Alumni News

The MarathonFoto/Road Race Management Lifetime Achievement Award honored Creigh J. Kelley ’68 at the 2021 Road Race Management Race Directors’ Meeting in November 2021. Kelley has been one of the most influential players and leaders in the running industry and has been the voice of many of the largest triathlon and running events in the U.S. and abroad for more than 40 years. As co-founder and president of BKB Limited, he has managed and produced hundreds of events across the country and has been an integral part of Denver’s Colfax Marathon since its inaugural race in 2006. He has been the director since 2008. Kelley’s nominator for the award credits him with developing the state of Colorado’s guidelines for safe events during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the framework for other states and municipalities.

Kelley matriculated from Westport, Connecticut, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI, as well as a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Southern California. While at VMI, he was elected captain of the freshman track team and co-captain of the varsity cross-country and track team. Kelley served as a U.S. Army combat officer in Vietnam, earning two bronze stars and a Vietnamese honor medal first class, and later served in Germany.

Joseph R. “Joe” Mounts ’78 has been recognized at the Kennedy Space Center for developing payload simulations tools that significantly aided in preparations for testing the Space Test Program Houston (H) 7 and STP-H8 payloads. The payloads are now at the International Space Station. The software simulation tools that Mounts developed were used during the end-to-end operational readiness test of the KSC and Marshall Space Flight Center ground systems and ensured the systems were configured correctly for test, thus minimizing impacts to schedule. The tools allowed KSC to check out newly built cables for the two payloads, ensured the remote advanced payload test rig test configuration files were correctly built, and verified the test setup between KSC and MSFC. In addition to his role developing the payload simulations, Mounts is also recognized for reestablishing the test conductor position on the test team. the VMI Alumni Association through New York Chapter activities and then on its board for more than 20 years. He served as president of the board from 2006-08. Spellman has been a member of the VMI Foundation Institute Society for 30 years. 1839 Capital, Inc.—a boutique global investment firm founded by Randy K. Janey ’87, William E. “Bill” Miller III ’89, and Matthew

Kelley ’68 A. “Matt” Tederick ’89—recently announced the establishment of 1839 Tech, LLC d/b/a 1839 Labs. The new establishment aims to leverage leading-edge technologies in its mission to create entertainment and hospitality ecosystems that elevate the experience of fans, spectators, and guests within sporting venues and other mixed-use real estate projects around the globe. In addition to the launch of 1839 Labs, 1839 Capital, Inc. successfully closed its first round of $8 million in funding to complete the acquisition of its 10% equity position in the Balaton Gate Entertainment Resort. The Balaton Gate Entertainment Resort project is a fully integrated 2,480-room resort strategically positioned next to a stateof-the-art F1-compliant racetrack in the heart of the Lake Balaton entertainment region of Hungary. Janey matriculated from Suffolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI, where he competed as a member of the track team. After graduation, he served in the Army as a military air defense artillery officer. He later earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Richmond and a Spellman ’85 Master of Science degree in international shipping and maritime law from the University of Plymouth (U.K.). Miller matriculated from Berryville, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI, where he was a four-year letterman and co-captain of the tennis team. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in finance from San Diego State University. Tederick matriculated from Front Royal, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business and modern languages from

This required the development of the pretest briefing, call to stations, activity log, coordination of testing activities, daily posttest notes, and coordinating daily testing activities with the payload developers. Mounts matriculated from Washington, Pennsylvania, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

James F. “Jim” Spellman Jr. ’85

pinned on his first star and the rank of assistant chief Dec. 9, 2021, in the Office of the New York State Attorney General. A 35-year law enforcement veteran, Spellman works in the attorney general’s investigations division and is assigned to its New York City office in lower Manhattan. Spellman began his career as a precinct cop, walking a beat in Mount Vernon, New York. He spent several more years as an emergency service cop. Following ESU, he was assigned to the narcotics unit at the height of the crack cocaine epidemic and then to the general investigations squad of the detective bureau. In 1996, Spellman transferred to the attorney general’s office, advancing through the ranks of investigator, senior investigator, detective supervisor, and now to his current rank of assistant chief. During his career, Spellman has worked in the attorney general’s organized crime task force, the Medicaid fraud unit, its special projects unit, the civil enforcement/ whistleblower unit, and the resident protection unit—a squad that investigates special victims’ cases involving elder abuse, sexual assaults, vulnerable adults, and deaths in homes and facilities. Spellman is a former instructor/facilitator with the state and local programs at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy at Quantico, Virginia.

Spellman matriculated from Eastchester, New York, and was Company E lieutenant. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and psychology from VMI. After graduation, he served