Meet the Board of Directors
Jeff McManus, President
Jeff McManus has lived in Wyoming and been a part of ranching his entire life. Jeff joined the NSFWA in 2009, while attending that year’s convention held at West Yellowstone Montana. With his wife Barb, he owns a small collection of teams and wagons. His efforts in this organization are to encourage us all to preserve our history and knowledge of horse-drawn transportation.
Rawhide Johnson, Vice President
Ranch raised in Montana and Idaho, Rawhide grew up driving teams and fixing wagons as a normal days work. In Rawhide's youth, his father gave stagecoach rides commercially. This background, along with a love of stagecoach history, has led him to the teaching of ideas and techniques of stagecoach conservation and restoration. Through these concepts he hopes to help preserve the visual and reality of each vehicles history.
Rawhide serves on several boards, does independent consulting and currently is the Chairman of the Board for the Yellowstone Historic Center.
Kathryn McKee, Secretary
As a child, Kathryn WAS Laura Ingalls. Riding around in an old farm wagon with her trusty dog beside her, she caught the bug early from her home in North Carolina. She studied the American West in graduate school at the University of Wyoming and completed a master’s thesis on mythology in the stagecoach industry. She joined the NSFWA at that time. Kathryn is a public historian with a wide variety of interests and loves to share history with others through museum exhibits, programs, and published articles.
Cameron Bean
I was raised with horses and buggies and had my first pony at three years of age. From the 3rd-8th grades I rode horses to school, and as a special treat we were allowed to take dad’s Velie buggy on the first and last day of school. At ten years old, I built my first chuck wagon out of an old hack, pulled by a single horse. I am no wheelwright, but I have some experience repairing and shrinking tires!
We started collecting wagons, buggies, and sleighs in the mid 1960s. For years, we have given wagon and buggy rides, and participated with them in weddings, parades and displays. We host the chuck wagon at two annual events: a horse sale and a heifer sale. I have been an Owyhee County Museum board member, am active in historical events and fundraising, and was very excited to find the NSFWA - a fine organization with very knowledgeable people. I am happy to help in any way I can.
Frank Burkdoll
Jerry Palmer
Born and raised in southeast Kansas in Coffeyville - home of the semi famous Dalton gang bank robbery – I grew up driving motorcycles and fast cars. I worked for Farmland Industries for 35 years.
My wife Linda and I are now retired and live in southwest Missouri. After several years of foaling and raising babies from a couple of Quarter horse mares, we now see the countryside at four miles per hour behind a team of stout little Haflinger geldings.
We have an original Springfield farm wagon and a couple of Studebaker buggies that we enjoy driving to church occasionally. I enjoy learning about the mechanics of the old wagons and their transition to automobiles and look forward to continuing my education of wagon history while serving the members of the NSFWA.
Patrick Goodknight
The first farm wagon I obtained was at an auction for $50 when I was 11 years old, and I've been ate up with them ever since. Being raised in Southwest Missouri gave me the opportunity to get to know plenty of old timers who owned, bought and sold teams and wagons for a living as well as pleasure.
My wife Amy and I run a small horse ranch as well as crop farm 100 acres with the help of our two grown sons. For a real job, I'm a small town financial advisor for a national firm. In the spare time, Amy and our daughter Charley run the local barrel racing circuit.
I am excited to be a part of a great association of wagon and stagecoach enthusiasts and hope to make a contribution to preserve and protect the traditions of early wheeled transportation and the trails that were used to settle America.
Doug Hansen, Advisor to the Board
Doug Hansen is founder & owner/operator of Hansen Wheel & Wagon Shop, established in 1978. Doug has worked as a wainwright and wheelwright since that time, specializing in the building and restoring of heavy wagons and wheels. Doug has made a point of researching and studying the original, authentic vehicles and performs all his work with special attention to following the original design and detail - to produce only authentic, quality workmanship.
His fascination with horse drawn vehicles brought about self study of their designs and qualities. He truly believes that traditional wagon making and its methods are his connection with the original artisans of the past, and his inspiration comes from the study of their work.
Doug’s primary interest is in the realm of the western vehicles that traveled across the prairies of Dakota Territory, as well as the heavy commercial vehicles that kept our nation supplied. Iconic American vehicles such as stagecoaches, chuck wagons, freight wagons, and hitch wagons combine to make up his largest area of study.
Examples and contributions of Doug’s work can be found in private collections, museums & corporate holdings. His company and its products have been featured in numerous articles, and have been displayed nationally and internationally.
Doug’s reputation and experience has led to consulting work, evaluations, workshops, and speaking engagements, that he enjoys doing all across the country.
Also a cofounder of the NSFWA.
