SPONSORS

Push Across America will connect Ryan and the campaign with people around the country and around the world. While Ryan is clearly interested in meeting persons with disabilities and encouraging them to take on challenges and try new things, he will also be motivating them to always "do their best" and "never give up." The campaign is about building awareness of the potential of all persons with disabilities and the visibility Push Across America receives will help in communicating that message in a meaningful way. We are deeply grateful to the following sponsors, who have ensured the succcess of this ambitious campaign:

Cayman Islands Department of Tourism

Spearheaded by Gina Matthews, Manager of Public Relations, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism was the first major sponsor to provide financial support for the Push Across America campaign. Early funding was instrumental in supporting the development of marketing initiatives and logistics. The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism has been actively involved in ensuring the campaign's success.

Dart Container Corporation and Dart Camana Bay

Mark VanDevelde, CEO of Dart Enterprises, Ltd., is the reason why these Dart-affiliated companies became the major sponsor of our Push Across America campaign. Dart Camana Bay was also the event sponsor for our Push Across Cayman on November 24, 2012. Dart's financial support was critical to our successful launch from Los Angeles on April 6, 2013, and the ongoing success of the campaign.

Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI)

Theresa Kaplan, PADI's Director of Communications, met Ryan in June of 2012 and immediately committed to supporting our campaign. PADI has leveraged its extensive social media capability in promoting Push Across America, and has profiled Ryan and the campaign in a number of its magazines and online newsletters.

GoPro

We were connected to GoPro by Matt Sloane, a Medical Producer at CNN. GoPro responded immediately and provided our Push Across America campaing with four GoPro Hero3 cameras, which we have used extensively in filming Ryan's journey across America. Ryan typically has two Hero3 cameras on his racing chair, providing very cool and extensive footage of what he’s experiencing during the Push.

Germ-X

Thanks to support from John Brunner and Eduardo Alves, Germ-X joined the Push Across America campaign as a proud sponsor, complete with Germ-X hats & t-shirts, and lots of hand sanitizing wipes. Germ-X is the brand name of a line of antibacterial products manufactured by Vi-John Laboratories, based in St. Louis, MO.

The McIntyre Group

Tony McIntyre, President of the McIntyre Group, and his wife Chris committed to supporting Ryan and the Push Across America by donating a 2013 Ford Edge, which we are using as the lead vehicle for the Push Across America campaign. We are very grateful to Tony and Chris, and the team at the McIntyre group for their generous support.