Bill Gratzianna

William J. Gratzianna
O’Hare Towing Service

Since 1963, O’Hare Towing Service has been a leader in the Towing and Recovery Industry. Bill grew up in the business and currently has over 36 years of experience in all aspects of the industry. O’Hare Towing was sold briefly to Road One, between working with Road One and purchasing O’Hare, Bill spent a year as the Director of Transportation for IAA. In 2001, Bill and his wife, Marci, purchased O’Hare Towing and have developed the company to having four locations and a salvage yard. Bill has pushed O’Hare to be on the forefront of changes in the industry. O’Hare Towing does work in both Light Duty, Heavy Duty Towing, Recovery, and Emergency Transport. O’Hare also has two Diesel Repair Facilities, an Airplane Recovery Team, and a Certified Dive and Underwater Recovery Team.

Bill is very active in growing the towing and recovery industry. Bill served as President of the International Towing and Recovery Museum for multiple years; he also served as Vice President of the Professional Towing and Recovery Operators of Illinois. Along with this he has been a member of the Towing and Recovery Association of America, The Wisconsin Towing Association, and The Illinois Trucking Association. Bill and O’Hare Towing are widely recognized for their television show, “Wrecked”. Bill’s primary reasoning for the show was making the public aware of what he and other operators do every day, with the hopes someone would watch the show greater restraint in their driving while operators are on the side of the road. In 2008, Bill and Marci were presented the TRAA National Citizenship Award for their contributions to the Towing and Recovery Industry. Bill has also been honored as American Towman of the Year in 2012. Bill is an advocate for training and certification of his crew, and requires all operators to become TRAA certified within 60 days of employment, Bill currently is a TRAA Nationally Certified Level Three Operator.

Bill and Marci have been married for 28 years and have four daughters, Amanda, Katie, Abby and Isabella, Katie currently works actively in the company. Bill also puts a lot of time and energy in continuing the growth of the Towing and Recovery Industry through the next generation of towers. He continues to teach and mentor his daughter, Katie in all aspects of their company and is a large advocate for other experienced towers to spread their knowledge as well. Outside of the Towing Industry, Bill is actively involved in other activities including participating in his Church’s Fathers Golf Outing and Church Bird Hunt but also for the last 25 Years has been the head of the Church’s Annual Christmas Tree Lot. Bill is also a proud lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and spends any free time he has fishing and hunting.

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