Dan Pecora, owner of Erie Brush & Manufacturing, has been selected as the 2020 International Carwash Association Hall of Fame inductee. The industry’s highest honor, the Car Wash Hall of Fame was created in 1962 to recognize the innovators, leaders, and pioneers of the professional car wash industry.

That’s the same year that Dan’s father, Carlo Pecora, purchased the property in Appleton, Wisconsin that would become one of the very first exterior-only washes in North America. Carlo opened Automat of Appleton in 1963, and Dan, manager of the site, graduated from handmaking brushes in the family basement to promoting the business and drawing customers to the conveyor-powered wash.

Innovation has been the defining quality of Dan’s career. In 1970, he bought Erie Brush and grew it from a two-man operation to a thriving 40 person operation. His experience developing and running exterior washes drove him to create products that solved real challenges for operators. Under Dan’s leadership, Erie developed unique brushes for a variety of applications, and to this day continues to carry a wide range of brush materials for washes of all kinds. Dan’s devotion to product led him to several patents in the industry.

Dan was honored to serve as president of the Chicagoland Carwash Association. He won the ICA President’s Award in 1987, and the Distinguished Service Award in 1988, as well as numerous other awards from regional car wash organizations.

“Dan is truly an industry pioneer,” says Ken Littrell, President of International Carwash Association. “He has dedicated his life to this industry, and his passion for the practice and people of car washing truly shows in his products and in the network of customers he’s built all around the country. We’re honored to be able to recognize him with the Hall of Fame Award and look forward to being able to gather in person as soon as possible to formally induct him.”