Randi Payton, a trailblazer in automotive journalism for over 30 years, is a distinguished professor of Journalism at the University of the District of Columbia. In 1995, he founded On Wheels, Inc., a groundbreaking initiative that would later evolve into Decisive Media—a multimedia and nonprofit organization. As President and CEO, Payton led the creation of numerous national print and digital publications, websites, fundraising events, weekly radio talk shows, and a nonprofit organization. In July 1995, he pioneered the first website on the World Wide Web by a national automotive print magazine in the U.S. In addition, he produced the first newspaper-delivered magazine with a circulation of 1.2 million in mainstream and multicultural newspapers, including the Washington Post, Detroit News, New Daily News, and the Miami Herald. Through Decisive Media’s diverse platforms, which include Decisive magazine, Decisive Latino, Decisive digital magazines, monthly eNewsletters, and the On Wheels radio talk show (eight markets), Payton’s initiatives have reached over 10 million consumers monthly. He also established the 20th Annual Urban Wheel Awards (UWA), the "Official Multicultural Event" of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), growing the event from 500 to over 2,500 attendees and securing media partnerships with over 200 outlets such as Fortune magazine, Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Univision, TV One, and major network stations like CBS, NBC, and ABC. His collaboration with the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and leading automotive companies launched a 36-city tour to promote vehicle seatbelt safety, partnering with organizations such as the NFL, NBA, and the National Automobile Dealership Association. A recognized leader in vehicle safety, Payton was appointed to the U.S. President’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Vehicle Passenger Safety. In 2023, the U.S. State Department honored him with the Fulbright Specialist Program. His influential work earned him recognition as one of the “Top 40 Influencers in the Magazine Industry” by Folio magazine in 2006. He has also received the “National Media Cornerstone of the Year Award” from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Enterprise Office, a lifetime achievement award from the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers, and accolades as Michigan’s Top Minority Business and National Minority Business of the Year by the Diversity Business Council.