About Us
Jeff Graves
President
Jeff@VisionEventManagement.com
Jeff Graves is a highly accomplished visionary leader with over 22 years of experience in operations, including special events management, business development, promotions, advertising and marketing. He graduated in 1991 from Ball State University. Jeff has worked for the Rockford Lightning as the Director of Promotions and Game Operations; Crackers Comedy Club as the Marketing Manager; Adam’s Mark Hotel as the Director of Advertising and Marketing; Entertainment Marketing as the General Market Manager and 99.5 WZPL as the Promotions Director.
From Aug. 1999 – Aug. 2006, Jeff had worked for the 500 Festival as the Vice President of Events and the Executive Director of the Mini-Marathon. Jeff oversaw a staff of 7 along with 7,000 volunteers that produced 18 world-class events and programs for over 400,000 people. While at the Festival, he grew the Mini-Marathon from 20,000 participants to over 36,000 participants making it the largest half marathon in the United States and the third largest in the world. The Mini-Marathon also grew in terms of net profit in his 7 years by 338%.
Jeff left the 500 Festival in August of 2006 and started his own company, Vision Event Management.
Steve Kelly
Event Crew
Steve brings a wide breadth of experience in event planning to VEM. A three-time Olympic Team member in Canoe/Kayak, Steve has also served as an official in four other Olympic Games including Competition Director for Canoe/Kayak in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. He has spent his entire life in sport and fitness management and Recently owned Bob Block Fitness Equipment, a leading exercise equipment distributor in Indianapolis. He volunteers in a number of events throughout Indianapolis and has served on the 500 Festival Mini Marathon planning committee for 12 years. Steve enjoys running, cycling, swimming and still kayaks on a regular basis.
Reggie Flesvig
Event Crew
Reggie works in the field of education as a building administrator in Bremen, IN. He was an English and journalism teacher for 21 years with coaching duties in cross country, track & field, basketball, and football. Reggie is one of the race director’s for Kent’s Run 5K and his experiences with VEM include starting line, finish line, course management, and runner services. In his spare time, Reggie enjoys traveling, kayaking, and spending time with his family.
Cayce Chenault
Event Crew
Cayce has been working with Vision at their Wisconsin events for the last 2 years. Cayce is a quality driven sales, communication, and marketing executive from the greater Milwaukee area, with over 30 years of extensive experience in building and maintaining client relationships. Cayce has a proven track record as a self motivator with compelling leadership skills. Cayce has spent the majority of his career selling in the wholesale beer industry within the MillerCoors distribution network. He also has a diverse background in community relations within the Milwaukee metro area.
Melissa Patton
Event Crew
I am a full time Project Coordinator for DEEM, Mechanical and Electrical. On Saturday nights you can find me slinging drinks at Bier Brewery North in Carmel. When I’m not working, I’m rescuing dogs and caring for my own: Iggy, Indy and Pacer. I’m a mega Kenny Chesney fan and my 4 year old nephew, Austin is my whole world!
Caitlyn Carlson
Event Crew
Sherry Shuler
Event Experience Specialist
Sherry@VisionEventManagement.com
Sherry Shuler has her MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University and comes to Vision Event Management with more than 20 years’ experience in accounting, marketing, event management, and brand management. Sherry has spent time working with organizations ranging from small scale start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. When Sherry isn’t crunching the numbers in the office, she is coaching youth sports for WYSI, managing her online women’s boutique, volunteering in her children’s classroom and at church. Sherry enjoys running (or better yet walking), the theater, watch the colts, and traveling in her camper, Lucy. Fun Fact: Sherry has represented the Great State of Indiana in two National Pageants as a teen.
Mark Adler
Event Crew
Mark has known Jeff for over 17 years going back to their days of working together at the 500 Festival where Mark was the Manager of Volunteer Resources and then an Event Manager for the many 500 Festival events.In addition to his day job at Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, he also participates at most events on the VEM calendar in a variety of roles. As is the norm with most events you just fulfill the role needed and then jump in wherever else for the overall success of the event.
Kat Hawkins
Event Crew
Kat is a graduate of The University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has worked in Television and Event Production since 1999 and is currently the Event Manager for Madison Mini-Marathon. Formerly a Field Producer for the National news, she has been able to combine her love of event coordinating with her passion of fitness! Kat is also an avid Marathon runner, triathlete and certified fitness instructor.
Natalie Ames
Event Crew
Natalie is currently working for a company that pairs banks and credit unions with a comprehensive outsourced SBA 7(a) lending platform. In her spare time, she volunteers with Race for the Cure Central Indiana, the Miss Indiana pageant, and various pre-draft events with the New York Giants. She also enjoys playing volleyball in various leagues. You can usually find Little Nat at the Help Table or at the Info Booth at events and always has a smile. She has been a part of many VEM events and has worked a different part in each of them.
Cameron Chenault
Event Crew
Cameron Chenault, a man with a very particular set of skills, graduated from Winona State University with a BS in Athletic Training and later Northern Illinois University with a Ms in Sport Management. He currently serves as a Logistics Specialist for a Medical Courier in the greater Milwaukee area. In addition, he is an Instructor for the Before School program for the City of Waukesha and also helps run the experiential learning portion of the Fast Track Academy for Northwestern Nutual Financial Advisers. He got his feet wet with Vision volunteering at the 2012 Brewers Mini Marathon and since 2014 has missed few, if any, Wisconsin events.
Damon Clark
Event Crew
Kara Ribordy
Event Crew
Jim Furuya
Event Crew
Jim has been an event carny for over 17 years working festivals, marathons, triathlons and bike rides. Jim worked as an Event Manager for the 500 Festival with Jeff, Chad and Mark, been on the executive committee with the Indianapolis Race for the Cure for many years, and volunteered for numerous organizations in the Indianapolis area. In a past life, he was an electrical engineer. He now runs his own business, EventFuel LLC, managing race expos around the country. At events you will see him moving around on two perfectly good legs, thank you very much, having lost them only in the minds of a couple other carnies at some long forgotten event. Carnies, gotta love em.
Dan Ribordy
Event Crew
Dan, better known as “Generator Guy”, owns and operates Ribordy Ag Services, selling crop insurance and Pioneer Seed. Dan has been involved from the beginning of VEM helping with various events over the past few years. Dan also serves as Warehouse Manager for the VEM North Warehouse. He resides in Valparaiso, IN and has the unfortunate duty of being Jeff’s brother-in-law.
Pam Ribordy
Event Crew
Pam works as a full-time kindergarten teacher in LaPorte, IN. Pam has been a part of VEM from the beginning since Jeff is her LITTLE brother (duty calls). She works wherever needed but mainly in the VIP area for most events. She provides accommodations and food whenever necessary for VEM and is the leader of the sponsorship team for Kent’s Run.
Gregg Scott
Event Crew
Zach Campton
Event Crew
Hi there, my name is Zach Campton. I am originally from Shelbyville, IN and currently reside in Indianapolis. I went to school down at the University of Southern Indiana where I got involved with the sport/entertainment and events world. From there I have been part of the 500 Festival and got my start, full time, here at VEM in the events industry. I am glad to be able to stay involved and still get the excitement of working and helping execute great events with VEM. In my free time I like to be outside and stay active; weather that is golf, tennis, biking, being by the pool or at the lake. Though if that is not an option, I am most likely working out, with great family and friends, or finding a new show to binge. All in all, I just want to have a good time and make some mems along the way!
Tim Bimmerlee
Event Crew
A native of Chicago, Tim began his event career in high school working for Andy Frain Services, and ushering and security company. His first event involved helping to manage the Mayor's Cup soccer tournament in Chicago. His first race was the 1997 Chicago Marathon, helping to build and strike the start line.
Tim eventually took a position with the City of Chicago, helping event planners secure permits for races and walks in Chicago. This is where VEM came into his life, altering it forever! He first lent a hand helping with the Chicago Half Marathon, insuring LSD and 31st street ran smoothly operationally. Tim has leant his expertise in a variety of VEM produced races in Illinois and Wisconsin.
While not the biggest OSU fan, Brutus seemed appropriate as Tim's wife Kirstine played collegiately at OSU. Tim and his wife are the proud parents of Jaxen, who manages quality control for the kids obstacle course at the Run for the Zoo.
Tim resides in Skokie, Illinois. He is a big Cubs fan, has been to 23 straight Indy 500's and currently works at a grade school in Mt.Prospect.