We owe it all to Ted Snyders
Ted Snyders founded the Canadian
Carwash Association in 1959 and spent all of his working and volunteer life in the carwash industry. For his
outstanding service to the carwash industry, in 1981 he became the first recipient of the award that bears his name.
Now, here's his story…
In 1930, Ted's father bought a garage on Dundas St. West in Toronto, Ontario with two curb McColl Frontenac gas pumps.
Ted and his younger brother helped to gradually expand the business and customers started asking for hand car washers.
When St. Michael's Hospital expropriated the Spee-d Auto Wash to build a nurse's residence in 1955, Ted made the jump.
He purchased the one-year-old Washmobile Equipment and signs, hired the manager and some staff and expanded his building.
Being a progressive and outward thinking type, Ted wanted to learn about the industry and became
association minded. Within months, he had researched and found a carwash industry association. Ted became a Charter Member
in the American Auto Laundry Association on October 4, 1955, started by Robin King of Auto Laundry News. Two years later
he attended the third convention in Chicago. He was fascinated by the programs, seminars and fellowship and returned home
determined to start an association in Canada.
He was elected Director for Canada in 1958 for a three-year team. The next year, the
American Auto Laundry Association changed its name to the Automatic Carwash Association International or ACWA. Ted was inspired and selected the name of his as yet undeveloped association as the Automatic Carwash Association of Ontario. He then drafted a constitution, talked ACWA into a joint membership and rounded up a group of operators, hired a room at the King Edward Hotel, and on May 19th 1959 the first meeting was held, at which Ted Snyders became the Charter President. He held that position for five years until 1964.
He still retained his involvement with the American association becoming Membership Chairman in 1959 and Vice President in 1961. Ted was popular and a hard worker, so when his term was up they created a new position of Executive Assistant to the President, with a Canadian Branch office in Toronto. In 1965, Ted was given the responsibility for all the bookkeeping of the American association. This went on for 11 years, until 1976. Even after Ted sold his business in 1971, the association had to adjust its bylaws to let him carry on. He was involved with the American association for a total of 18 years.
The association changed its name to the International Carwash Association in 1975. Canada has over the years contributed several Board members and three Presidents, Douglas Hancock the late Max Silver and most recently Mike Black.
When Ted gave up the presidency of the Canadian Carwash Association in 1964, he immediately became the Executive Secretary,
a position he held for 32 years until June 1996. During this time he was also a member of the Ontario Retail Gasoline Association, served on its Board, and was even Office Manager from 1971-1976.
In 1981, the CCA established the Ted Snyders Achievement Award, to honour distinctive service among its members. In 1995 at a tribute to Ted a plaque filled with the recipients' names was presented to him during a CCA meeting. Each year the CCA honours one of its members with the presentation of the Ted Snyders Achievement Award at its annual meeting or other event.
Sadly, Ted Snyders passed away on October 10, 2002. He was 89 years old.
This article is based on notes prepared by Douglas Hancock, Past President of CCA and Past President of ICA.