The Behind-The-Scenes folks at MI & ATV-I

Rick began his publishing career in 1968 with Powerboat Magazine, as a Local Ad Rep. In 1971 he joined Press Reps of California, a publisher's advertising sales rep organization. The firm sold ad space for such publications as Big Bike, Choppers and Dirt Bike magazine, amongst others not related to the motorcycle industry.

In 1976 Rick found employment with Motorcycle Product News, as an Ad Sales Rep, eventually becoming the Director of Advertising Sales. In 1979, after three and a half years and increasing ad sales to record levels, he asked to be allowed to help direct the editorial product as well. He was refused.

For a short six months, Rick left the industry to become ad director of the Talent and Booking directory, the entertainment industry's premier publication. But the motorcycle industry was in his blood.

In February of 1980, Rick withdrew $500 from his savings account and flew to Daytona, for the trade show that used to be held in conjunction with Bike Week. He had two Xerox copies of rates and a theory for a proposed "Motorcycle Industry Shopper"... a penny saver type newspaper.

Over the last twenty-seven years the publication has evolved to the tabloid sized news journal it is today. It is the only trade magazine in the industry that has had the same publisher for its entire life.

In recent years, Motorcycle Industry magazine has been judged as the Most Devoted to Motorcycle and Accessory Retailers and Most Responsive to the Needs of the Industry...according to the independent research firm Readex.

Rick relocated his family and business to Gardnerville, Nevada in July of 1994. He, Kathy (his wife of 25+ years), son Dennis and daughter Jaclyn enjoy camping, fishing, water gardening, ATV & Motorcycle riding and travel ... in their "spare" time.

Lisa@MImag.com or
Lisa@ATV-Industry.com

Lisa Johnson was born and raised in Antioch, California. She moved to the Carson Valley in 1990. Lisa attended a local community college and received an Associates in Accounting, and a Certificate of Achievement in both Business and Accounting. She is a mom of one, and a also a recent Grandma of one. Lisa enjoys working in her yard, sponge painting and spending time with her family.

Lisa refuses to let me take her photo, thus the generic version to the left. – Kippy

Megan Vickers, Assistant Editor

Megan@MImag.com or
Megan@ATV-Industry.com

Megan Vickers was born and raised in Gardnerville, Nev, though she has spent the last couple years living in Reno, while attending the University of Nevada, Reno. She has a bachelor's degree in English Literature and hopes someday to get her master's degree and teach high school English. Megan's only exposure to the powersports industry was passengering on her uncle's ATVs around his home as a child. She never came to love these rides, mainly because she wasn't allowed to drive them and most of the time, ended up falling off. Currently, Megan lives with her twin sister and spends her off time catering to her every whim, while she awaits a kidney transplant.

Caroline Carr moved to Gardnerville, Nevada from Brooklyn, New York in October 2001 for no other reason but to be in the great company of MI/ATV-I staff. Well, okay, one other key reason: she really likes motorcycles and ATVs. So, after finishing her studies in Journalism and Economics at New York University, she decided to pursue her interest in powersports so she could spend her days calling people who, she thinks, offer some "really cool" products and services. Caroline’s free time, which used to consist of hanging out with friends at crowded restaurants and bars in New York, has been replaced with driving along deserted, mountain roads and shopping at the local grocery/ department store. And she is very happy with this.

Renée Plain grew up in Martinez, California and attended University of California, Davis. After graduating in 2004 with her Bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Communication, she and her husband, Adam, followed her parents and little brother to northern Nevada. Renée is excited to work in the powersports industry and genuinely enjoys meeting and talking with interesting people everyday. She currently lives in Carson City with her husband and two cats (no babies yet!), and enjoys spending time with her husband and family, camping, swimming, skiing, reading, under water basket weaving, and long ATV rides with her dad and little brother in the Pine Nut Mountains.

Having lived in northern Nevada since May, 1995, after graduating from Western Michigan University with two bachelors degrees (one in Art and the other in Communication), I've been MI/ATV-I's Art Director since February of 1996. Since I opened my big, fat mouth and volunteered the fact that I'd taught BASIC programming in high school, spent a summer programming COBOL between high school and college, then worked on an AS400 mainframe in my last couple years at WMU, I became the company's Network and Web Administrator, as well. I grew up 3- & 4-wheeling and snowmobiling in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (a true-blooded Yooper) and moved on to riding on the back of an old Indian for a year overseas when I was 16. Bumming rides whenever I could with my Ninja-riding buddy in college, I continued on to riding my own Honda Nighthawk once I moved out to Nevada. Though I wrecked the Hawk a few years ago, I have high hopes of getting back in the saddle soon. This time, however, it will likely be an ATV saddle, as I've found myself more comfortable with four wheels rather than two. Any time not spent at work often involves offroading in the Sierra Nevada, with my boyfriend, Jeremy, our dogs, Dante and Britley, and my camera. You may hear rumors that I'm the company pervert, but don't believe a word of it! (P.S. - Didja hear the one about...?)