Marty D. Oppenlander
Elected: April 13, 2002
Inducted: September 27, 2002
Marty has been married to Bobbie, his high school sweetheart for 30 years. Together they have three daughters, Kelly, Michelle and Ashley. Kelly and Michelle work part-time in the family business. Ashley is a college student. Marty and Bobbie have three son-in-laws, Mike, Dwight and Nick. Mike is a full-time employee with the company. The Oppenlander family is also blessed with five grandchildren who have Marty wrapped around their little fingers. They are McKenna age 10, Macy 5, Kamryn 4, Tyler 2 and Brooklyn 1.
Marty began his career working part-time for Hillsboro Towing Service. During this time, Marty was a full time firefighter-EMT for the City of Hillsboro in Oregon. In 1976, Marty purchased the company and has owned it ever since.
Marty held various offices for the Independent Towing Operators, The Oregon Tow Truck Association and has been the Oregon District Director to TRAA. Along with Jerry Bullock, Marty assisted in training Oregon State Police station commanders and their back-ups on how to inspect tow trucks. Hillsboro Towing has furnished equipment and hosted several classes around the state for 27 command stations. Marty has also worked with ODOT weigh masters to raise the axle weight limits on tow trucks. Marty helped to start the first Oregon Tow Truck Rodeo and served as Chairman or Co-Chairman for the first four years.
Hillsboro Towing operates 20 tow trucks, including light, medium and heavy duty. Marty’s training has taken him around Oregon and California, but most of his expertise has been learned “on the job”. Hillsboro Towing has supplied trucks and equipment for the Oregon Tow Truck Association training schools for 18 years. Each year, Hillsboro Towing donates trucks and manpower to the Portland Rose Festival Air show. The company has also done many demonstrations for fire departments, police departments, insurance companies and the public, in order for them to better understand the towing industry. The Hillsboro Towing storage facility is often used by the fire department as a training center for practicing the extraction of victims involved in accidents.
Marty has served as Chairman of the committee that works with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington County Board of Commissioners to set up the first towing ordinance program. This program was designed to protect both the towers and the public. Marty was also involved with the original committee for SLAM (Simulated Live Action Melodrama). SLAM stimulates a prom night vehicle accident in which students are injured and killed due to drunk driving. The SLAM program is performed at area high schools and has won many awards. Since SLAM’s introduction to the community five years ago, Washington County has not had a vehicular fatality on prom night or graduation night. The Washington County Fire District awarded Marty and Hillsboro Towing the “Fire Chief’s Award” for outstanding support at fire accident scenes and for their assistance in training classes. In 1981, Marty was presented with a plaque by the Hillsboro City Council for helping in the capture of al armed fugitive that had shot a Hillsboro Police Officer. The Hillsboro Optimist Club also recognized him for the same event.
Marty is currently Vice President of the Board of Directors for Washington County Fire District #2, which is an elected position. Marty is also part of the 2020 Vision Committee for the Hillsboro Planning Commission, which is planning the direction of the City over the next 20 years.
Hillsboro Towing also supports the schools in the area. If there is a need, they try to help fulfill it. Hillsboro Towing also supports local sports, especially girls programs, which have a more difficult time in finding sponsors and collecting donations. The young girls softball teams were playing at ball fields that had no restrooms and the softball association did not have the funds to supply toilet facilities. Hillsboro Towing paid to have the portable restrooms delivered to all the ball fields the remainder of the season.