It’s been eight years since rEvolution held their last Summer Regatta – and as the company celebrates its 15th year in ‘16 – the team building event/summer party made its triumphant return to Lake Michigan.
In 2008, rEvolution was steadily on the rise. In Regatta terms, last race consisted of four boats and approximately 30 competing staffers. Since then, the rapid growth of rEvolution has witnessed six appearances on the INC 5000 list as one of the fastest growing private companies in America (making its debut in 2010). And on Tuesday, nearly 70 employees took sail in 10 boats across the Chicago lakefront.
Ahead of this year’s event, rEvolution hosted a selection party where teams were selected at random. As designated captains pulled names out of a hat, members were fitted with a custom colored rEvolution hat.
Debarking from the historic Chicago Yacht Club, ten teams set out in 40-foot sailboats, first practicing, and then racing just outside of Navy Pier from Monroe Harbor. Members of each team had strategic roles for the competitive sail and each boat included a professional sailor.
Competitiveness, team work, and having fun were all on display, but in the end, the green team came out victorious.
“This particular win feels very good,” said Laura Heffelfinger, captain of the green team and rEvolution’s resident Art Director. “We went in with a positive outlook and a focus on having a good time above all else. Coach Rolando made some great strategic choices, particularly in the first leg of the race; we were able to get an early lead and with some high-level execution we sailed through to victory.”
Members of the green team will forever be etched into rEvolution history. Every sailors name will be inscribed to the champions cup including Kevin McGraw, Ken Olsen, Andrew Farag, Collin Diederich and Doug Tolish.
The event was a great display of the “work hard/play hard” culture of rEvolution and a fitting cap to a summer that featured our agency’s role in support of the first-ever Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series in Chicago.