2024 inducted owners

Donald C. “Rabbit” Arkon

Life years: Jan 14, 1953 – Dec 13, 2021, Age 68

Bus years: 1980 – late 1990’s

Donald C. “Rabbit” Arkon was born in 1953 and raised in Amarillo, TX. After high school Don worked in the heavy equipment and wrought iron fencing industries. After visiting a family member in the Nashville area in 1980, he relocated there. Don read about a bus driving job in a newspaper want-ad and ended up driving an entertainer bus for Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass. One of the band members had a rabbit that toured with them. The rabbit was left on the bus to deadhead back to Nashville with Don. It was supposed to be in a cage, but during the drive Don looked over and found it sitting in the jump seat. Telling this story to others, Don quickly earned the nickname, “Rabbit”, which stuck with him for the rest of his life.

After some lease driving jobs, Rabbit obtained employment at Loch Raven Coach. He eventually purchased his own bus, which, in 1987, evolved into Nitetrain Coach, a joint business venture with Chip Huffman. Rabbit sold his interest in Nitetrain to Chip in 1993 and started an entertainer business called Rabbittracks. This continued until around 1998 when it closed, and he left the entertainer industry completely.

Rabbit was involved in many other business ventures, to include a barbecue restaurant in Gallatin, TN named the Cockeyed Pig, and a racetrack in Carthage, TN named Riverview Speedway which featured Legends racecars.

Rabbit passed away on Dec 13, 2021 while residing in Lebanon, TN.

George D. Pillow Jr.

Life years: 1947 – Present

Bus years: 1980’s – Present

George D. Pillow Jr. was born in 1947 and raised in Greenwood, MS. He graduated from Mississippi State University in 1969 and went to work for National Floring Products Company (NAFCO), one of the leaders of the resilient flooring industry. He worked himself up to President and served as a board member and President of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute. In 1994, NAFCO sold to Domco, and Mr. Pillow became Executive Vice President and General Manager of Domco from 1994 to 1997.

Mr. Pillow left the flooring industry in 1997 and became involved in the daily operations of Senators Coaches, a business he had purchased in the mid-1980’s. Since then, he has grown Senators into one of the largest companies of its type in the world with entertainer and executive coaches.  In 2004, Senators moved from Mississippi to Alabama and brought three companies, Senators, Geomarc and Five Star Coach, under one roof.  Senators is considered one of the most reputable companies in its industry.