~July 2023~

From the Desk of Darrel Burnett

Executive Director

Everything is Coming Up Roses!

In the afterglow of our nation’s 247^th birthday, it was a celebration of incredible proportions. Americans spent an astonishing $2.4 billion on fireworks this year, the most ever by a full $100 million! I hope all those bombs bursting in air left you full of patriotism. If nothing else, you are likely full of hot dogs. Americans consumed an estimated 150 million this 4^th of July holiday. In keeping with tradition, we also consumed a disproportionate amount of 4^th of July parades.

For the record, the longest parade in the world is the Hanover Schützenfest in Hanover, Germany, an excruciating test of will 7.5 miles long with more than 12,000 participants. 7.5 miles! If I’m a tuba player, I’m faking a hamstring pull two days in advance out of self-preservation. The largest parade in the U.S. is also the grandest, the annual Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day in Pasadena. A worldwide audience of 50 million people tunes in each year, and it has long been on my wish list to attend in person. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the Rose Parade would come to me but that’s exactly what happened. 

I’m told the first parade ever held was in 2000 B.C. Since my fact checker doesn’t go back 4,000 years, let’s just go with that. You would think with 4,000 years of runway we would have perfected parades by now. Not the case. I actually enjoy parades, it’s just that most tend to drag on longer than a third world dictator’s acceptance speech on election day. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy seeing Miss Cauliflower get her due as much as the next person, but when did Joe’s dump truck or purveyor of porta-potties qualify as a parade float?

The occasion was this past Saturday’s Manawa Rodeo Parade in Manawa, WI where our great pit crew member David Lech and I had the honor of chauffeuring Alex Aghajanian, the 2024 President and Chairman of the Board for the Tournament of Roses parade, and his lovely wife Paula. The first couple traveled over 2,000 miles to visit the 270 strong Pulaski High School Marching Band. Come New Year’s Day, Pulaski will be marching in the Rose Parade for the 4^th time in school history, an incredible accomplishment considering bands from all over the world audition every year for the opportunity to do it just once. 

Alex and Paula Aghajanian couldn’t have been more genuine, nor could they be more dedicated to preserving a sacred tradition that dates back to 1890. As President and Chairman of the Board, Alex’s trek to the top took 35 long years without a penny in payment along the way. In fact, you will probably be shocked to learn, as I was, that Alex actually pays annual dues while being tasked to lead an army of 935 volunteers who selflessly dedicate 80,000 volunteer hours every year to ensuring that everything “comes up roses” on New Year’s Day.

At the end of their visit, Alex extended a personal invitation to The Automobile Gallery & Event Center to showcase two of our automobiles at the 135^th Tournament of Roses Parade in front of 700,000 spectators. Getting there won’t be easy, but I will never forget the day that I had the opportunity to stop…….and smell the roses!

Don’t miss Darrel Burnett’s Steering Column coming to an inbox near you on the 17th…



The Holy Grille of Automobiles!



If you aren't signed up for it, click HERE (then scroll to the bottom of the page)

If you want an “emotionally electric” car in every sense of the word, you’ll find it in the country that manufactures the fewest cars per year. It’s Denmark. The Danes are home to just one, solitary car company named Zenvo. Oh….but what a car company it is! The hand-built Zenvo TSR-S stickers for $1.7 million and screams all the way to 233 mph! Production for the entire year is limited to just 15 cars…..a mere 25,999,985 cars behind China.

Cars & Guitars 2023

What a day this turned out to be! Blue bird skies paired with an incredible turnout of beautiful vehicles and wonderful guests made for the most successful and entertaining car show of the Gallery's history. Thank you to all who attended, particpated, and sponsored our largest fundraiser of the year.

Without our incredible sponsors, we wouldn't be able to host this impactful event year-after-year. Thank you to all who have helped up this year!

Shoreline Hometown Credit Union

103.1 WOGB

American Foods Group

Green Bay Exposition Services

Global Recognition

Dean Distributing

Festival Foods

John's Johns

Tito's Vodka

Rick's Toybox

Drive to End Alzheimer’s



Eric Westphal, King of the afternoon airwaves at 103.1 WOGB in Green Bay, stopped in at the Gallery this past week to add another $621 to the money raised for the Drive to End Alzheimer’s event at our 6^th Cars & Guitars Car Show. Eric and Jimmy Clark, Operations Manager for Cumulus Broadcasting’s chain of stations in Green Bay, held contests throughout the area during the month of June for the Drive to End Alzheimer’s. Thanks to Eric, Jimmy and our great partners at 103.1 WOGB!

Lon Wendt Sculptor



Visitors to The Automobile Gallery & Event Center are guaranteed to be greeted by a 1 of 1 or very rare automobile every few steps across our entire campus. We now have another 1 of 1 to add to our collection courtesy of master sculptor Lon Wendt. Inspired by a recent visit to the Gallery, Lon was inspired to produce this unique sculpture using an original dash from a Ford Model A, a piston, springs, wrenches and plenty of ingenuity. Fittingly, Lon presented his beautiful sculpture to Executive Director Darrel Burnett at our 6^th Cars & Guitars Car Show June 17^th.

New Gallery Displays

The Automobile Gallery & Event Center goes to great lengths to give you fresh displays each and every time you visit the Gallery. Feast your eyes on what just arrived!

1969 Ford Mustang GT – 1 of 1 in the World!

This 1969 Ford Mustang owned by Henry Isaksen is more than a 1 of 1, it is at the top of the mountain among 1969 Mustangs. Of the 288,821 Mustangs built in 1969, this exclusive Mustang was built by Ford Motor Company’s engineering department and was officially documented as a “Test Model”. Mr. Isaksen’s Mustang built and was used by the engineering and design departments at Ford Motor Company as a model for building the line of Mustangs in 1969. And yes, this Mustang has the Big Hombre under the hood…..a 428 Cubic Inch Ram Air engine! The only place in the world you can see it is The Automobile Gallery & Event Center!

1965 Green Bay Packer Mustang!



Steve Seidl’s 1965 Custom Mustang Convertible is also a 1 of 1, but for entirely different reasons. Steve fell in love with the Mustang when it first came out, but it took 50 years for Steve to actually own his dream car. See how a Tomahawk, WI barn find transformed into a Green Bay Packer dream machine!

Coming Soon! – 1971 Pontiac GTO!

Visitors to The Automobile Gallery & Event Center have come to expect the finest and rarest automobiles in the world. GTO fans will be flocking to the Gallery the second week in July when one of the rarest GTOs of all-time arrives. This 1971 GTO is 1 of 500 ever produced with the monster 455 cubic inch H/O (High-output) engine. It’s fitting this cherry “GOAT” is painted Quenzal Gold because this car is the gold standard of GTOs!

International Visitors

A Friend from Down Under

Iain Kennedy of Melbourne, Australia paid a visit to The Automobile Gallery & Event Center with his longtime friend Mike Reedy, a great member of our Pit Crew. Iain has always had a soft spot for BMWs and Holdens, an Australian division of GM which produced its last car in 2021.

The Great Danes!

The Automobile Gallery & Event Center welcomed Erik Abraham, Lisa Dahl and Johan Dahl Abraham from the country of Denmark. We’re so happy that the country that gave the world Google Maps helped the Abraham family find their way to The Automobile Gallery & Event Center! 

From the Country That Gave Us the Word Auto



Mary and Ralf Bauer from Peine, Germany took a break from their vacation circling Lake Michigan to stop and see us at The Automobile Gallery & Event Center. Car lovers extraordinaire, the Bauers brought genuine joy to their experience and to our lives. Peine, Germany is known as the Owl City for its many legends involving owls. Given that knowledge, we’re not surprised that the Bauers made the “wise” choice to stop and see us!

Visitors from the North

The rich history of The Automobile Gallery & Event Center pales in comparison to the history of Brianna and Mitchell’s hometown. This cool couple from Canada call Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada home, a city whose history reaches all the way back to 1623. It was a joy to share our history with Brianna and Mitchell on their recent visit.

In the National Spotlight!

Our team at The Automobile Gallery & Event Center congratulates our friend Randy Krup of Roscoe, IL whose 1937 Fiat Topolino was featured as the Car of the Week by national publication Old Cars Magazine! If Randy’s stunningly beautiful Topolino looks familiar, it was parked on our patio just weeks ago among the millions of dollars of Italian vehicles at Festa Italiana.

As you know, we’re all about great stories here at the Gallery and Randy’s is one of the greatest. Randy first purchased this Topolino when he was just 13 years old. He and his father restored it in time for Randy to make it his first car when he turned 16. After parting ways a few years later, Randy was reunited with his first love a full 40 years later. He spent years scouring the world for all the elusive parts and restored it to showroom new. Visit Old Cars Weekly to read all about a tiny car that has become bigger than life!

The Automobile Gallery & Event Center Takes Center Stage!



Executive Director Darrel Burnett shared the stage with 91.1 The Avenue’s Steve March-Torme June 22^nd at August Haven in Appleton. In addition to being a great musician and entertainer, Steve is also a huge car lover with a pair of sweet BMWs in his collection. Be looking for Steve at our AUTOberfest event September 30^th at the Gallery!

The Automobile Gallery & Event Center extends a special thank you to 91.1 The Avenue and August Haven for selecting the Gallery as their mission partner for the month of June!

Gallery Event Schedule

(per event details to come soon if not psoted)

September 14: Cruisin' the Classics, Daddy D's Production

September 30: AUTOberfest (German car show)

November 9: Patriotic Salute, Daddy D's Production

December 2: Old Fashion Chrismas, Daddy D's Production

If you have specific questions on an event, please reach out to Inquire@theautomobilegallery.org

GET INVOLVED!

Opportunities at the Gallery



If you or anyone you know would like to be involved with the Gallery, we have opportunities available:

**NEW** zSpace Operational Support: set up, monitor, and tear down zSpace laptop system during student sessions

Volunteers to staff events, maintain the vehicles and Gallery, and educate guests



If interested in any mentioned role, please email Megan Lehmann at MeganL@theautomobilegallery.org

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The Automobile Gallery is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the enjoyment and enrichment of our visitors and community. Becoming a member of The Automobile Gallery helps support its mission, which in part is to educate, inspire and sharing the passion of the automobile with others. Through the generosity of memberships, donations, admissions, and event income, the Automobile Gallery will continue for generations to come as one of the finest galleries of its kind in the country.

You may support The Automobile Gallery by making a gift to our endowment fund. This endowment will provide funding in perpetuity for the Gallery to serve the community through various educational programs, exhibits, and interactive learning environments to teach the history of the American Automobile.

Grant De Broux

Joe Griffiths & Family

Michael Sullivan &M2Logistics

Keith Obermiller & Family

Tom & Dawn Olejniczak

Jeff Tyndall

Ashok Rai & Family

Bob & Jolyce Rupp

Joyce-Lyn & Steve Altieri

Brent Baker

James Bednarowski

Christopher Boland

Ann & Steve Bradford

Kaleb Cieslewicz

Joel Hensley & Bridget Kelley-Hensley

David Loppnow