VIP Tours

William West Hopper is sought after for his in-depth automotive knowledge, as well as his knowledge of local history, interior design, art and antiques. He has published articles on a variety of subjects, authored guidebooks on local history, and on the art of secondhand shopping in the Washington DC area. A lifelong automotive enthusiast, Mr. Hopper currently serves as the President of the Washington Automotive Press Association, and has served as a Director for the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, overseeing club publications, website and social media. Mr. Hopper graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Albright College in Reading PA, and has worked for corporations such as Hartford Steam Boiler Insurance Company, GTE, IBM and Segway. He currently owns and manages WWH Communications, providing freelance automotive and lifestyle marketing, as well as event management services. Called a “consummate consumer with a nose for a bargain” by The Washington Post, Mr. Hopper produces the Automotive Business Report, Queer4Cars, and Queer4Travel blogs which focus on the automotive lifestyle, with a special interest in road trip destination travel. He is the author of 'A Guide to Washington’s Thrift and Consignment Shops,' and other well-received resource books.

Celebrating nearly 40 years as a broadcaster, Alvin Jones started his career as the host of the number one rated Quiet Storm on WHUR-FM. Currently, he hosts and is executive producer of automotive television show Planet Vehicle. Through his parent company The Alvin Jones Communications Group he also executive produces business television show Women’s Business Report and hosts radio & television program PlanetJazz. His work at Black Entertainment Television helped take BET from an eight-hour a day cable network to the 24-hour powerhouse for the music video genre. Known as “The Unseen VJ”®, he hosted and produced music video programs Video Vibrations, and Midnight Love and created Rap City. Alvin originally hosted T.M.I. (Too Much Information) while on Sirius/XM Radio channel The Power and was producer for C-SPAN’s Book TV. His other company, Aye Jay Productions, offers video production, webcasting, sound reinforcement, public relations, and event production solutions. Projects include Cannes Film Festival segments for the TV Guide Channel, arrival of The Pope at The U.S. Capitol, live streaming of Senate and Congressional hearings, and coverage of the NAACP Image Awards, the Grammys, and pre-Oscar events for MSN.com. Giving back gives Alvin a sense of pride. Always one with a message, he connects well with his audience and is highly requested as a public speaker and Master of Ceremonies

Kevin Joostema currently serves as President of Car-ED, a media and marketing company co-founded with Andres Valbuena. Besides contributing to Car-ED, Kevin is a Washington Automotive Press Association (WAPA) Board member and provides marketing services and consultation on a range of product development and consumer research topics. Kevin is a constant champion of innovative product concepts due to the customer voice and, ultimately, customer appeal. Kevin’s experience in the auto sector has always been driven by the needs of the consumer through research and observation. His own study of architecture and research drives his interest in the global auto sector, and has allowed him to work among the top brands from all 3 of the major auto-producing regions for the past 25 years – the US, Japan, and Germany.

Jake Maynard is a senior at George Washington University studying Business and Public Policy. In his free time, you can catch him running, playing video games, and filming car reviews for his YouTube channel Gas Guzzler Reviews! Jake started Gas Guzzler Reviews in his senior year of high school and is now a member of the Washington Automotive Press Association. His videos focus on exploring all kinds of new vehicles from a holistic perspective. As a young car enthusiast Jake appreciates speed and power; but also keeps up with the latest tech trends in the automotive world.