Originally this conference was only for members of his unit, the Vehicle Identification Bureau of the Illinois State Police. However, as word got out about the educational value of the conference, other police agencies requested to attend. What started out as a small group of Illinois State Police Officers grew until it became too difficult for one agency to host the conference year after year.

With the encouragement and guidance of Captain Oliver, a group of officers petitioned the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators, for permission to charter a chapter. In 1972 the North Central Regional Chapter of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators was born.

The Clyde W. Oliver Jr. Award was established in 1990 to honor the loyalty, leadership, perseverance, and dedication of our founding father. This award can be presented to any North Central Regional Chapter member who has given outstanding service, leadership, and dedication to the organization. Although the award is offered each year, it is not necessary to have a recipient.

Past recipients are;

• Edward Skworch, of the National Auto Theft Bureau,
• Lee Starr, of the Chicago Police Department,
• Connie Golemba, of the AAA of Michigan,
• Paul Seiler, of the Chicago Police Department,
• H. Lee Ballard, of the Ford Motor Company,
• Dennis Meyer, of the Illinois State Police,
• Billy Hacker, of the Milwaukee Police Department,
• Glenn Wheeler, of the State Farm Insurance Company,
• Stan Lutz, of the Genesee Auto Theft Investigative Network,
• Peter Simet, of the Milwaukee Police Department.
• G. J. (Skip) Copeland, of the Marion County, IN., Sheriffs Department.
• Cheryl Zofkie, of the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
• Michael Schlomas, of Illinois State Police.
• George Schemenauer, of the Berrian County Sheriff’s Department
• Ken Schimnoski, Retired Michigan State Police, AAA of Michigan
• Steven Reid, of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation

2008 Clyde Oliver Memorial Award Winner

This year we have another very deserving honoree. This year’s honoree has been in law enforcement for almost three decades and an NCRC member for 20 years. Our honoree, being an excellent instructor, has taught literally thousands of police officers and insurance personnel, Auto Theft and related crime investigations.

During the past 20 years our honoree has served the NCRC in such obscure positions as on-site committee member, on-site committee co-chairman, on-site committee chairman, regional representative, on the NCRC board of directors, speaker and presenter at NCRC training conferences, assistant editor of the Recover newsletter, and registration assistant at most of the NCRC seminars for the last 12 years.

Barb Rambo is the winner of the 2008 Clyde Oliver Memorial Award.

Barb graduated from Eastern Illinois University where she studied sociology, community services and criminal justice. In March of 1980 she went to work for the Crete, Illinois Police Department as a police officer.  In March 1988 Barb left the Crete Police Department for the National Auto Theft Bureau, NATB, which became the National Insurance Crime Bureau, or NICB.  In November 1988 she became an Acting Special Agent, in April 1989 promoted to Special Agent and on June 1, 2003 Barb was promoted to Senior Special Agent for the NICB.

After September 11th, 2001 Barb assisted the New York authorities who were identifying vehicles that were damaged or destroyed in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. On August 29th, 2005 hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf coast of the United States. Barb went there to identify and register the damaged or destroyed autos in New Orleans, Louisiana.  This time she was not looking for evidence of a crime, but identifying the autos so that they could not be re-titled and sold to unsuspecting buyers.  Lastly Barb has now been elected to the possession of 2nd Vice President for the NCRC.

The chairman of the nominating committee is Past President, Billy Hacker. 

Nominations may be mailed to him: 

C/O NCRC/IAATI
P.O. Box 557647
Chicago, IL 60655

Entries may also be emailed.

Entries should be submitted before April 1st for that year.