Don't wait for opportunity.
Create it.
Von Bike founders John Bell and Andy Fischer have over 35 years of combined experience in the recreation and hospitality industries. Considered experts in their field, they are ready to help you solve your biggest challenges.
After earning his B.S. in Recreation Resource Management at Mesa State College of Grand Junction, CO, John Bell has enjoyed an accomplished 22‐year career in the outdoor recreation and hospitality industries.
His journey took him from managing a camp and retreat center in Florida, to working with the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Department, to the U.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC) where he was hired, along with a small team, before the USNWC’s grand opening in 2006.
As Outdoor Program Director at the USNWC, John was responsible for the development and expansion of land sports. This included creating 40 miles of mountain biking trails and building the world’s first permanent Deep Water Solo Climbing Complex, as well as adding multiple zip lines, ropes courses, and climbing walls. These activities saw hundreds of thousands of guests per year and entailed a staff of 250 under his leadership.
John’s attention to detail and ability to assess risks led to his position as Safety and Compliance Officer at the USNWC where he was responsible for the safety and risk management of the center's entire operations and 1,300 acres of land.
John is skilled at building and growing start‐ups, and his experience encompasses designing programs from the ground up, identifying process improvement initiatives, risk assessment, and operations management.
Andy is a Certified Business Coach, holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Wake Forest University and completed his B.S. in Commercial Recreation and Tourism Management from Appalachian State University.
For the past 15 years, Andy has worked in the outdoor recreation and hospitality industries. Most notably, he spent 13 years at the U.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC) where he started as a climbing guide before the USNWC’s grand opening in 2006.
Rising through the ranks, Andy was awarded various leadership roles and entrusted with increasing responsibility due to his ability to lead teams, solve complex problems, and contribute to the bottom line.
He worked side by side with John as his right‐hand man, and then as Director of Food and Beverage and Director of Human Resources, respectively. In these roles, he oversaw teams of 175+, overhauled the F&B department, and built the HR department to serve 1,000 employees.
Andy has acquired extensive experience developing and implementing plans for rapid growth and expansion, and he is skilled at team building, P&L management, and improving operational performance.
Since January 2020, Andy has worked in private practice coaching entrepreneurs and providing consulting to start-ups.