1980

Velocity principals Alex Nieroth and Bob Wilhelmy are partners at Connecticut Consulting Group (CCG), a premier strategic consulting agency.

1986

Velocity principal Mike Reisman is part of the sports and entertainment marketing empire built by Don Ohlmeyer. As part of Ohlmeyer Communications, Reisman lands an account with IBM to manage its Major League Baseball sponsorship.

1989

DMB&B Advertising buys CCG and merges it with Ted Colangelo Associates to create a new marketing communications agency dubbed Clarion Marketing and Communications.

1990

Ohlmeyer Communications is sold to Young & Rubicam. The sale includes the transfer of the IBM business.

1992

At Clarion Marketing and Communications, Nieroth steps forward to create ClarionPerformance Properties (CPP), the company's sports and entertainment marketing division.

Reisman and several others leave Y&R to create International Sports & Entertainment Strategies (ISES). Reisman and his partners bring along several accounts including IBM and Shell, and quickly add the FedEx account to their roster.

1993

Velocity Principal Dave Grant leaves the National Basketball Association and joins Nieroth and Wilhelmy at Clarion.

1995

Clarion Marketing and Communications purchases Reisman's ISES along with its IBM, Shell and FedEx accounts.

1999

Sensing the time is right for a specialized sponsorship agency, the group finalizes arrangements with Clarion to spin out a new independent firm, and Velocity Sports & Entertainment is born.

2000

Velocity makes its first acquisition, purchasing The Event Company and expanding into the meeting planning business. They also open an office in Washington, D.C.

2001

Velocity enters the PROMO 100 at #99. Velocity's FedEx/NFL Air & Ground promotional campaign is named by the PMA as one of the top three most effective long-term promotions in the industry.

2002

Velocity consolidates its three Westport offices into one location in Wilton, CT. In addition, Harlan Stone, one of the leading executives in the sports/entertainment marketing industry, joined the agency. Stone was CEO of Momentum Worldwide, a division of McCann-Erickson World Group, one of the world's largest marketing communications companies.

Velocity jumps to number 19 on the PROMO 100 list and becomes the highest ranking sponsorship agency on the list.

Velocity reengages Gillette as a client, having served them for eight years when part of Clarion.

The FedEx/NFL Air & Ground was again named by the PMA as one of the industry's most effective long-term promotional campaigns. The campaign also won a Bronze GLOBE award in a worldwide competition for most effective long-term promotion of the year.

2003

Velocity expands its presence to Europe with the opening of a London based office. New client wins in 2003 included Lilly Icos (Cialis), The Home Depot, Citizens Bank and ConAgra Foods.

Velocity Alliances group launched in support of Little League and Activision clients.

2004

Velocity launches new municipal marketing division by acquiring the Marketing Alliance Group, headed by Jeff Ferguson.

Velocity also hires its 90th employee.

Velocity joins forces with Aegis. Announces intention to create the leading global sports and entertainment event marketing capability in the industry.

2005

Due to its rapid growth, Velocity moves its corporate headquarters to larger offices in Norwalk, CT.

2006

Velocity selected by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. to be their sponsorship agency for the company's expansion into the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and the Busch Series.

Velocity opens its Charlotte office as it continues its aggressive expansion of NASCAR business.

2007

Velocity works with FedEx to launch the FedExCup PGA TOUR sponsorship program, the most significant sponsorship in the history of golf.