About Us
The Dispatcher is a quarterly magazine published by The Norris-Banonis Publishing Group LLC. We are an American publisher with a passion for the preservation of vintage vehicles and their rich colorful heritage. The Dispatcher covers an era beginning in 1904 (Willys-Overland) up through the late 1980s–and ventures beyond that when opportunities present themselves. Besides covering Willys and Jeep vehicles, early Ford and Bantam “Jeeps” are also covered. The magazine includes bio’s about individuals who helped shape histories of the vehicles and the companies that produced them. Also, product and book reviews, feature articles, military and civilian articles, events, readers’ rides, historical articles, time capsules, technical articles, off -road adventures, and international articles.
The Dispatcher Magazine Staff
Bill Norris | editor-in-chief
Bill Norris has had a fascination for anything mechanical for as long as he can remember. In fact, he began wrenching on automobiles with his dad when he was just four years old. Since that time has had a constant burning desire to disassemble everything within eye shot and then attempt to reassemble it. Sometimes there would be parts left over after reassembly but other times he was able to completely put it back together in working condition, much to his mother's joy.
As time went on, his mechanical abilities were focused more towards automobiles and particularly, Jeep vehicles — especially the earlier Willys models. When Bill was 14, his dad acquired their first Jeep: a 1948 CJ-2A. Later, the father and son team went on to perform a complete ground-up restoration on a 1947 CJ-2A, doing all but the body work themselves. Their restored Harvest Tan 2A has since been commissioned by marketing officials at Jeep for advertising in USA Today and on the internet. It was also used for a historical display at past annual Camp Jeep events. It has also been featured in three magazines including one where it commanded a cover story.
Along with his obsession for mechanical widgets, whirligigs and Jeeps, Bill is a history hound and a freelance writer. That combination of interests has led him to write numerous feature articles for Vintage Truck Magazine, Antique Power Magazine and the West Coast Willys newsletter, to name a few. Although he has written on numerous subjects, his primary focus has been on the history of Jeep vehicles. Bill has also been a featured speaker at various Jeep shows across the U.S. Additionally, he was interviewed by the Discovery Channel’s Ultimate Cars Series for their Ultimate 4-Wheel Drive segment.
Bill resides in Troy, MI with his wife, three children, three gold fish, Herman the turtle, a 1947 Jeep CJ-2A and, of course, boxes and boxes of disassembled toasters, vacuum cleaners, blenders, coffee makers, computers, fuel pumps, speedometers and differentials.
Kevin Banonis | Editor/Creative Director
Kevin Banonis has collected, restored and fiddled with various vintage Jeep vehicles for over 40 years. The first Jeep he acquired was a 1946 CJ-2A that originally was a service vehicle for the Touhy Avenue Texaco station in Chicago. Kevin presently has an all-original 1964 Jeep J300 Gladiator Thriftside pickup, a 1957 M38A1 military Jeep and a 1984 CJ-7. Daily drivers are a 2000 Jeep Cherokee Freedom and a 2007 Jeep Liberty.
When he is not torching on rusty tin or mixing up his own version of knuckle pudding, you can usually find him sitting at his Mac, researching and laying out the Holy Toledo! calendar or The Dispatcher magazine. He also produces the advertisements, posters, flyers, t-shirts and cap designs for both spring and fall Willys Reunions.
Kevin and his wife Lora reside in the Appalachian Mountains of northwestern North Carolina.
