Associate Publisher
Beginning
with a high-school service-station job pumping gas and turning
wrenches, Tom has usually managed to work around cars. Earlier, Tom was
often found holding the flashlight for his father while he performed
some needed repair on a family vehicle. During college Tom worked for
Chrysler as a product specialist, staffing one of six experimental
in-mall showrooms set up around the country. Tom also tried his hand at
selling cars, spending several months learning (but not mastering) the
trade at a domestic-brand dealership in the early Nineties. He has also
worked in fleet leasing, specializing in Chevrolet and GMC light-duty
trucks. During his time as a market research analyst and focus-group
moderator, Tom worked with manufacturers and suppliers including
General Motors, OnStar, and Porsche. Tom joined Consumer Guide in 2001
as an editor, becoming Associate Publisher in 2008. Also that year, one of his articles was awarded a gold medal at the International Automotive Media Awards. He is currently the Vice President of the Midwest Automotive Media Association and lives in
suburban Chicago with his wife, grade-school-age daughter, two cats,
about 50 fish, and several antique German tube radios.
Tom
is often called to chat about cars "on air." He is a regular guest on
Master Mechanic David Finkelstein's Auto Talk, heard Saturday mornings
on 97.1 FM in St. Louis, Missouri. Along with Consumer Guide Publisher Frank
Peiler and Online Managing Editor Jennifer Geiger, Tom is also a
monthly guest of Chicago, Illinois, late-night-radio legends Steve and Johnnie on
WGN 720 AM.
Auto Editor
A
lifelong car enthusiast, Damon Bell joined Consumer Guide in 2000 as
the Research/Acquisitions Editor of Collectible Automobile magazine. He
became Consumer Guide's Associate Auto Editor in 2003 and transferred
to his current role as Auto Editor in 2005. In addition to his duties
for Consumer Guide, Damon has worked on several award-winning hardcover
books, including Hot Rod & Custom Chronicle, Cars of the Classic
'30s, American Cars of the 1950s, and Mighty Muscle Cars.
Prior
to joining Consumer Guide, Damon was the Engineering Graphics
Coordinator at Revell-Monogram, the world's leading model car company.
Damon lives in Chicago with his wife and enjoys building model cars and playing
ultimate frisbee in his spare time.
Auto Editor/Collectible Automobile Editor-in-Chief
John Biel joined the Consumer Guide auto staff in February 1994. Since June 1995, he has served as Editor-in-Chief of Collectible Automobile, Consumer Guide's award-winning publication devoted to automotive history. He remains a part of the Consumer Guide new-car evaluation program and also contributes to CG book projects.
Following graduation from Ball State University, John was a newspaperman for almost 15 years before coming to Consumer Guide. The Chicago resident is married and has a son.
Managing Editor
A
car nut since his second breath (the first being expelled with some
choice sentiments for the attending physician), Rick Cotta has been an
auto editor with Consumer Guide since 1990. As a former automotive
technology major, ASE Certified Technician, and technical editor for an
automotive trade publication, Rick is the resident nuts-and-bolts guy
(some would say just "nuts"), as well as the department's motorcycle
editor.
During his tenure, he has
contributed to Consumer Guide's new-car evaluation program, written
several online articles, and edited numerous hardcover titles covering
the automotive spectrum. In 2008, one of his articles was awarded a silver medal at the International Automotive Media Awards. He has attended TrackTime driving school and
performs some of Consumer Guide's timed acceleration tests at a remote
location yet to be discovered by the local authorities. Rick also holds
a seat on the International Car of the Year jury. 
Online Managing Editor
Jennifer
is the Online Managing Editor of Consumer Guide Automotive, managing
and contributing to the editorial content of the website. An English
graduate of DePaul University, Jennifer joined Consumer Guide in 2003 as an editorial assistant.
In 2008, one of her articles was awarded a silver medal at the International Automotive Media Awards. Along with writing for Consumer Guide, Jennifer also writes news
articles for The Near West South Gazette, a monthly community newspaper
based in Chicago's South Loop neighborhood. She is the Vice President of
Membership of the Midwest Automotive Media Association.
Along
with Consumer Guide Publisher Frank Peiler and Associate Publisher Tom
Appel, Jennifer is a monthly guest of Chicago, Illinois, late-night-radio legends
Steve and Johnnie on WGN 720 AM. Jennifer lives in Chicago with her
husband and cat and enjoys traveling and sushi in her spare time. 
Associate Editor
A
lifetime car nut, Dave Hall joined Consumer Guide Automotive in June
2008, and was promoted to Associate Editor in December 2008. He updates
online articles and car reviews, does automotive research, and has
written several articles for the CG Auto website. Dave joined Consumer Guide after an internship with the 2008 Chicago
Auto Show. There, he got an inside look at the world of automotive
journalism.
Dave lives in Chicago and enjoys learning about cars, exploring the city, and visiting friends.
Contributing Editor
Dave
Hogan joined Consumer Guide's parent company Publications
International, Ltd., in 1985, and became Associate Publisher of the CG
Auto division three years later. He has since moved on to become the
Publisher of another division in the company, but still regularly helps
out with CG Auto projects. He has contributed to CG books about Jeep,
Porsche, cars of the Forties and Fifties, Mustang, Chevy trucks, and
others. He's also written for Collectible Automobile magazine, and for
the CG Auto website and magazine.
As a
boy in rural Ohio, Dave taught himself to drive in his (indulgent)
dad's 1960 Triumph TR3-A. Although he now enjoys the heck out of his
'00 BMW Z3 "bread van" coupe, Dave frequently daydreams about being
followed home by a vintage Hudson "Step-Down." Even better, his wife
lets him keep it.
Art Director
Harry
Kapsalis has been involved with Consumer Guide since 1997. After
spending a year and a half in Publications International, Ltd. 's photo
archive he moved to the Imaging Department where he spent over seven
years performing all the scanning and retouching for Consumer Guide,
Collectible Automobile, and a host of CG automotive hardcover
publications. In late 2007 he assumed the role he currently possesses
as the Art Director for Collectible Automobile magazine.
Before
coming to Consumer Guide, he studied design and earned a degree in
photography from The University of Illinois at Chicago. Harry has had a
passion for automobiles since childhood and it continues to grow with
every passing day. He is an avid collector of vintage automotive
paraphernalia and is a proud owner of a 1966 Pontiac GTO and 1962
Pontiac Catalina.
Publisher
Frank
Peiler joined Consumer Guide in 1972 as the young company's first art
director and only its eighth employee. Though responsible for the look
of books and magazines on topics as varied as guns, golf, bicycles, and
bridal fashions, Frank brought with him the special knowledge and
experience of a lifelong car enthusiast that quickly benefited Consumer
Guide automotive titles. Within a few years he was named a company
vice-president and headed a much-expanded art department necessitated
by CG's steady growth. After spearheading the company's successful move
into the "classic car" realm, Frank was named publisher of a separate automotive division formed in 1979. Five years later he conceived
Collectible Automobile magazine as the kind of old-car periodical he
himself wanted to read. Popular from the first, CA marks its 25th
anniversary in 2009 as the recognized leader in its field and the
winner of numerous awards.
In recent years,
Frank has lent his executive and creative talents to Consumer Guide's
online operations. A member of the Society of Automotive Historians, he
also serves as a permanent juror for the North American Car of the Year
Award, presented at the North American International Auto Show in
Detroit.
Auto Editor
Ed
Piotrowski joined his fellow car enthusiasts at Consumer Guide
Automotive in 2005 as an Auto Editor. During his time here, he has
written and edited content for the Consumer Guide Car & Truck Test
auto buying guide, as well as for the Consumer Guide Automotive
website. Ed is also part of Consumer Guide's "on air" crew,
broadcasting a weekly car review on WRLR 98.3 FM, a station based in
Round Lake, Illinois. His other experience in the auto industry
includes a large collection of Matchbox and Hot Wheels toy cars (that
are sitting at his parents' house somewhere), time as a public
relations representative for General Motors, and an Auto Editor for
Liberty Group Publishing. He has also served as a general assignment
reporter for Pioneer Press newspapers.
Ed is a lifelong resident of the Chicago area who enjoys playing video games and watching hockey in his spare time.
Editor-at-Large
Chris
Poole joined Consumer Guide in 1979 as its first dedicated auto editor
after careers in commercial radio and hospital-based educational media.
He added the title of Editor-in-Chief for Collectible Automobile with
the 1984 launch of that bimonthly auto-history magazine by Consumer
Guide's parent company, Publications International, Ltd. (PIL). In late
1986 he moved to Southern California as Consumer Guide's first West
Coast Auto Editor and CA Editor-at-Large. He relocated to the Phoenix,
AZ, area in 2007. Another lifelong car enthusiast and a confirmed
"telecommuter," Chris is a past secretary and vice-president of the Los
Angeles-based Motor Press Guild (MPG) auto-writers group. He now serves
as president of the Phoenix Automotive Press Association (PAPA) and is
a standing jury member for the annual North American Concept Vehicle of
the Year Awards.
Reflecting his broadcast
experience, Chris continues to represent Consumer Guide Auto on various
radio and TV programs. Examples include several years as substitute
co-host for the weekly "Car Show" on L.A.'s KPFK-FM, commentary for the
History's Channel's 2005 "Full Throttle" series, and panelist for the
Speed Channel's "World's Greatest Auto Shows" coverage of the 2005 L.A.
Auto Show.
Associate Editor
A
car enthusiast since childhood, Don Sikora II joined Consumer Guide in
2007 as an Associate Editor for Consumer Guide Automotive and Collectible Automobile
magazine. Don has also contributed to several Publications
International hardcover books, including Corvette Classics and Muscle
Car Classics. Prior to joining Consumer Guide, Don earned a degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, and worked in the Tool
Engineering and Product Development departments of Revell-Monogram, a
long-time maker of plastic model kits.
Don lives in Somers, Wisconsin, and in his spare time collects model cars and enjoys long road trips. He is the only member of the Consumer Guide staff who will admit he once owned a Renault Fuego.
Auto Editor, Prices
Jack
Stewart realized his dream of a car-related job in 1996 when he joined
Publications International's photo archive and was paid to look at car
pictures. In 1998 he joined the Consumer Guide staff as New Car Price
Editor. Jack has edited the Publications International hardcover books
The Complete Book of Collectible Cars, Encyclopedia of American Cars,
and Cadillac Classics, as well as contributing to other auto books. He
is also an Associate Editor of Collectible Automobile magazine.
Jack
has owned a 1967 Jaguar E-Type since 1972 and has managed to keep it on
the road for most of those years in spite of doing some of his own
maintenance.
