This is the single greatest honor in the motor vehicle industry, intended to honor a career and/or lifetime achievement. To become a "Hall of Famer" the nominee must be either retired or deceased. Recipients must have significantly impacted the development of the automobile or the motor vehicle industry. Typically, four to eight individuals are inducted each year.
Fueled the growth of marketing in the 20th century by compiling automotive owner registrations into market statistics and direct marketing tools.
From the time he was ten years old, Ralph L. Polk II spent his summers delivering Detroit city directories compiled by his father?s business, R.L. Polk & Co. At eighteen he became a full-time assistant to his father.
In 1922, he responded to the call from the Detroit automotive manufacturers for detailed competitive analysis when Polk created its national automotive census. He knew the value automotive information would have someday for dealers, manufacturers and others wanting to send promotional offers to vehicle owners.
His efforts spread and he started collecting automotive information from every state to create statistical reports. Following World War II, he added direct mail and total package promotions. At the time of Polk?s death in 1949, the direct mail division was delivering up to two million pieces of mail every day.
Today, R.L. Polk is a global company providing automotive intelligence solutions to corporations all around the world.
