A Mahomet native, Brian L. Ward started the Dark History and Horror Convention (DHHC), the first and only one of its kind in the local area, in 2014 as a way to share his passion for True Crime and what he terms “Dark History,” both of which generally inform the fictional horror genre and many aspects of our pop culture. This annual event offers the public a chance to view independent films from around the world, meet celebrities and authors, attend celebrity and informational panels, and to support local and small businesses for a variety of themed merchandise, books, and art. Brian has worked within the criminal justice field, largely as an emergency dispatcher, since 2008 and has received numerous commendations in his handling of incidents involving a plane crash, a suicidal individual, and a victim of gun violence.