The International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum announced nine inductees for the Class of 2026, the organization's 40th class since its founding in 1986, according to a press release published April 2, 2026. The class includes industry veterans from five U.S. states and Mexico, among them Shannon Douglas Yates of Chattanooga, Tennessee — a third-generation Hall of Fame inductee who has operated Yates Towing and Recovery for 38 years — and James Jennings Jr. of Florida, a second-generation professional with 59 years of continuous family involvement and founder of the Towers with a Heart nonprofit. Irvin Johns of Louisville, Kentucky, is included as a posthumous honoree. The induction ceremony is scheduled for October 17 in Chattanooga.
Operator takeaway
Mark your calendar for October 17 in Chattanooga — 40 classes in, and the Hall of Fame remains the industry's highest recognition for a career built on craft and service.