from the pages of trail spring 2013
The Collector
Lifelong International® Truck lover George Tackaberry takes
Trail on a tour of his world-renowned vintage collection.
by Sam Martin photos by Erik Rank
In the 1,000-person village of Athens, Ontario, the ratio of
people to vintage International® trucks is around 6:1. And
while the man responsible for this demographic anomaly
may not be the mayor of this town, that might only be
because he refuses to run.
International Truck lover George Tackaberry’s private
collection of trucks and tractors, one of the largest in the
world, is the hidden gem of a town that sits 20 miles north
of the highway connecting Montreal and Toronto. George
has spent his life here building a construction business
from scratch and giving back to his local community whenever it needs help. And while he’ll speak only sparingly and
modestly about his philanthropic contributions (which are
significant enough to have warranted a motion by the Canadian parliament in 2011 in his honor), he will happily talk
about his trucks for as long as you have time to listen.
For lovers of International trucks, visiting this collection is
similar to a religious pilgrimage to the Vatican—except that
this pope is clad in plaid and topped with a trucker’s cap.
“Tack’s Toys,” as they’re affectionately known, are housed in
12 hangars built across two separate properties in Athens.
Inside these heated buildings, almost 180 International
trucks dating back to 1913 sit quietly, each of them immaculately restored, keys in the ignition, in working order
and ready to run.
George shares his collector’s passion with his two sons,
Charlie and Kevin, both of whom also work at the family business along with his daughters June and Karen. G.
Tackaberry & Sons, founded in 1957, specializes in public
and private works projects in and around Athens. Its fleet
of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles is made up entirely of
PayStars®, ProStars® and TerraStars®, all sold to George by
his best friend and International dealer of 40 years, Gerald
Tallman of Tallman Truck Centre Limited. Their success in
powering George’s construction business is an example of
a man’s hobby bleeding over into his professional life.
This past fall we took a trip to Eastern Ontario to walk
the collection with George, ride shotgun with the boys
on some work trips, and learn more about the life of this
great Canadian.
from the pages of trail spring 2013
It started with a K-7 back
in the 1980s, then we got
some more, and we built some
buildings. Then we built some
more buildings….I guess I’ve got
an obsession.”
—george tackaberry
from the pages of trail spring 2013
My business runs on
International. I have a fleet
of 118 medium- to heavy-duty
trucks, mainly PayStars. They’re
trouble-free.”
—george tackaberry
from the pages of trail spring 2013
Loyal Partners, Best Friends
A dealer-customer bond built on community and trust
At the Athens Restaurant and Pizzeria, a small diner at
the east end of Main Street, there’s a table in the corner
that has room for eight or more patrons, if you crowd
around. The kitchen serves up a hearty breakfast, and
across a bacon-and-egg sandwich, a cup of coffee and
a glass of OJ, George Tackaberry and his International
dealer, Gerald “Gerry” Tallman, sit down and talk about
life, community—and just a little bit of business.
“We have a 100% International fleet of heavy- and
medium-duty trucks,” says George, “and Mr. Tallman
here is the main reason. He’s a great friend of ours. His
service is excellent—he looks after us and makes sure
we’re always happy. We just have never had a problem
with the service at all.”
George met Gerry in 1972, after Tallman took over
the local International dealership in Kemptville.
The two were quick to bond, based partly on their
shared interest in International trucks but also on
their common values. The
Tackaberry family has always
sought to give back to their
community in as many ways
as possible. In the wintertime,
the wood felled around the
edge of the Athens-Lawson
quarry is given away to the
local community for firewood.
But across the years George
has never faltered when his
community has needed help.
He has lent equipment and
manpower when nature has struck the county with
ice storms and fires, and has also donated resources
to help renovate the local ice rink and fairgrounds. All
these acts of generosity led to the unveiling of a plaque
at Athens Centennial Park in 2012 to commemorate
his work.
Gerry admires George’s community work and has a
similar moral sentiment himself. In 2004, the Tallman
family donated $500,000 to open the Tallman Family
Emergency Room in the Kemptville District Hospital.
When making the decision to support the hospital
renovation, Gerry found himself inspired by the work
of his friend and customer. “George is very communityminded, as we are,” he says. “He is loved by the people
who live around him, and he supports them very well.”
Just as G. Tackaberry & Sons has grown from strength
to strength (it now boasts 51 quarry sites across
three counties, as well as a fleet of 118 International
trucks), Gerry’s dealerships
have grown in kind, with eight
locations across Canada. To
George, it’s pretty obvious
why his friend is so successful.
“I’ve had approaches from
other dealerships and other
companies,” he says. “But I
stick with Mr. Tallman. I’ve never
signed a contract with him,
never even seen a price. As
long as Mr. Tallman’s there, we’ll
always be running International.”