Local residents have created a car show to celebrate the life of a well-known Champaign County business leader and motorhead who passed away on New Year’s Day after a short illness.
The Brice Kadel Memorial Cruise-in will take place on July 27 near the Grimes Field Airport from 5-8 p.m. and is free to all car owners and spectators.
Kadel, 68, was a lifelong Urbana resident, Urbana University graduate and former president of The Peoples Savings Bank from 1986-2018. A car lover at an early age, he owned many foreign and domestic sports cars, hot rods, and motorcycles throughout his life and enjoyed attending automotive events with his fellow car show friends.
The local event was created to celebrate Kadel’s passion for motor vehicles as well as honor the decades of stewardship he provided to the community as both a business leader and philanthropist to causes he championed throughout the county.
“Brice was a force of nature in everything he did,” said longtime friend and event co-coordinator Chris Rieman. “His lack of pretentiousness made him instantly likeable at the office, golf course, or car show, and it put everyone at ease because he never hesitated to encourage a laugh at his expense. No one was more comfortable in his own skin and our goal is to bring that light-heartedness to the event in a way that celebrates his unique personality that affected everybody he touched in the community.”
The free event is sponsored by The Peoples Savings Bank and will be located at 1412 North Main Street next to Grimes Field Airport. All vehicle makes and models are encouraged to attend. Kadel’s love of animals will be represented on-site by Barely Used Pets of Urbana with donations accepted and pets in need of forever homes. Music and a food truck are also planned.
“Brice had a twisted sense of humor, so we created promotional flyers as if he created them himself — to honor himself,” Rieman said. “The event is sort of like a celebrity roast and cruise-in wrapped into one. He would have expected nothing less.”
