-related travel to various countries. A dedicated board member of the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum, Kurt actively contributes to its mission of amassing the world’s largest collection of Land Cruisers. Additionally, Kurt, alongside his friends in Wasatch Cruisers, engages in the exhilarating realm of Baja 1000 racing as part of Team Canguro.

Georg Esterer

Georg, the owner of Valley Hybrids in Stockton, CA, has emerged as a leading authority on Land Cruiser transmissions and transfer cases. Annually, he organizes a swap meet and the “Pig Run” at Gold Lake in California. Georg is a dedicated participant in various events, frequently attending Lone Star Round Up and Southern Cruiser Crawl.

Notably, Georg serves as a valuable technical resource for the TLCA Facebook page, sharing his expertise. He has also showcased his son “Little G” (now “Medium G”) undertaking the restoration of an FJ25, illustrating that with training and perseverance, anyone can successfully work on their trucks.

Mark Hawley

Mark, a TLCA member since 1988, founded Metal-tech 4×4 in his garage in 2000, evolving it into a manufacturer with several innovations for Land Cruisers. His commitment extends beyond entrepreneurship; he has served on the TLCA Board of Directors and the TLCA Chapter Cascade Cruisers. Mark is a steadfast supporter of TLCA events, generously contributing through Metal-tech 4×4 donations and leading runs. His impact also resonates in the broader automotive world, as he has supported remote location TV and film productions for Toyota advertising and the BBC TV show Top Gear. Metal-tech 4×4 has been awarded a TLCA Business Member of the Year.

Mark’s lifelong passion for Land Cruisers began at 16 with a ’67 FJ40, a vehicle he and his father, David, dedicated considerable time to. Mark’s early hands-on experiences fueled his drive to enhance offroad performance, a journey he continues with unwavering enthusiasm. This passion has transcended generations, now shared with his three sons—Ryan, Owen, and Evan—ensuring a lasting legacy of adventure and exploration within the family.

Rainey Kirk

Rainey Kirk, a TLCA member since 1989, played a pivotal role in the early days of Toyota Trails, collaborating with illustrator Gary Bjork to produce almost 100 illustrations, including the present TLCA logo and the Marlin Crawler logo.

Beyond his artistic contributions, Rainey has been instrumental in TLCA’s growth, co-founding the Southeast Toyota Land Cruiser Association (STLCA) Chapter. Rainey was also one of the founders of GSMTR (The Great Smoky Mountain Trail Ride). Additionally, Rainey has dedicated time to the organization, serving as the Marketing Vice-President on the TLCA Board of Directors.

Jeff Michalak

A longstanding supporter of TLCA and a dedicated volunteer at Rubithon, Jeff Michalak, affectionately known as “Mog Jeff,” has been an integral part of the TLCA community for over 20 years. Known for his dependable Unimog 406, Jeff has transported essential equipment and supplies along the challenging Rubicon Trail for Rubithon events, creating the iconic “Mog Camp” along the way. His commitment extended in 2023 and 2024, when he took on the role of Raffle Chair, driving significant results for TLCA’s #LiveLikeLash fund. Jeff’s dedication, hard work, and adventurous spirit make him a treasured member of the TLCA family.