Management Team
Chris was born and raised in rural South Africa where his interest and passion in all things 4WD started at an early age.
His personal expedition travel experience, military service, academic qualifications including a graduate degree in Adult Education, teaching experience including at universities in South Africa and the USA, combined with his love of all things 4WD enables him to assist in developing the I4WDTA®.
Chris takes every opportunity to use his 4WD vehicles on trails or on longer expeditions to remote destinations.
Bill Burke is the founder of the International 4-Wheel Drive Trainers Association (I4WDTA), owner of Bill Burke’s 4-Wheeling America LLC, and a permitted outfitter guide through the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM). He teaches all aspects of 4-wheel driving to anyone who uses a 4-wheel drive vehicle for recreation or business, and plans and leads experiential back country vacation trips for individuals, families, clubs, and businesses.
Bill serves as a technical consultant in the areas of 4-wheeling expertise and environmental concerns to various businesses, the media, 4-wheel drive manufacturers, dealerships, and government organizations.
CLIENTS INCLUDE:
Owners of 4-Wheel Drive Sport Utility Vehicles… 4-Wheel Drive Clubs… 4×4 Tour Operators … Government Organizations… Vehicle Manufacturers / Dealers… Exploration / Mining Companies (North and South America)… and any company, group, individual or organization that uses 4-wheel drive vehicles in their leisure or business operations.
RELATED ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Teach 4-wheel drive safety at the annual Northwest SARCON, a search-and-rescue conference for emergency responders and their supervisors.
- Teach 4-wheel drive techniques and environmental awareness to U.S. Forest Service and Department of Interior including U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Interagency Fire Response Team, U.S. State Department, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) on an ongoing basis.
- Instituted Toyota Technical Center 4-wheel drive training program for Toyota Motors’ Worldwide in-house Certification.
- 4-Wheel Drive Training Editor, 4WD Toyota Owner magazine. *Developed script, hosted “4×4 Safe Driving Program” training video, and wrote accompanying workbook for Bureau of Land Management (western region) to use for their staff and new hires (1998 & 2014) (only available through BLM for their staff).
- Developed early Charter-curriculum for the TREAD Lightly! nationwide off-highway safety clinics. Co-taught to individuals, groups, Forest Service personnel throughout U.S., and 4WD manufacturers and dealers.
- Trained staff drivers at Joint Astronomy Center, Mauna Kea, Hawaii in safe 4-wheel drive techniques for high mountain roads and inclement weather.
- Provided 4×4 safety training to managers responsible for mining exploration and operations in the Andes through Mark One S.A., Lima, Peru. Developed safety workbook.
- Hosted video to introduce the 2003 Toyota 4Runner. *Co-hosted and provided technical expertise for 4-wheeling and environmental video, “The Way Out,” to highlight basic 4-wheel drive techniques and safety, and to introduce the Tacoma for Toyota Motor Sales USA (1994).
- *Trailmaster for United Four-Wheel Drive Convention hosted by Colorado Association of 4-Wheel Drive Clubs (1999).
- Created and implemented Unstuck! professional winching and recovery instructional video. Can be purchased online at https://www.bb4wa.com/products/dvds.html.
- Developed and presented Camp Rover West, now known as On the Road…, practical driver training seminars and guided trail rides for 4-wheel drive / SUVs and their owners (2000-present).
- Presented the Colorado Bike / Boat / Bog Triathlon® canoe race, mountain bike race, and 4-wheel drive time / speed / distance rally which attracted competitors from around the United States and Canada (1993-1996).
- One of 2-person team to represent America in the Camel Trophy, a grueling 1200-mile rally across Africa (1991). Completed Land Rover International Driver Training Program in Off-Road Techniques, Eastnor Castle, England.
- Certified Wilderness EMT-B. Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certified Master Heavy Duty Truck Technician. Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America, National Leadership Training. Recovery Specialist, U.S. Army, 101st Airborne Division (1972-1975). Recovered and evacuated stuck and mired wheeled and tracked vehicles and equipment.
MEDIA (partial list) – Regular column, Burke’s Box in 4WD Toyota Owner magazine and Rovers North News. Articles about and/or by Bill in Automobile Magazine, Reforma (Mexico), Sports Afield, National Geographic, Land Rover World, Land Rover Monthly, American Survival Guide, Men’s Journal, AutoWeek, Four Wheeler, Land Rover Owner, The Denver Post, The Denver Rocky Mountain News, The Oregonian, Newsday (New York), Grand Junction, Daily Sentinel and other local, national and international publications. Regular contributor to various publications in areas of 4-wheel drive education.
Ismael “Izzy” Sanchez has over 30 years of experience creating and delivering professional training in private corporations, military, academic, and small businesses environments. A professional engineer by education, Izzy combines his deep passion for the outdoors with a high proficiency in 4WD driving, overlanding, vehicle recovery, and off-road radio communication and navigation in every engagement. He combines his many years of driving skills in both off-road and race track environments to teach students the fundamentals of effective control of any vehicle and precision driving.
Izzy has traveled globally in a variety of terrains recreationally and is the author of, “Overlanding in the Southeastern United States”. This experience, along with his professional educator talents, has enabled him to provide a superior experience for the recreational off highway enthusiast, commercial, and military 4WD vehicle operators he has supported. He holds additional qualifications as a Tread Lightly! Master Tread Trainer and Wilderness First Aid Provider.
Kurt Williams has been a Land Cruiser owner since the time he was 15. His strong love of 4x4s combined with business management skills has made Cruiser Outfitters a strong competitor in the four wheel drive retail industry, specializing in Land Cruisers exclusively. As a member of several 4×4 clubs (Wasatch Cruiser Club, Utah 4 Wheel Drive Association, Red Rock 4 Wheelers, Tacoma Territory) Kurt can often be found in Utah’s back country. Kurt is also a Mechanical Engineer graduate from the University of Utah, having specialized in automotive design/fabrication. Kurt has competed professionally in United Rockcrawling and Offroad Challenge Series (UROC), Old School Rock Crawl, finished the Baja 1000 and traveled all over the globe in Land Cruisers
I grew up in Scotland and hiking the glens and mountains of the highlands. I moved
to Africa and explored this continent on off-road motorcycles and in old Land Rovers.
I really liked the remoteness of the places I visited and was lucky enough to have a job that
enabled me to visit most of Sub-Saharan Africa. I was involved in Plant and Machinery
Valuations as well as consulting to the World Bank on Privatization Issues and visiting
countries ravaged by war or natural disasters and rebuilding the infrastructure.
I started my career as an auditor/accountant before changing over to engineering. I always
had a love for the outdoors and all things mechanical.
I hold a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Graduate of the Australian Institute of
Company Directors, Fleet Management Certificate from the Institute of Public Works
Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) and Management, Training and Occupational Health and
Safety certificates.
I have managed workshops and garages, including Government entities comprising of 7
locations, 2500 vehicles, 1200 items of Yellow Goods and 4500 employees.
I have driven four-wheel drive vehicles both for recreation and professionally, for the past
30 years, toured Africa, the USA and Australia extensively and passed my skills on to a range
of corporate clients and individuals over this time frame. I have also led expeditions and
training courses in Germany, China, New Zealand, Australia, Africa, USA and Papua New
Guinea
DRIVER TRAINER EXPERIENCE
I have been training organizations and individuals, throughout Australia, China, USA,
Europe, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Africa in Four Wheel Driving as well as Safer
Driving (Defensive Driving) and Advanced Driving.
I am currently the only person in Australasia to be certified by the International 4-Wheel
Drive Trainers’ Association as a Master Trainer and the only Four Wheel Drive Trainer in
Australia to hold the Master Tread Trainer Certification from Tread Lightly LLC.
I hold the following qualification in First Aid Training:
HLTAID0001 Perform CPR
HLTAID003 Provide First Aid
I hold the following qualifications in Road Safety:
Road Safety Education Limited Facilitator Training Program Module 1
I use my extensive knowledge of vehicles to advise clients on their vehicle fleet needs based
on the principles of ‘fit for purpose’.
I own and run a Consultancy business undertaking Four Wheel Drive Driver Training to a
range of clients, based in the mining and ancillary services industries as well as other
corporate clients and I currently consult to other Registered Training Organizations, who
require my services.
I hold a number of patents for products, which I have designed and sell to companies and
individuals, tailored to the four-wheel drive accessory market.
In Africa, I managed a number of off-road motorcycle teams for many years incorporating
many of the long-distance endurance and off-road events. I raced motorcycles and cars, on-
road and off-road for many years.
I have trained for organizations such as Land Rover, Jeep, Volkswagen, Isuzu, Hyundai and
Mercedes Benz
I am also a qualified G-Wagon Lead Trainer
I am a member of:
The Australian Driver Trainers’ Association Qld Inc.
The Institute of Professional Drivers and Chauffeurs
International 4-Wheel Drive Trainers’ Association
United Four Wheel Drive Association
Four Wheel Drive Australia
The Four Wheel Drive Association Queensland
Queensland Outdoor Recreation Federation
I am a registered Private Investigator and Bodyguard, enabling XDrive to also add Tactical
Driving, incorporating VIP protection as well as Anti Hi-Jacking driver training.
XDrive can deliver Motorcycle Training as well as Four-Wheeler (ATV) and Side-by-Side (UTV)
vehicle training. XDrive is a Corporate Partner with Tread Lightly LLC ensuring we meet the
highest standards in environmental assessments.
I am currently writing two books, one on Safer Driving titled 'Think Different Drive Different'
and the second on Four Wheel Driving techniques.
XDrive is committed to On and Off-Road, Driver Education and Road Safety.
Working with vehicle manufacturers, distributors and dealerships as well as owning farms in
Africa also helped develop the concept of Four=Wheel Drive vehicle training and the driving
skills associated with driving Off-Road.
My career as a Four-Wheel Drive trainer began from a different perspective, as a SCUBA
diving instructor at that time, I took a lot of the training I had learnt from the diving and
adapted this training methodology to driving off-road vehicles.
I have lived in Australia for ten years. Snow driving to desert crossings, rainforests and sand
islands are amongst some of the thrills awaiting exploration in a Four-Wheel Drive vehicle in Australia.
I have had the pleasure of meeting many highly experienced Four-Wheel Drive trainers and
individuals through my association with the I4WDTA and other Four-Wheel Drive
organizations and I look forward to meeting you and discussing all aspects of Four-Wheel
Drive vehicles and driving techniques with you
Thomas Burton is a retired Master Sergeant from US Army Special Operations, originally from Oak Hill, WV. Mr. Burton is the owner of two West Virginia small businesses, Black Side Solutions LLC, a defense consulting company specializing in Ground mobility and defense acquisitions as well as West Virginia Overland LLC, an adventure tourism guide and training company.
Mr. Burton has an extensive technical and tactical background with multiple certifications from various training ranging from the mechanical field, welding, advanced driving, SERE School, CDL, Parachutist, and SOF advanced combat training course. He has obtained extensive operational experience from his seven combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Most notable, Mr. Burton served 11 years in Special Operations with seven years serving as a ground mobility assault driver in 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta (Delta Force).
Mr. Burton spent his last five years in Special Forces Command serving as a program manager for all of the command’s ground mobility vehicle programs, managing the vehicle requirements and development for all of United States Special Operations Command programs. He was directly involved in the development of vehicle requirements, testing and fielding of some of the following vehicles: Polaris MRZR, Flyer Defense GMV 1.1, Non-Standard Commercial Vehicles (Hilux, land cruiser 79 and 200 series.)
He most recently finished up a two-year run as program manager and trainer for a SOF ground mobility training program, teaching team level small unit mobility driving and recovery skills to special operations units. Mr. Burton in now in to the private sector to continue work in the defense consulting industry and the over-landing and training industry.
Tomas is an I4WDTA Certified Off-Road Driving & Recovery Trainer who has been active in the off-road community & industry for over fifteen years. He has work as a certified ski instructor, Professional Outdoor Guide, and is an avid vehicle based adventure traveler. Tomas serves the I4WDTA Management Team as Primary Webmaster.
Anne Pence is the Vice President for Administration of the I4WDTA®. Additionally, she serves as the Vice President of Campa International, Inc., involved in the sales, marketing, engineering, and manufacture of “Campa All-Terrain Trailers”. Anne is also a Journeyperson Tool & Die Maker, and employs her 25 years of manufacturing expertise to contribute to the continuous improvement of the manufacturing processes of Campa International, Inc. and Puritas Metal Products, Inc.
Anne has traveled extensively World-wide on both 2 and 4 wheeled vehicles. She enjoys motorcycle travel with her dog Maya, camping, and remote 4×4 travel. On their many expeditions Anne typically rides shotgun with Chris – mostly because he is so passionate about driving their 2002 Unimog U500NA, or their 1985 HJ75 Diesel Toyota Land Cruiser “Troopy”, or their 1981 Toyota Pick up.