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Ken Gross:
 An automobile and motorcycle enthusiast since he was twelve, Ken Gross was Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum, in Los Angeles, California for five years. A freelance writer, he is Chairman of the Selection Committee for the annual Meguiar's' Award which honors the Collector Car Hobby's Person of the Year.
"I've been writing about cars, travel and motorcycles for over thirty years, and I never tire of it", relates Gross, who wrote part-time while working at two top New York City advertising agencies, and later as a Brand manager at Lever Brothers. After a distinguished sixteen year marketing career at Avon Products, which included overseas assignments in Latin America and Asia, he became a full-time automotive writer.
Ken Gross has been Playboy's auto editor for sixteen years. He has written an award-winning column for Automotive Industries for nearly as long. Ken is the automotive writer for Hemispheres, United Airlines' monthly magazine. He is a regular contributor to the Robb Report and automedia.com A hot rod enthusiast, he writes frequently for The Rodder's Journal, Street Rodder Magazine, Hop Up, and he contributes columns on hot rodding to Hemmings' Rods and Performance and Old Cars Weekly. His articles have appeared in Automobile Quarterly, Automobile Magazine, the BMWCCA Roundel, Road & Track, AutoWeek, forbes.com, Fortune, and many others.
An enthusiastic car collector, Gross has owned several vintage V-8 Fords, five Morgans, two Ferraris – a 275 GTB and a 246 Dino GTS, and a Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2. He is very proud of a period-perfect 1932 Ford highboy roadster that took over six years to complete He also owns a 1939 Ford convertible coupe with an early Chrysler hemi engine, and he is the caretaker for his son Chris' 1942 Ford woody. In the past, Ken's motorcycle collection has included several Triumphs, two Vincent's, three Ducatis, a BSA Gold Star and a Velocette Venom.
But what most people don't know is, Gross has a large appetite for automotive books. His library consists of over 30,000 pieces, including nearly every significant postwar American and European automotive book and magazine, along with a fine collection of automotive art and related memorabilia. Ken's extensive collection of early Ford speed equipment is a lasting tribute to the gone, but not forgotten flathead V-8.
Gross is well known in the automotive community. He skillfully divides his time to accommodate those who are continually seeking him out for interviews. Gross has appeared on Speedvision, The History Channel, CNN FN, E-Entertainment, The Sci-Fi Channel, Rolling Art Television and many local Los Angeles TV and radio stations. Using his Museum experience, Ken serves as a consultant to the Saratoga Automobile Museum in Saratoga Springs, New York.
He is also able to satisfy his passion for the automobile by serving as Judge/Chief Class Judge at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance for the last fourteen years, as well as being Chief Judge for the Concours on Rodeo, now in it's sixth year. Also, he's a Jurist for the North American Car of the Year, and he has served as a Senior Judge at the Louis Vuitton Concours d'Elegance in New York City and at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.
With his vast automotive knowledge, matched by his affection for motoring and his list of credentials, it's no wonder Ken Gross isn't hard to find in an automotive crowd, he's the one everyone wishes to talk with.
Ken and his wife Patricia Serratore, Group VP of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, (ASE) live in Hamilton, Virginia, with their son Jake, 8 , and daughter Kayla, 7. He has two other children from a previous marriage, Christopher, 35, lead singer of the rock group, Spin Doctors, and Jeremy, 32, a Doctoral candidate at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill..
 Thom Taylor, an automotive design graduate of and former instructor at Pasadena's prestigious Art Center College of Design, is one of the foremost hot rod and custom car designers in the world. Hot Rod magazine wrote, "Taylor is more than just a superb illustrator and stylist--his distinctive designs changed the face of hot rodding," upon his induction into their Hall of Fame.
Taylor's distinctive style and imagination have made him a much-sought-after consultant to the automotive aftermarket for such companies as American Racing Wheels and Centerline Wheels, as well as to automotive manufacturers like Ford Motor Company and Toyota. He is currently a designer and consultant for Indian Motorcycle Company.
Taylor is also a best-selling author, having written Motorbooks International's How to Draw Cars like a Pro, as well as a contributor to the industry's top enthusiast magazines, including Hot Rod, Rod & Custom and The Rodders Journal.
Taylor is currently negotiating with Motorbooks for a second book looking at the custom car craze of the 1950's.
In addition to designing award-winning cars for industry-leading builders such as Boyd Coddington, Roy Brizio, So-Cal Speed Shop and California Street Rods, and individuals like Eric Clayton, Peter Guber, Jimmie Vaughan and Billy Gibbons.
Taylor has designed his own line of 1/24th scale diecast cars for classic Metal Works and was responsible for the successful four-year run of Racing Champions' Hot Rod Collectibles diecast line, both of which carry his name. He currently has designs licensed to Mattel's Hot Wheels and Johnny Lighting.
Taylor resides in Laguna Niguel, California, with his wife, Lisa and their children, James and Chloe.
 With Rambo-esque relish, Rick Mansfield waged war against drug dealers and the Viet Cong, winning two Purple Hearts and a Medal of Valor. Yet the former undercover narcotics officer, S.W.A.T. sniper and helicopter gunner gets his kicks now producing content for cable, television and the internet.
"It's actually a pretty small stretch," maintains Mansfield, whose previous show business forays pre-date his 12-year career in law enforcement and whose late father was a Sheriff's Reserve and producer of educational films. Adept at flexing creative muscles, he "swam with the sharks" in Hollywood as an underwater gaffer, actor, stuntman, and assistant editor. However, Mansfield's venture into the tricky waters of the convergence was sparked mainly by his involvement as a police detective/teacher in the D.A.R.E. program of Los Angeles County's schools.
"The people I arrested were getting younger and younger, and I fervently wanted to reach their peers on the other end: before the screaming, mayhem and handcuffs. I felt that I needed to do something and believed there was a way ". After his medical retirement in 1993, he returned to the "business", and after a few years of being a production lighting chief for various studios, began reading articles about something called "broadband" and felt this was the direction to follow. The search eventually lead him to meet up with his creative partner, four-time Emmy award winning sound mixer, Michael Ballin.
In January 1996, Ballin and Mansfield began their long arduous journey pursuing this new animal. With little information available they began extensive researching, tracking, viewing, and analyzing all types of content that could work on the web in conjunction with television. Eventually, they discovered certain fundamental trends which enabled them to accurately forecast their future direction leading them to develop a suite of content that they feel works perfectly for the combined mediums of cable, television and the web.
Mansfield and his wife Cheryl, live one serene block from the ocean in Los Angeles' South Bay area with their dog Boogie and cat Henry.
 Screenwriter and four-time Emmy-winning sound mixer Michael Ballin ("Cheers," "Frank's Place") and his creative partner, Rick Mansfield, began their association writing sit-coms and movies. Becoming interested in the convergence they realized their extensive backgrounds in commercial television production could add tremendous entertainment value to their internet content. They began developing and producing their own style of children's programming. Then, with several projects completed, Mansfield/Ballin Entertainment joined with veteran entertainment executive, Denis McCallion and developed a new show based on their collective passion for history, art and the automobile, thus creating, Rolling Art Entertainment, Inc.
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised there and Palm Beach, Florida, Ballin pursued interests in theater arts and music. Following a stint in the Marines, he began his career in television at WPTV in Palm Beach. Continuing his education, studying radio, television and film at Lindsey-Hopkins College and the University of Miami, he landed a job at Miami's NBC affiliate and climbed the ladder from cameraman to studio supervisor. "At that point, I set my sights higher and headed to Hollywood," says Ballin, who went on to hone various technical skills at Los Angeles' Metromedia, Inc.
Shifting course to accept an opportunity as a promoter with a rock and roll concert company, Ballin took a six year detour from television. "The experience certainly enhanced my knowledge of live production problem-solving." He got back on track in television when Hugh Wilson, creator of "WKRP in Cincinnati," hired him as a music consultant for the series.
When "WKRP" left the air in 1984, Ballin launched a sound-mixing career on "Silver Spoons" and took his talents to "Cheers" for three years, winning consecutive Emmys (1985-87) for his sound efforts. On segueing next to his friend Hugh Wilson's critically acclaimed series "Frank's Place," he not only picked up another Emmy for sound mixing but embarked on a writing career, when Wilson purchased his first script.
Since then, Ballin has written for such series as "Simon and Simon," "Who's the Boss" and "Cheers," and worked as a sound mixer on numerous sit-coms, including "Suddenly Susan," and "Bob"(Newhart) and "Becker."
To be close to his new grandson, Michael recently moved to Ventura, California where he is a practitioner of martial arts and enjoys meditation and yoga daily.
 The term, "born into the business", certainly applies to Denis who has spent the past 33 years in the entertainment industry. The son of two long time character actors, his father, James McCallion, whose roots began on broadway at seven years of age and is remembered for numerous feature and TV roles including, PT109, Gunsmoke, Twilight Zone, Streets of San Francisco and National Velvet. And his mother Nora Marlowe, who appeared in hundreds of shows, among them, Hichcock's, North by Northwest, West World , An Affair to Remember, The Thomas Crown Affair, and TV's The Waltons. Denis quickly discovered he had his own passion to quench.
Even in school Denis jumped right in, when on occasion, he could be coaxed into giving piano recitals at assembly. Later in life he continued performing, first as a puppeteer at the Universal Studios Tour, then as an actor.
Switching from performing, Denis went to work behind the camera. He worked as a location manager on many TV series including, Blue Knight, White Shadow, Eight is Enough, Chips and the New Twilight Zone; Emmy award TV movies such as Beauty and the Beast, Blind Ambition, and Queen of the Stardust Ballroom; and many feature films. He was then hired as a production executive for Walt Disney Television.
After developing keen executive skills on dozens of projects, and years of learning "the business" on all levels, Denis realized he wanted to develop his own brand of content for television. He began by producing documentries, then became very interested in a new direction that was begining to surface-- "The Convergence."
Denis began learning as much of this new direction as he could. One day, out of the blue, he was asked to look at a new project that was being developed by a long time friend, Rick Mansfield, and his business partner, Michael Ballin who were also getting very involved with the convergence. It was then everyone realized they were all going in the same direction. A decision was reached to combine resources, and Rolling Art Entertainment, Inc was born.
Denis divides his time commuting between residence's in Los Angeles and Chicago Illinois.
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Mark Aragon:
 Growing up in the mean streets of East Los Angeles, Mark Aragon never felt threatened with his surroundings, but he knew there were greener pastures. Taking an interest in music at an early age, Mark became the head D.J. at his high school. His inspiration to get into the entertainment industry grew from veteran L.A. Disc Jockey, Jim Ladd. "His approach was always fresh and unique everyday. Jim's book, Radio Waves, is a must read for radio buffs," tells Mark.
While studying for his degree in radio and television, he took on a ten month internship at Los Angeles rock station KROQ, then went on to receive a degree in film production at Cal State Northridge in 1984. After years of working in sound rental houses, Mark joined the I.A.T.S.E. sound union and started doing sound for television sitcoms.
It was in the sitcom arena where Mark met production sound mixer, Michael Ballin. One day, while on the set of a show, Michael told Mark of an idea for a car show that he and Rick Mansfield had created. Shortly thereafter "Rolling Art" was born. Mark started out working for the show doing the sound and quickly moved to associate producer and then to producer for season two. Mark states, "The show is exciting and unique, in that it is vertical, we go deep into the history and passion aspect of our subject matter. We get to learn amazing pieces of history and to be lucky enough to be able to take a peek inside the lives our interviewees."
In addition to helping "Rolling Art" grow from one station three years ago to international status with over 325 stations across the United States today; Mark has his sights on helping put the show on the internet in a "video-on-demand" for broadband format. "Being on the crest of the wave is the key to our success, and in terms of finding people in the digital distribution arena to help us get the show up and running strong; we are exactly where we need to be," explains Mark.
Mark and his wife, Beth, live just outside of Los Angeles in Ventura County with their two boys, Max and Sam.
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Don Peake:
Don Peake is a multi-talented musician who has worked as a guitarist, arranger, record producer and film music composer.
Peake became the first white guitarist to play with the Ray Charles Orchestra, touring and recording with Charles for ten years. He played lead guitar for Marvin Gaye (Let's Get it On), and on all the Jackson five's original hits, "ABC, "I want You Back" etc. Don won the golden Addy Award in 1990 for Northern Natural Gas' "Whistling Teakettles". Don also scored Wes Cravens' "The People Under the Stairs", which opened as America's #1 movie.
Peake has composed the music for two Academy Award Winning live action short films, "In the Region of Ice", and "Violet".
Peake has many gold records for his arrangements for Jermaine Jackson, Barry white, Minnie Ripperton and many more.
Don was the composer and orchestrator on 77 episodes of NBC's hit series "Knight Rider" starring David Hasselhoff.
Don has just completed his first solo CD as a jazz artist entitled "Soho Blue", featuring Ray Pizzi and Mike Garson. P
Peake is currently composing the music to Michael Pressman's "Frankie and Johnny Are married" which opens theatrically in May'04.
Don Peake is one of the judges for the Grammy Awards arranging committee and has been since 1997 and is a member of the music branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science
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