Robert Badgley was born on the East Coast in a small town in southern New Jersey, where Red Carpet events and Hollywood premiere parties were unknown and were never a thought in his future.  One thing Rob did know for sure was that New Jersey wasn’t the state that would keep him for long.   Being the son of an Air force father gave him the opportunity, whether he liked it or not, to travel the world and quickly become comfortable with the tastes and cultures of many types of people and many different countries. That very exposure to various foods across the world and our country led him to New York for college.  Rob headed into the kitchen at the infamous Culinary Institute of America.   And that’s where the story barely begins.  Young, educated, and struck with the notion that he would be great in life, he did what was in his blood after graduation - travel.   From New York to a long run in the Caribbean on multiple islands to the icy glaciers of Alaska, he prepared delicious fare for fellow tourists and food connoisseurs.   He eventually landed in California, working as a chef on various yachts.  But the world of prepared cuisine wasn’t the end-all for Robert.

He decided to pack his knives and began working with a friend on party production. It never seemed a far stretch for him to cross over from culinary to event production.  They seemed to go hand in hand.  Make the client happy.  Create elegant illusions for his guests. His first major event was a rave. The high energy party led to an encounter with a production manager at Best events, one of the premiere party producing companies in Southern California.  Rob joined the crew there, building sets. His drive and dedication quickly caught the eye of Jeffery Best, landing him a promotion to production manager. . .

Whether creating culinary masterpieces, orchestrating one of a kind parties, or executing his vision for high-end events, Robert Badgleys experiences have led him to his passion for artistry.  Badgley continued to chef in his own kitchen but found true passion in event planning. Badgley adds, “I like taking raw spaces and transforming them into something that guests can walk away from with a great lasting memory.”

Rob was soon sought after by Hollywood promoter turned event planner Brent Bolthouse. Badgley joined the Bolthouse team in 2001, helping to start Bolthouse events.  Rob’s job was versatile; he tackled the role of producing, designing parties, and bringing to life most of Bolthouse’s major parties.  Badgley and his producing partner Brian Diamond are credited with the past six seasons of LA’s Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, after-parties for the Oscars, the Grammy after-party for the esteemed William Morris Agency, Showtime’s Emmy after-party, Play Station’s Super Bowl soiree, and T Mobile’s NBA All-Star events. 

Their extensive knowledge and reputation are permanently leaving their marks on the Hollywood event scene . . .

So after seven years at Bolthouse Productions, after a decade of honing his ability for catering to others in a way that allowed him to keep his vision, he moved on with Diamond to start their own company. The Visionary Group was established in January 2008.   It was the epitome of everything Robert had envisioned a production company could be. The company has created a buzz in Hollywood, spearheading Rogan for Target Launch Party, MySpace/ Kate Voegele Tour, Maxim X Games, and NASCAR Pepsi 500.    Badgley says “The Visionary Group’s philosophy is we produce events because it is what we love to do.  Whether it’s making our clients thoughts come to life or coming up with new and innovative ideas to showcase their products, we always strive to go beyond our clients’ expectations.”