American Trucking And Industry Leader Hall Of Fame Adds Three More Trucking Pioneers In 2026

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The American Truck Historical Society will induct Chester Rodney England, Harold C. Groendyke and Al Peterman into the American Trucking and Industry Leader Hall of Fame on Thursday, Oct. 22, at ATHS headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri.

Chester Rodney England | Founder, C.R. England
Chester Rodney England founded C.R. England in 1920 and built the business with his two sons. The company grew into a nationally recognized carrier, guided by its founder’s emphasis on safety, family, community, integrity, and pride in work.

Harold C. Groendyke | Founder, Groendyke Transport
On July 12, 1932, Harold C. Groendyke hauled his first load of kerosene from Borger, Texas, to Beaver, Oklahoma, in a two-axle Ford truck equipped with a 3,000-gallon tank mounted on a homemade chassis. That trip marked the beginning of Groendyke Transport, which grew into one of the nation’s largest tank truck carriers.

Al Peterman | Founder, Peterbilt
Al Peterman established Peterbilt in 1939 after acquiring Fageol Motors. Drawing on his experience modifying trucks for logging operations, Peterman helped lay the foundation for a manufacturer known for heavy-duty, medium-duty and vocational trucks. Driver feedback and technological innovation have continued to shape the company’s products.

Through the American Trucking and Industry Leader Hall of Fame, ATHS preserves and shares the stories of pioneers whose work helped advance trucking and commercial transportation. The program is supported by members, corporate partners and individual donors committed to preserving that legacy.

About ATHS – The American Truck Historical Society was founded in 1971 to preserve the history of trucks, the trucking industry and its pioneers. ATHS launched the American Trucking and Industry Leader Hall of Fame in 2021, its 50th anniversary year.

ATHS has approximately 15,000 members in 23 countries and a network of 89 chapters. Its membership spans all 50 states. The ATHS Library houses more than 500,000 digitized and original photographs and documents, 35,000 pieces of sales literature, more than 45,000 books and periodicals, and an extensive collection of scale model trucks.

The Hall of Fame and ATHS Library are housed at ATHS headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. For more information, including hours of operation, visit ATHS.org.

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