The beginning of ICCC started when some clubs of the southern region of the United Council of Corvette Clubs (UCCC) decided to depart from that organization and begin a separate council that came to be known as the International Council of Corvette Clubs.
On October 25, 1986 at the Pittsburgh Marriott Hotel in Monroeville, PA, the meeting of the United Council of Corvette Clubs convened. The following clubs representing the southern region were present at that meeting: Atlanta Corvette Society, Metro Vettes Unlimited, Smoke City Vettes, Untouchables Corvette Club and Vette Sette Memphis. Shortly after that meeting, some of the clubs from the southern region decided to depart from UCCC.
In the months following October 1986, several members of the southern region sought to establish a new council. Their vision was to establish a non-profit organization with a social purpose to support other non-profit organizations, to enhance the enjoyment connected with ownership of a corvette and to promote participation in corvette oriented activities such as: drag racing, road rallies, car shows, parades, gymkhana, team competition, etc. Their goal was to actively recruit corvette enthusiasts, both clubs and individuals, ready to contribute ideas, skills, energy, dedication and a focus on having fun and enjoyment connected with ownership of a corvette. There would be no geographic limitation on membership.
After many discussions, phone calls and scheduled group meetings that occurred in cities such as Memphis, Birmingham and Atlanta, the foundation for a new council was formulated and it became known as the International Council of Corvette Clubs (ICCC). ICCC was incorporated in January of 1987 by Attorney Henry Simpson of Metro Corvettes Unlimited (Atlanta, Georgia). Also, Mr. June Thomas of Jazz City Corvette Club (New Orleans, Louisiana), created the graphic design for the organization’s logo. The bylaws were established, a convention site was selected, a president and other officers were elected, and committees were formed. Quarterly meetings and convention schedules were established. Guidelines for competition, incentive awards and other areas were established. Incentive awards were added to increase fun and participation in areas such as racing, car shows, gymkhana, road rallies, club apparel, club growth, and attendance at quarterly meetings and conventions. It was thrilling times getting ICCC established. The founding clubs and individual members of ICCC were:
- Atlanta Corvette Society – Atlanta, GA
- Beale Street Corvette Association – Memphis, TN
- Chosen Few Corvette Club – Houston, TX
- Calvin Olson Sr. (individual from Vette Sette Phase I) – Dallas, TX
- Jazz City Corvette Club – New Orleans, LA
- Majestic Glass Corvette Club – Birmingham, AL
- Metro Vettes Unlimited – Atlanta, GA
- Robert Williams (Individual) – Birmingham, AL
- Smoke City Corvette Club – Birmingham, AL
- Sport City Corvette Club – Shreveport, LA
- Stingray of Greenville – Greenville, SC
- Untouchables Corvette Club – Huntsville, AL
- Vette Sette Memphis Corvette Club – Memphis, TN
The above corvette clubs and individual members laid the foundation for ICCC and the first convention called “Back to Southern Comfort” was held in Atlanta, Georgia in July of 1987. Metro Vettes Unlimited hosted this convention. The first officers of this newly established council were: President – Wilmer Cooksey (Metro Vettes Unlimited); Vice President – Paul Mitchell (Jazz City); Secretary-Eleanor Arnold (Metro Vettes Unlimited); Correspondent Secretary -Ben Gilbert (Beale Street); Treasurer – Philip Hardeman (Metro Vettes Unlimited); Parliamentarian -James Britton (Majestic Glass); and Sergeant-at-Arms -Ron Leshure (Majestic Glass).
Fast forward to the present, ICCC celebrates 34 years of existence and have held to date 33 conventions. Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the 34th convention scheduled to be held in Shreveport, LA in July 2020 was cancelled. Not only was the convention cancelled but meetings occurring after January 2020 were cancelled. Even the election process for new officers was delayed until 2021. Below is the listing of all the conventions and when provided, their vivid themes:
- 1987 — Atlanta, GA host Metro Vettes Unlimited – Back to Southern Comfort
- 1988 – Birmingham, AL host Smoke City Corvette Club – Glass Experience Phase II
- 1989 – New Orleans, LA host Jazz City Corvette Club-Jazzing Under Glass
- 1990 – Memphis, TN
- 1991 – Houston, TX host Chosen Few Corvette Club – Space City Showcase
- 1992 – St. Louis, MO host Gateway City Corvette Association-Gateway ICCC Explosion
- 1993 – Huntsville, AL host Untouchables Corvette Club – Space City Experience
- 1994 – Tyler, TX host East Texas Corvette Club
- 1995 – Birmingham, AL host Smoke City Vettes – Glass Experiences Still Alive ‘95
- 1996 – Huntsville, AL host Bad Boys Bad Toys & Untouchables Corvette Club – Survivor
- 1997 – Memphis, TN host Vette Sette Memphis & Beale Street Corvette Club
- 1998 – Shreveport, LA host Sports City Corvette Club-Shreveport, LA Sportsman’s Paradise
- 1999 – Charleston, SC host Port City Corvette Club of Charleston
- 2000 – Tyler, TX host East TX Corvette Association-2000 Millennium Convention
- 2001 – Shreveport, LA host Sports City Corvette Club
- 2002 – Memphis, TN host Vette Sette Memphis & Beale Street Corvette Association-Celebrating 50 Years of Corvette
- 2003 – New Orleans, LA host Jazz City Corvette Club – Jazzing in New Orleans
- 2004 – Huntsville, AL host KMP Motorsports & Untouchables Corvette Club-Southern Hospitality
- 2005 – Bowling Green, KY host ICCC
- 2006 – Atlanta, GA host Atlanta Corvette Society
- 2007 – Birmingham, AL host Smoke City Vettes, Inc
- 2008 – Shreveport, LA host S’Port City Corvette Club
- 2009 – New Orleans, LA host Jazz City Corvette Club
- 2010 – Charleston, SC host Port City Corvette Club
- 2011 – Arlington, TX host The Rock Corvette Association -Rollin’ With The Rock – Texas Style
- 2012 – Bowling Green, KY host ICCC
- 2013 – Jacksonville, FL host Vette Masters of FL – The Sunshine State
- 2014 – Little Rock, AR host Capitol City Corvette Club of Little Rock
- 2015 – Kansas City, MO host Corvette Connected Club
- 2016 – Mobile, AL host Classic Corvette Club – Born to Celebrate
- 2017 – New Orleans, LA host Jazz City Corvette Club
- 2018 – Little Rock, AR host A-State Corvette Association – The Natural State
- 2019 – Charleston, SC host Port City Corvette Club of Charleston
Current and Past Officers of ICCC:
President: Wilmer Cooksey (Metro Vettes Unlimited and later Unique Corvettes) 1986 -1998, 2012-2016; Paul Mitchell (Jazz City) 1998-2000; Delenis “Jack” Garrett (East Texas) 2001-2012; Billy Brooks (A-State) 2017-Present.
Vice President: Paul Mitchell (Jazz City) 1986 -1998; John Barrow, Jr (Atlanta Corvette Society) 1998-2000; Warner Tureaud (Jazz City) 2001-2002; Kenneth McDonald (KMP Motorsport) 2003-2004; Roy Barnes (Jazz City) 2005-2006; Lemuel “Lem” Wimbish (Unique & later 2 Unique Corvettes) 2007-2010; Randolph “Super J” Jackson (Sport City) 2011-2013; 2014; Billy Brooks (Capitol City & later A-State) 2015-2016; Barry “Doc Jam” Thomas (Beale Street) 2017-Present.
Secretary: Eleanor Arnold (Metro Vettes Unlimited) – 1992, 1994 (Financial Secretary), 1997; Valerie Endsley (Unique Corvettes) 1998-2006; Gigi Bohannon (Progressive Corvette Club & later Individual Member) 2007-2016; Donna Logan (Individual Member) 2017-Present.
Assistant Secretary: Inez Martin Rutledge (Vette Sette Memphis) 1994;
Recording Secretary: Alice Britton (Majestic Glass) 1997-1998;
Correspondent Secretary: Ben Gilbert (Beale Street) 1992, 1994-1996; Peggy Hendrix (Individual Member) 1997-2006; Rosa Barker (Vette Sette Atlanta) 2007-Present.
Assistant Correspondent Secretary: Doris Walker (Unique Corvettes) 1994;
Treasurer: Philip Hardeman (Metro Vettes Unlimited) 1992- 1996; Jack Garrett (East TX) 1997-2000; Kenneth McDonald (KMP Motorsport) 2001-2002; Elizabeth Cooksey (Unique Corvettes) 2003-2016; Gigi Bohannon (Individual Member) 2017-Present.
Assistant Treasurer: Ed Hunter (Vette Sette Memphis) 1994;
Parliamentarian: James Britton (Majestic Glass) 1992, 1996; Melvin Henderson (Smoke City Vettes) 1997-1998; Robert Williams (Individual) 1998-2004; Inez Martin-Rutledge (Vette Sette Memphis) 2005-2006; Robert Williams (Individual Member) 2007–2016; Charles Breedlove (Roadrunners Corvette Club 2017-2018; Donnie Joiner (Beale Street) 2019-Present.
Sargent- at- Arms: Ron Leshure (Majestic Glass) 1986- 1992; June Thomas (Jazz City) 1994-1996; Ed Hunter (Vette Sette Memphis) 1997-2014; George “Strawberry” Martin (Vette Masters of Florida) 2015-2016; Bobbie Sanderson (Beale Street) 2017-Present.
Webmaster: Boyce Greenard (Individual Member) 2000-Present
Leadership Council: Lemuel “Lem” Wimbish (Unique & later 2 Unique Corvettes), Randolph “Super J” Jackson (Sport City), Billy Brooks (Capitol City & later A-State), Barry Thomas (Beale Street).
Editor: Natasha Ruth Coley-Spencer (Vette Masters of Florida) 2017-2018.
Historian: Aline Christion
The vision, determination and perseverance of a few in 1986 to take an idea and build the foundation for ICCC is notable for an organization that continues to make history today. Some of the founding members have passed on but many of them are still actively involved with the organization. The charitable conscience of the organization is still present today but on a larger scale; making impact in many areas of need for a variety of communities. ICCC is still actively recruiting corvette enthusiasts willing to contribute their ideas, skills, energy, dedication and focus on having fun and enjoyment connected with ownership of a corvette. Members are having fun fellowshipping with one another, establishing lasting friendships and most of all, enjoying their corvettes. Membership continues to grow, keeping the organization viable. Meetings and conventions occur mostly, but are not limited to, in states where members reside. States such as, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.