Management
Aaron Landrum
President & CEO
CHANCE RIDESAaron became the President and Chief Operating Officer of Chance Rides in the summer of 2017. Prior to Chance Rides, he served as General Manager of companies in the aerospace and machining industry. Before these he held Operations and Engineering management roles in various companies including multi-national and multi-site responsibilities.
Aaron graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1999 with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also holds an MBA from Sullivan University. He holds lean manufacturing and six-sigma black belt certifications and also attended several executive style programs and courses.
Jay Aguilar
VP of Global Business Development, Sales & Marketing
CHANCE RIDESJay joined Chance Rides in 2017 with 26+ years of experience in manufacturing, sales, marketing, and engineering. He most recently served as the VP of Sales and Business Development for Porcelain Industries. He has worked with organizations throughout North and South America, Asia Pacific and Europe. During his career, he has focused on customer relationships, sales growth, unique product solutions, and leading very successful sales & marketing teams.
Jay has a bachelor’s degree in Electromechanical Engineering and an Executive MBA from Vanderbilt University.
Jeremy McClanahan
Operations Manager
CHANCE RIDESJeremy McClanahan began his career with Chance Rides as an engineering intern in 1998. From there he served in production control and as an assistant production manager. In 2009 Jeremy’s experience was harnessed to be responsible for all of manufacturing as the Production Manager. Jeremy graduated from Wichita State University in 1999 with B.S. in Industrial Engineering.
Brian McKnight
Controller
CHANCE RIDESBrian McKnight spent much of his career with major companies in the Aerospace and Defense industry. During this time he held several accounting roles with varying levels of responsibility. He joined Chance Rides in 2019 as an Analyst and promoted to the role of Controller in 2021. Brian graduated from the University of Kansas in 1999 with B.S. degrees in Business Administration and Accounting.
Kyle Penner
Vice President of Engineering
CHANCE RIDESKyle Penner joined Chance Rides in 2023, bringing more than 25 years of engineering and leadership experience across research and development, product design and engineering management. His career spans industries from mass-market consumer products to large-scale industrial material handling systems and equipment.
With a strong foundation in core engineering principles and a practical, problem-solving mindset, Kyle provides clear direction and leadership to the Chance Rides engineering team. He holds bachelor’s degrees in Physics and Mechanical Engineering, along with an MBA.
Travis Lane
Project Management Director
CHANCE RIDESTravis joined Chance Rides in 2025 following 15 years in the aerospace industry, where he held positions in Engineering, Supply Chain, and Program Management.
Travis has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Wichita State University and an MBA from Newman University.
Team
Jeff Roth
VP of Administration & General Counsel
CHANCE RIDESJeff Roth has been the Vice President of Administration and General Counsel since 1994. He supports Chance Rides in product quality, corporate, and contract administration capacities. Prior to joining the company Mr. Roth consulted with Chance Rides while working in private practice.
He graduated from The University of Kansas in 1979 with a J.D. degree.
Erin Dreiling
Controls & Electrical Engineering Manager
CHANCE RIDES Erin has ten years of automation experience, five of them with Chance Rides. His previous experiences are in automation for metal building, garage door, steel framing, grain bin, heavy gauge, and automotive industries. His large-scale manufacturing history, along with robotics and safety system understandings, provides a well-versed skill set. He currently supports Chance Rides in the design and implementation of automation control. His modern knowledge of automation has helped Chance Rides advance their ride control systems.
Erin has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Management from 2008 and an Associate of Arts and Sciences in Electronic Engineering Technology from 2014. He holds a qualified MTR certification from UL.
Sherri Culp
Mechanical Engineering Manager
CHANCE RIDESSherri joined Chance Rides in 2025, bringing more than 25 years of technical leadership experience in research and development, new product design, manufacturing, quality systems and engineering and project management. She has led product development and engineering teams driving new products from concept through development to full manufacturing readiness, with prior experience leading global product development programs at a Fortune 500 company.
Sherri holds an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology and an MBA from Southwestern College. She is a board-licensed Professional Engineer and a Six-Sigma Black Belt, with multiple awards and patents for design and product innovation.
Derek Schrag
Project Manager
CHANCE RIDESDerek Schrag has been serving Chance Rides since 1998 in various roles related to production and delivery of our superior products. In 2016 he assumed the role of project manager, ensuring the smooth delivery of all projects from order to installation.
He holds an A.A. degree in automotive repair and has completed Project Management courses through American Management Association.
Michelle Nichols
Project Manager
CHANCE RIDESMichelle brings extensive project management expertise to the Chance Rides team, with a strong background in leading cross-functional projects from initiation through closing. She has experience managing complex timelines, budgets and stakeholder expectations across information technology and manufacturing environments. Michelle is known for her organized, detail-oriented approach and her ability to keep teams aligned and projects moving forward. Her focus on communication, accountability and continuous improvement supports successful project outcomes and helps deliver exceptional results for customers.
Michelle has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science Information Systems. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Scrum Master (CSM).
Eric Stoecklein
HR Manager
CHANCE RIDESEric Stoecklein joined the company in 2013 as the Human Resources Manager. Prior to Chance, he managed a staffing and recruitment agency for seven years. He is a graduate from Fort Hays State University in 2003 with a B.B.A in Business Management.
Heidi Knotts
Marketing Manager
CHANCE RIDESHeidi joined Chance Rides in 2022, bringing more than 30 years of experience in marketing, communications and event strategy. In her role, she supports brand visibility and customer engagement by developing marketing materials, coordinating campaigns and helping share the Chance Rides story across multiple channels. Heidi also leads the planning and execution for the trade shows where Chance exhibits, managing logistics, booth planning, collateral and on-site details to ensure a seamless, high-impact presence. She holds a B.B.A. in Marketing from Pittsburg State University and is known for her organized, hands-on approach and ability to keep projects moving while aligning details with larger business goals.
Ifrita Tory
Digital Marketing Specialist
CHANCE RIDESIfrita joined Chance Rides in 2025, bringing a strong foundation in marketing and digital strategy. She supports the Sales team with marketing tools and initiatives that strengthen customer engagement, while also managing and evolving the company’s digital presence across key channels. With experience in both the real estate and human resources industries, Ifrita brings a well-rounded perspective and a thoughtful, detail-driven approach to promoting brands and connecting with audiences.
A 2024 graduate of Wichita State University, Ifrita earned her bachelor’s degree in Marketing and is passionate about using data-informed insights and creative execution to help tell the Chance Rides story and support continued growth
