Our Team
We are passionate about helping your group raise money!
Custom Resources, LLC, began in 1997, offering educational resources for high school marketing education. The company began to grow and in 2006 the Custom Resources Fundraising Division was added. This division has since helped small and large groups, from coast to coast, fundraise for many different reasons.
We are committed to helping you make the most of your fundraiser! Our staff is focused on your group's success as well as providing the best customer support and expert advice in all aspects of fundraising. We are the business that knows your name and the one that will lead you in the right direction.
Custom Resources Fundraising Team
Heather began working for the company in 2001. As the director of sales she manages all aspects of fundraising to make sure each group has the best fundraising experience possible. She has been with the fundraising division since it began giving her the knowledge she needs to provide expert advice on all things fundraising.
Heather was very active as a student in marketing and business education. She was quite successful academically and also as a DECA member; she earned 2nd place at ICDC with her "Giving Back Is Where It's At" community service project. She now enjoys supporting DECA, FBLA, and several other CTSOs at their local, state, and national conferences!
He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from California University of Pennsylvania in 2016, where he immersed himself in campus life through intramural sports and a student position within the recreation department. A back-to-back state champion in full-contact flag football, Chris also helped lead fundraising efforts for his team’s regional trips to the University of Maryland, where they placed fifth two consecutive years—falling only to the eventual champions each time. During his senior year, he interned as Assistant Director of Recreation, ultimately running the intramural program in his final semester under the mentorship of the department director.
Throughout college and beyond, Chris built a strong foundation in hospitality, accumulating over 12 years of restaurant experience after starting as a host at Applebee’s at 18. He went on to serve and bartend in a variety of high-volume environments and played a key role in opening a new Buffalo Wild Wings location in Washington, PA. He later became a Service Professional with Olive Garden—the highest non-management role within the organization—where he was entrusted with training new team members, leading orientations, and managing shifts. The leadership and operational experience he gained in that role helped position him to become an Assistant General Manager at Parry’s Pizza in Colorado, where he oversaw operations across multiple locations.
In 2018, Chris entered the esports and digital content space, founding 303 Esports, which grew into Colorado’s largest and most recognized esports organization. Over four years, he built community partnerships, managed teams, and organized professionally contracted international events while developing a strong brand presence across the state. He later served as a Programs Coordinator, creating and expanding structured esports programs throughout Colorado before pursuing content creation full time and earning partnership status on Twitch. He also became the first and only content creator selected by Amazon Game Studios to partner on and host a private server event for the game New World—a milestone that further established his credibility within the gaming industry.
In 2025, Chris relocated to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, continuing to expand his professional reach while embracing new challenges, adventure, and opportunities. Today, as a Fundraising Specialist, he brings a unique blend of athletic and creative leadership, program development expertise, entrepreneurial drive, and community-building experience—partnering with organizations to elevate their fundraising efforts and create lasting impact.
In addition to handling much of the marketing for Custom Resources Fundraising, Dillon and Ellie are professional photographers, based out of Denver, Colorado. Their work ranges from luxury weddings to commercial work and events to fashion.
Dillon enjoyed being a DECA competitor, a soccer player and baseball player into college at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. Ellie was born and raised in Ukraine and her creative work, determination and love for photography has taken her all over the world. She studied International Business at the University of Poland. More about Ellie. More about Dillon.
Tara began Custom Resources, LLC, in 1996 and the fundraising division in 2006. She was a teacher and school counselor from 1992-1998. She was awarded for her dedication to education. Her awards and educational credentials inspired her and prepared her to pursue her vision of developing innovative resources and services for education.
- American Vocational Association New Professional Candidate
- Missouri Marketing Education Association Teacher of the Year
- Missouri Vocational New Professional Teacher
- Clinton Optimist Teacher of the Year
- Marketing & Cooperative Education Association New Professional
- Recipient of Missouri's DECA Diamond Award
- Missouri Marketing Education New Professional Teacher
- Masters Degree in School Counseling, BS Degree in Business
- Vocational Certification in Marketing Education
Custom Resources also has an e-learning division. Tara created CompetitionUniversity.com which provides online marketing, work-based learning, career exploration courses. The primary focus of CU is through the PREP Track, designed to assist DECA and FBLA students as they prepare for competition.