Byron Denhart, owner/operator of Denhart Aerial Promotions, Inc., got involved in the sport of balloon back in 1991 when the family of some of his high school friends bought a hot air balloon. Spending the entire summer crewing, he was hooked, and stayed active with balloons
throughout college. After graduating from the University
of Illinois in the Spring of 1997, Byron began his job
search within the ballooning industry. This landed him in
Michigan working as a professional crew chief.
After spending two seasons based in Michigan and
traveling the country with corporate sponsored balloon
programs, Byron moved back home to Central Illinois to
work as the Sponsorship Chairman for the 1999 US National Hot Air Balloon Championships. After a successful event, Byron became General Manager for the newly created Touchstone Energy Balloon Program, which was spawned from their sponsorship of the national championships that year.
As manager and crew chief for the program, Byron traveled the country with pilot Cheri White operating the Touchstone Energy Balloon Program. This program, now in its 8th year, has become one of the most successful corporate sponsored programs in the country. Even though he has moved in from managing the program, Byron continues to both crew
and fly the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Balloon at events
throughout the country as one of three primary balloon teams.
After spending 7 years as a professional balloonist, Byron
moved back home to Central Illinois and started Denhart Aerial Promotions, Inc. by purchasing his own personal balloon called
"CHIEF". Inspired after his alma mater, the University of Illinois,
"CHIEF" is an orange, blue, and white checkerboard pattern hot air balloon that stands over 7 stories tall and can fly two passengers plus pilot. The pattern is uniquely designed by Byron in that it is one continuous pattern wrapped entirely around the balloon, giving it 3 very distinctive looks as it flies overhead.
In 2002 Denhart Aerial Promotions, Inc. added Dancin' Dudes to it's stables to expand it's services outside of hot air ballooning. Byron also stays busy helping organize small events in the area including night glows for the Champaign Park District and balloon events for Eagle Creek Golf Resort on Lake Shelbyville in southern Illinois. To date, Byron has operated balloons in over 40 states as well as New Zealand, Austria, and Canada for such companies as General Motors, , RJ Reynolds, Jose Cuervo, the State of Virginia, and Touchstone Energy Cooperatives. Family and friends join him as often as possible to share in the ballooning experience....once you try it, you're hooked.
