Meet Our Managers

V. J. “Vince” Haavisto, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Haavisto founded V. J. Haavisto Enterprises over thirty-three years ago.  Originally a retail sales manager with Chevron Oil Company, Mr. Haavisto became a Chevron Oil dealer in the early seventies.  By the early eighties, the Company owned 13 stations and had interests in several others.  In the late seventies, Mr. Haavisto realized that the Company could better serve its automotive repair customers by offering a tow service to them. This was the beginning of All Ways Towing & Transport.  Mr. Haavisto has been the leadership behind the Company’s tremendous growth in the towing and automotive repair industry.

Mr. Haavisto served as president of the California Service Station and Automotive Repair Association (CSSARA) for five years.  He also provides leadership to numerous other boards of directors. Back To Top

Kim A. Skinner, President kim@allways-tow.com

Ms. Skinner joined V. J. Haavisto Enterprises in 1978.  During her thirty-one year tenure with the Company, Ms. Skinner has progressed through the ranks to become president of the Corporation. Ms. Skinner has an extensive background in accounting and overall operations management of the business.  She has been instrumental in the growth and success of the Company by continually overseeing the accounting and day-to-day operations of every aspect of the Company – from towing operations, automotive repair operations, and service station operations to human resource management and risk management. Ms. Skinner oversees all Company operations with the managers of each department reporting directly to her.  Ms. Skinner’s dedication is second to none and her strength and devotion are vital to the Company’s continued success.

Ms. Skinner has served for over ten years on the State and Local Board of Directors for the Greater Bay Area Chapter of the California Tow Truck Association and is a California Tow Truck Association-certified tow operator. Back To Top

Richard E. Maksel, Operations Manager & Chief Financial Officer
dickmaksel@vjhaavisto.com

Mr. Maksel joined V. J. Haavisto Enterprises in 2000 as the Operations Manager and Chief Financial Officer.  Prior to joining All Ways Towing & Transport, Mr. Maksel owned his own bookkeeping and tax service, several Chevron gas stations, drove big rig towing, both long haul and local, and was dispatcher for a big rig company.  He has over fifty years experience in business and holds a BS in Accounting from Armstrong College.  Mr. Maksel is also a former United States Marine. Back To Top

Ron Patrone, General Manager ron@allways-tow.com

Mr. Patrone was hired in 2002 as a dispatcher and was promoted in 2006 to Dispatch Manager.  In 2011 Mr. Patrone was promoted to our Corporate General Manager. As General Manager Mr. Patrone oversees all of the towing and dispatch operations. Mr. Patrone is a long-time resident of Fremont and a former business owner.  His knowledge of the Fremont area helps ensure that all calls are routed to the correct location.  Mr. Patrone also oversees all of the radio, GPS and graphics installations on all of our trucks. Back To Top

Steve LaVaun, Manager of Tow Operations, Fremont & Hayward steve@allways-tow.com

Mr. LaVaun joined V.J. Haavisto Enterprises in 2008 to spearhead our new Battery Service Department.  In 2010, Mr. LaVaun was promoted to Manager of Tow Operations, Fremont. Mr. LaVaun has over thirty years experience in the automotive field with over nineteen years experience in management. Mr. LaVaun is committed to the future of All Ways Towing & Transport.  His current responsibilities include overseeing all Fremont and Hayward operations including the California Highway Patrol contract, Fremont Police Department contract, Union City Police Department contract, Newark Police Department Contract, Hayward Police Department contract, BART Police Department contract, East Bay Regional Parks Police Department contract and management administration. Back To Top

Lenton Gaines, Manager of Tow Operations, Oakland & San Leandro lenton@allways-tow.com

Mr. Gaines joined V. J. Haavisto Enterprises in 1998 as a driver for All Ways Towing & Transport. He has been manager of the Oakland & San Leandro Tow Operation since 2001. Mr. Gaines has over nineteen years towing experience.

Mr. Gaines holds certifications from CTTA California Tow Truck Association for both light-duty and heavy-duty recovery courses, Towing and Recovery Association of America National Certification, WreckMaster Levels 4 & 5 certified and is FSP Freeway Service Patrol certified. Mr. Gaines has strong leadership skills and is very dedicated to the future of All Ways Towing & Transport. His current responsibilities include overseeing all Oakland & San Leandro operations including the CHP California Highway Patrol contract, Alameda County Sheriff contract, San Leandro Police Department contract, Bay Area Rapid Transit Police Department contract, East Bay Regional Parks Police Department contract and management administration. Back To Top

Mr. Galicia joined the Company in 2008 with more than eighteen years in and around the towing industry. He is certified California Tow Truck Association heavy- and medium-tow and recovery and first became FSP certified in 1995. Mr. Galicia works closely with all drivers and management to ensure proper training and safe operation occurs in all aspects of towing and recovery. He also heads our monthly safety meetings and ongoing training to keep our drivers current and on the leading edge of industry standards. Back To Top

Gordon Scruton, Sales Manager
gordons@allways-tow.com

Mr. Scruton joined V. J. Haavisto Enterpises in 2005 as the Sales Manager. After owning a business and living in Fremont for years, he now resides in Tracy.

His current responsibilities are to create new towing and private property accounts, as well as stay in close contact with our existing accounts. Back To Top

Matthew T. Maksel, Manager Information Systems
matt@vjhaavisto.com

Mr. Maksel joined V. J. Haavisto Enterprises in 2000 as the Information Systems Manager.  He has over nineteen years experience with computer hardware and software and a background in accounting.  Mr. Maksel holds a BS from California State University, Hayward in Business Administration/Accounting.

Mr. Maksel is responsible for the operation of the computer network for dispatch, shops and accounting for the entire company.  He is also responsible for the office machines and phones and Pagers used in the company. Back To Top

Ron Martin, Manager of Automotive and Fleet Services ron_martin@allways-auto.com

Mr. Martin is the most recent addition to our team, bringing over thirty years of local Bay Area automotive industry and AAA experience to V. J. Haavisto Enterprises.  Ron is a certified Journeyman Automotive Technician from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers of the State of California Apprenticeship Board, 1994.  He is also a certified Senior Ford Master Technician, 1999, ASE Master Technician since 1995, ASE Advanced Engine Performance Specialist since 1996, and ASE Customer Service Consultant since 2009.  In 2000 he began his managerial career and accepted a position as Supervisor for Automotive Service at California State Automobile Association’s Car Care Plus center in Santa Clara, the first AAA club owned repair facility in the nation. This facility has served as the model for other AAA club facilities in operation throughout the nation today.  We know his knowledge and experience will help keep All Ways Automotive one of the best AAA approved repair facilities in the Bay Area. Back To Top

Mansur A. Sahib, Fleet Maintenance Technician

Mr. Sahib joined All Ways Towing & Transport in 1997 as Fleet Maintenance Technician.  His sole, full-time responsibility is to ensure a safe, repaired, and well-maintained fleet. Having an on-site, full-time technician has been invaluable to keeping the trucks properly maintained and to getting trucks that have suffered a mechanical failure back on the road very quickly.  We are convinced the preventive maintenance perpetually performed on our trucks has contributed to their phenomenal in-service time ratio.  Additionally, when there is a mechanical failure, we do not have to wait to get a truck to a repair center.  Mr. Sahib can repair ninety-nine percent of failures before the next shift. He is on-call 24/7 should we need his services after hours. Back To Top