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Meet Our Founders

Hubert Rowland

Co-Founder

Hubert Rowland "'Everyone's Favorite RedNek" is a leading force in the world of UTV racing and recreation. He is a trusted advisor to athlete influencers and corporations in the powersport industry and has built a powerful brand by demonstrating the ease of use, functionality, and fun of side-by-side UTVs to a diverse group of outdoor recreational enthusiasts. As the right hand man of Travis Pastrana and a core member of Nitro Circus, Hubert has been instrumental in carrying out the early vision of that iconic adrenaline sport organization. He is a “good ol’ boy” from Tennessee who has a keen mechanical intelligence and a deep understanding of what it takes to produce the world’s leading action sport stunts.

He is a renowned track builder for some of the world’s leading sport promoters including Supercross. Monster Jam, Nitro Rally Cross, and several others. His relationship network is vast and he always shows up with his infectious humor and a heart to help. He single handedly funded the RideSafe organization for the past 4 years, and is deeply committed to shifting the public culture to one of riding safe.

Kristen Almer

Co-Founder, Executive Director

Kristen Almer, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the RideSafe Foundation, is a fierce advocate for powersports safety. With over 30 years of experience as a sponsorship consultant working with the world’s most influential powersports athletes, industry influencers, sanctioning organizations and supporting corporations. Her experience paired with deep industry knowledge of powersport injuries and fatalities, makes Kristen uniquely qualified to amplify the importance of riding safety, training and education.

Kristen co-founded the RideSafe Foundation to channel her passion and connections after the tragic loss of her 11-year-old nephew, Logan Almer, in an ATV crash—the result of a wholly preventable cascade of fatal errors. Every year, over one hundred children under 16 are killed in ATV-related fatalities in the U.S. RideSafe is committed to preventing these deaths with impactful, safety-focused events at schools throughout the country, and by connecting communities to a network of resources.

Throughout her career, Kristen has built a powerful network of leaders, influencers and organizations committed to saving lives and elevating the powersports industry. RideSafe brings the right people together to set an industry-wide standard of safe and responsible riding for every rider, regardless of age, experience or ability.

Andre Smith

Fine Artist

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth.

Meet Our Board

Hubert Rowland

Co-Founder

Hubert Rowland "'Everyone's Favorite RedNek" is a leading force in the world of UTV racing and recreation and has built a powerful brand in the powersport industry by demonstrating the ease of use, functionality, and fun of side-by-side UTVs to a diverse group of outdoor recreational enthusiasts.
● Head mechanic and right-hand man for world-renowned adrenaline sport athlete and 17-time X Games Medalist, Travis Pastrana
● Contributor to leading brands; Can-Am, SuperATV, IBEXX, MAGNA1, BIG FRIG,
● Engineering mastermind and stuntman for Nitro Circus, working on such projects as Nitro Circus The Movie, Action Figures, Action Figures 2, and Evel Knievel Tribute Show on History Channel.
● Expert track builder for Nitro Circus, Supercross, Monster Jam, X Games, and several others

Garret Pair

Board Member

Garret Pair is President at Refratechnik North America, Inc., a refractory specialist for the cement, lime, pulp & paper, steel, and aluminum industry. Garret is a passionate powersport enthusiast dedicated to achieving goals and helping others. He has a consistent track record of exceeding goals through strategic planning, developing marketing tools, creating new customer relationships, and increasing profitability. He enjoys learning, sharing ideas, and inventing new, more profitable ways to connect creatively to customers.

Greg Love

Board Member

Owner of nationally recognized Brimstone® Recreation, LLC, which manages and promotes the recreational use of over 19,196 acres nestled in the remote wilds of Northeast Tennessee and located in the Heart of Appalachia. With over 300 miles of OHV trails and roads with numerous overlooks and culture exploration points of interest. Brimstone is an outdoor recreation company offering the adventure seeker the ultimate outdoor experience. Greg is a passionate powersport enthusiast who is diligent about safety and committed to the mission of RideSafe.

The data is clear

Powersport equipment sales are dramatically on the rise— and increasingly accessible to a misinformed and untrained public, particularly for children who are quick to ride yet have no comprehension of the risks associated with powersport recreation. Moreover, many adults are unaware of the risks associated with powersport equipment. They frequently model unsafe behavior, like the failure to wear a helmet, which perpetuates dangerous behaviors in children.

As an industry we are good at talking about fun and adventure and driving sales. We have also greatly advanced product performance, ease of use, financing, and OHV accessibility.  All wonderful, yet we have a great deal of work to do in shifting the culture to safe and responsible riding— and setting a standard of safety first as many people mistakenly assume they are qualified to participate in powersports with no uniform and without training.

We know the solution, and we must start talking about it, normalizing powersport safety conversations, and express that it is good to care for and look after one another.

ORIGINS: Logan's Story

Logan’s Story
by Kristen Almer

On May 24, 2013, my 11-year-old nephew, Logan Almer, was fatally injured on an adult-sized ATV in the State of Wisconsin. 

The unfathomable terror and grief which ravaged our family as a direct result of Logan’s sudden gruesome death shattered the illusion that we had adequately prepared for the dangers which existed in our midst. To be sure, Logan’s parents were always mindful of their child’s safety and made sound decisions, guiding and admonishing him for any unsafe behaviors throughout his life. All of us who treasure Logan did the same. 

Little did we realize that we were all in constant proximity to one of the most dangerous products for children in the US. It was an ATV, and it was purchased for utilitarian purposes, used by Logan’s father to do the heavy lifting, move firewood, plow snow, or aid in travel during outdoor recreational activities like bird hunting and ice fishing. 

It only took a couple of wrong moves on a single day to usher in the worst horror of our lives. 

That day, May 24th, was Friday of Memorial weekend, the last full school day before Logan’s summer vacation kicked in. Researchers also know it to be the second deadliest day of the year for ATV-related accidents (my entire family was oblivious to this fact, me included). 

Earlier that day, Logan’s father parked the ATV in the driveway as he intended to teach his older son Hunter some basics about ATVs, when he returned from work. In the meantime, Hunter was to complete his online safety certification. Hunter was working through that certification process when Logan stepped outside. 

It was a beautiful spring day. Dad was at work, 4 miles away, due to be home in 2 hours. Mom had gone for a short half-mile walk from the house. Logan and his brother were at home under the supervision of a 16-year-old family friend. No reason at all to worry. The house was always immaculate, everything was in its place, and the boys’ patterns were relatively predictable. They had excellent parents and were immensely loved and well provided for— and apart from the usual brotherhood rivalry, they did little to upset the routine of their happy rural lifestyle. Some would see it as idyllic, as they were active outdoors and encouraged to play and explore. 

But this day was different—and while we do not know all the details, it is evident that Logan had wandered outside and decided to get on that ATV sitting in the driveway. 

The key was in the ignition. That one oversight is a vomit-inducing thought to this day, ravaging his parents’ minds. “If I had only grabbed the key!” 

What a grotesque price to pay for making such a simple mistake. 

The truth is, it is not that simple. 

Amid the tragedy and grief, we could not comprehend that the accident was hardly a single oversight. The key in the ignition was one link in a chain of multiple errors brought about by a lack of knowledge about the real risks associated with ATVs. 

These risks are well established and known by researchers, industry professionals, emergency service providers, law enforcement agencies, and many enthusiasts who regularly engage in the powersport lifestyle. It was not simply the key; it was also the fact that the machine was adult-sized, Logan had NO experience—and he never gave a helmet a thought. These, among several other factors, contributed to the loss of Logan’s life and the lasting permanent grief of his family and friends. 

Common Sense is not so common. 

It seems almost ironic to say, “If we had only known.” I am Logan’s Auntie— and I had been a sponsorship consultant operating in the Powersports and Motorsports industries for nearly 25 years at the time of Logan’s accident. I have been in the thick of racing —from grassroots to world-class— all those years. 

I had seen my share of athlete accidents and injuries, and you would think I would have known the risks better than most. I did not. I had no particular reason for listening to an ATV safety message; I did not ride. 

I only began to realize the full scope of my own ignorance in January of 2018— four and a half years after Logan’s fatal accident. While doing research for a client, I happened across a press release written by ROHVA, the nation’s leading authority on off-highway vehicle safety. The article outlined “eight common sense guidelines” for ATVs and UTVs. As I read these, I quickly realized that Logan had gotten 6 of the 8 of these wrong! It was stunning. 

  • Always wear a helmet and other protective gear
  • Avoid paved surfaces.
  • Drive at a safe speed, and use care when turning
  • Never drive an ATV unless you’re 16 or older and have a valid driver’s license. No child should drive an adult-sized ATV
  • Take the online safety certification course

Reading these clear and obvious directions overwhelmed me and I had now forgotten what led me to the website in the first place. “Who wrote this!” I wondered aloud. Quickly, I went to the top of the article to find out. At the top was the date… May 23, 2013. What a shock! 

This very press release had been written and released by ROHVA less than 24 hours before Logan’s fatal accident four and a half years earlier. I was only now reading it for the first time. 

Logan never received the message. Right then and there, I vowed to do something.