NTPA Board of Directors

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Keith Theobald - President

Theobald has been NTPA President since December of 2006, and was elected to the NTPA Executive Board of Directors in 1995. The Shelbyville native began his pulling career in 1981 with a Modified Tractor, and then switched to the TWD Truck class in 1988 - a class that the "Wicked Willy" Team still currently competes in today with his son, Doug, in the driver's seat. Theobald is involved in agriculture with his wife Jan.

Mike O'Conner - Vice President

Michael has been involved with the NTPA since 1988 and currently serves as Vice President of the NTPA Board and board member for the United Pullers of Minnesota. Michael began pulling tractors and pickup trucks in 1975. His career highlights include Region III Championships in 1995 and 1996, along with a Minnesota Sweet Championship in 1996. Michael passed on his fondness for the sport to his children, Michelle and David. Michelle pulled Michael's Four Wheel Drive truck, "Nasty Boys" and David currently pulls "Father Watches On." Diversified in agriculture, Michael is a Pioneer Sales Representative, crop insurance agent and a third generation farmer of 4,000 acres. When he is not working, Michael enjoys spending time with his wife of 35 years and snowmobiling. He and his wife, Beverly, reside near Blooming Prairie, Minn. and have four children: Michelle, David, April and Marybeth.

Jimmy Thigpen - Secretary

Coming soon!

Jesse Petro - Director

Jessie is an NTPA board member and TWD competitor from Camden, Ohio. He is a graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio and got his strong love for pulling and competition from his father, Randy, who has been pulling for more than 30 years. Off the track, Jessie served as an intern with NTPA working on the contingency program in 2003. In 2007 he was elected to the NTPA Board of Directors. In his spare time, Jessie enjoys playing Texas Hold ‘em poker, watching drag racing and playing baseball.

Jim Webb - Director

Jim bought a state level minirod in 1984, he had no idea that he would be involved in the sport of truck and tractor pulling for so long. It began as “something” to do with his two sons, Jason and Jesse. The three “J’s” are still at it with a couple of minis (Red Headed Stepchild and Jumpin’ Jack Flash) on the NTPA circuit. Jim is married to Virginia, a farm girl from Ohio. Jim has three college degrees (Bachelor’s and Master’s in Business and Bachelor’s in Social Studies Education). His last job was a History, Government, and Economics teacher at Churubusco, Indiana. He also coached basketball, Varsity Volleyball, and Track (specializing in the pole vault event). Jim has been a NTPA Tech Official for a number of years and also announces a few NTPA events each year. Jim was elected to the NTPA Board in 2010.

Mark Peissig - Director

Mark is in his 27^th year pulling and competes in the Light Super Stock class with his 9600 Ford “Bomb.” His favorite track is in Brandenburg, Ky. because it’s “always good for all classes.” Mark was the Grand National Light Super Stock Champion in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008.

Dave Closser - Director

As a young farm boy in the ‘40s and ‘50s,Dave Closser eagerly got into tractor pulling as soon as his father allowed him. For a few short years, he pulled an F-20 Farmall at local county fairs. Through the years, he worked various jobs at Delco until retiring as a manufacturing engineer in 1991. From 1964-1984, he also farmed his own farm. After getting married and starting a family, Dave became an early NHRA drag racer. In 1984 he was one of the original 15 Four Wheel Drive pullers to join the Hoosier State Tractor Pullers Association. He was a divisional representative of the FWD class, served as the HSTPA vice president in 1990, and as president from 1992-1994. Dave was a pre-committed Grand National puller for 12 years and due to physical and financial stresses he decided to return to Hoosier State Pulling. As a current puller, Dave, his son Jerry and grandson Andrew pull a Chevy S-10 truck and think that there are no better people in the USA than pullers. Dave and his wife Ruby reside in Indiana and have three children, 11 grandchildren and six great grandchildren. He and Ruby still live on the family farm and enjoy family, friends, church and NTPA truck pulling.

Dennis Christensen - Director

Dennis first attended a tractor pull in 1967 and the sport quickly caught his attention. In 1968 he built his first single engine modified tractor. Shortly after, Dennis began competing with the Minnesota Tractor Pullers Contest Corporation (MTPCC) and was President of the MTPCC when they and Gopher State Pullers became the United Pullers of Minnesota. Dennis has also been on the NTPA Board of Directors since 1974. Dennis and his wife, Sharon, live in Glencoe, Minn. and have been married for 41 years. They have three children: Doug, Kim and Chad, and 10 grandchildren. Their children have grown up pulling and currently pull “Pack Rat VI” (Doug), “Pack Rat VII” (Kim) and “Pack Rat V” (Chad). Sharon videotapes the events and Kim and her husband, Rick, take pictures for the pulling team and also for The Puller magazine.