Director of Safety & Risk Management
Since Champion Coach ran its first charter in 1998, Matthew has been involved in the family business. During his summer breaks, he helped maintain the fleet by washing, buffing and waxing motorcoach exteriors. After graduating from high school, he went on to complete a BS Degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management from Clemson University. He began working in the real estate development industry, where he understood the importance of trusted relationships and customer service. Matt’s career move to the motorcoach industry allows him to spend every day doing what he is passionate about while utilizing his experience and training in travel management.
Matt began his career as Vice President Business Development in August of 2016, and with his knowledge and expertise in travel, he finds it a natural fit in providing exceptional service and a high level of professionalism to his clients. His desire to enrich the travel experience makes him a valuable asset to our team. Matt now serves as the Director of Safety & Risk Management where he oversees safety policies and procedures of the company. He is very active within the motorcoach industry serving on the Board of Directors as Secretary for the United Motorcoach Association, Chairman of the Risk Management Committee and is Vice President of the Motorcoach Association of South Carolina.
Outside of his professional experience, Matt is a pilot and loves to fly in the evenings and on weekends. He enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife, Natalie. A fun fact about Matt is that he has a miniature schnauzer with three legs named Piper, and she owns both Natalie and Matt.
Sports Transportation Manager
Alex joined the Champion family in September 2023 as the Sports Transportation Manager. He spent ten seasons working for the Greenville Drive Minor League Baseball team, affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, with six of those seasons as the Director of Game Entertainment and Production. In this role, Alex oversaw all aspects of a gameday outside of the actual baseball itself. He attended Gardner-Webb University and USC-Upstate earning a degree in Communications/Mass Media with emphasis in Broadcast Journalism.
Alex loves everything sports and has been fortunate enough to live out his dream of sports broadcasting at many local colleges in the Upstate of SC, as a play-by-play voice, color commentator, and sideline reporter. He even hosts a high school football recap show on Saturdays in the fall! You’ll catch him cheering on his Gaffney Indians every Friday night during football season.
Alex and his wife, Katie, live in Fountain Inn with their son, Keith.
Travel Coordinator
Jesse joined the Champion team in June 2023 as the Travel Coordinator. He attended Spartanburg Methodist and Southern Wesleyan University where he earned an Associates and Bachelor’s Degree in Youth Ministry. Jesse brings an extraordinary level of customer service to our team by his positive attitude and genuine care in making sure every customer has been served. He enjoys meeting new people every day either on the phone or in person.
Jesse is all about golf and cannot get enough of the course each day. On his days off, you can find him in two places, either on the golf course trying to figure out his swing or at home being an awesome dad. He and his wife, Hannah, live in the Greer area with their young son, Henry.
Founder & CEO
In the summer of 1998, Craig fulfilled a dream to start a company specializing in transportation for sports teams and athletic organizations. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a BS degree in Speech Communications, and his love for sports lead him to pursue a career as a sports broadcaster; however, that dream took a turn when he became involved in arranging motorcoach transportation for athletic teams.
Craig’s passion for sports has fueled his desire to make Champion Coach the most respected name for motorcoach ground transportation among professional and collegiate teams. He is fully committed to providing customers with the newest models, cleanest motorcoaches and the latest technology on the road today.
Craig and Hazel married in 1989. They have 3 adult children, Matthew, Jacob, and Anna who also work at Champion Coach. They are both devoted Christians seeking to honor the Lord in everything they do, both personally and professionally. Craig currently serves on the Advisory Board at Truist Bank and on the Capital Campaign Committee at Joni & Friends. As one might expect, they both love to travel and are most passionate about a day on the ski slopes or a day on Lake Keowee.
Engineer/Diesel Technician
Growing up around the buses, Jacob has developed a passion for the motorcoach industry. He is the son of owners, Craig and Hazel Dance, and spent many summers working at Champion Coach. He worked as a bus detailer cleaning both the interior and exterior of the motorcoaches. He now works in the shop as the Fleet Manager and Coach Engineer.
Jacob earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering at Clemson University. His ongoing factory training with MCI, Prevost, and Van Hool motorcoaches provides him with the latest knowledge of technological and mechanical advancements.
As an avid “car guy”, Jacob has a passion for restoring automobiles to like-new condition. He recently restored a 1986 BMW e30 to drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway and display at car shows. Jacob enjoys spending time with his wife, Julia, as well as snow skiing, running, problem-solving, fixing things and 3-D printing. He can fix just about anything!
Founder & Executive Vice President
Since founding the company in 1998, Hazel has served as Executive Vice President. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a BS degree in Education, and with a background in teaching high school English, Hazel found her passion in planning student travel as well as working closely with educators. Her travel and tour planning began in 1987 when she worked at Good News Travels in Easley, South Carolina. Growing up in the nearby town of Pickens, an area of beautiful lakes and mountains inspired a love for travel and adventure.
Hazel’s enthusiasm for the motorcoach industry is quite evident, and her attention to detail has become a way of life. She has served in many roles at Champion Coach since its beginning and finds working with peers, vendors and customers most rewarding. Fun fact is that Hazel has extensive knowledge and experience in computer technology and networking, which has been quite handy at Champion Coach over the years. Because she spent her college years working at the University of Georgia’s Office of Information Technology, she gained experience to support most technical issues. Training and ongoing professional development are important to her, and she encourages others to be lifelong learners as well.
Hazel also serves as a Chair Coordinator for the Joni and Friends Wheels for the World ministry where she and Champion Coach collects used, but restorable wheelchairs. The ministry mission is to provide the gift of mobility and hope of the gospel to those affected by disability worldwide. People with limited mobility are tragically often excluded from life in their communities because they have no way of moving around. Receiving a wheelchair allows them to attend school and church, therefore becoming part of their communities and villages, changing their lives forever. Hazel also enjoys gardening and family vacations. She is devoted to her faith and enjoys being involved in ministry whenever or wherever possible to serve the Kingdom of God. Her life verse is Psalm 27:4.
Business Development Manager
Anna is the daughter of owners, Craig and Hazel Dance, and was born on the day Champion Coach was incorporated. Two great moments in the life of the Dance family happened in September 1998. Anna graduated from Clemson University amidst the 2020 Covid pandemic with a BS in Graphic Communications and a minor in Art. Utilizing her creativity and knowledge of marketing, she manages the company’s social media platforms as well as business development.
During her time at Clemson, Anna started a chapter of Young Women for America, a public policy women’s organization, and served as the campus Chapter President to encourage young conservative Christian woman to get involved in political issues. She was also the secretary for Gamma Epsilon Tau, the Graphic Communications fraternity as well as a member of the Graphic Communications Student Advisory Board. Anna’s leadership skills proved valuable when she became Chair of Clemson University’s Miss Homecoming Pageant 2020 and served as a member of the Clemson University Undergraduate Student Government Activities Committee.
At every opportunity, Anna explores the world. She has traveled extensively in the US and abroad. Iceland is her favorite travel memory. With her knowledge and expertise, Anna’s desire is to enrich the travel experience for others. She spends her free time managing her graphic design brand, photography, attending concerts, and being with friends and family.
Sales Manager
Claudette has been a key part of Champion Coach since 2006. Because of her personable nature, Claudette enjoys interacting daily with team travel directors, group leaders, teachers, meeting planners, and our very own motorcoach drivers. Champion Coach prides itself on establishing long-term relationships with clients, and Claudette cherishes the friendships she has made over the years. She has a Travel and Tourism A.A.S. from Herkimer County Community College in Herkimer, New York, and has over 30 years of experience in the motorcoach industry.
Claudette enjoys reading and attending drum and bugle corps events. For many years, she was the director of a popular drum corps event, Drums Along the Mohawk, which is held annually in her hometown of Rome, New York. Claudette loves collegiate sports, especially basketball and football. She enjoys spending time with her only daughter, who lives in South Carolina, and also has three sons who live out of state.
Accounting Manager
Tatum came on board at Champion Coach in October of 2016 as an Executive Administrative Manager. Within two years, Tatum was promoted to Accounting Manager where she enjoys all aspects of accounting including accounts payable/receivable, bank statement reconciliation, payroll and financial statements. She is a graduate of Anderson University with a degree in Business Management and Human Resources and recently completed her MBA at her alma mater. Tatum’s professional experience and knowledge in payroll, accounting, human resources, and benefit processing allows her to connect and assist others with confidence. She enjoys working in the travel industry and delights in using her skills and talents at Champion Coach.
Tatum brings enthusiasm to every project. Her attention to detail is second to none, and her positive attitude is a delight to her colleagues and clients. In addition to her accounting role, Tatum enjoys the operations side by assisting with dispatch whenever necessary. Her talents and her heart to serve is evident in everything she does!
During her free time she serves as the Events Coordinator for Janet Danner Joyful Ornaments, which is a non-profit organization located in Greenville, SC. This organization assist women in the update who are battling cancer.
Tatum and her husband, Bobby, live in the Simpsonville area with their two young children, Nash and Avery. She loves to travel to new places, is an avid reader and enjoys cooking!
Roman MartysevichLead Diesel Mechanic
Roman joined the Champion Coach maintenance team in June 2022 as the Lead Diesel Mechanic. He graduated from the College of Western Idaho in 2014 with an Associate’s Degree in the Heavy Duty Truck Technician program. Roman has a high level of technical understanding and skill that allow him to diagnose the most complex systems in heavy duty vehicles. With over 8 years in the bus transit industry, Roman brings mechanical and technical experience to Champion Coach’s maintenance team.
Roman and his wife, Liya, live in the Boiling Springs area with their young son, Eric. The three of them love spending time outdoors and exploring together. Outside of work, Roman’s hobbies include fishing and swimming.
