PeopleForBikes Coalition Board of Directors Meets to Discuss Industry Priorities for 2024 and Welcome New Members
BOULDER, COLO. (December 13, 2023) — The PeopleForBikes Coalition Board of Directors, composed of 21 of the bicycle industry’s top leaders, met virtually for their semi-annual gathering on December 12.
The board’s main topic of discussion was reviewing the organization’s top priorities and initiatives for 2024. Martina Haggerty, PeopleForBikes’ senior director of local innovation, presented on PeopleForBikes’ Great Bike Infrastructure Project, a first-of-its-kind program tracking more than 1,300 planned bicycle infrastructure projects across the U.S. and providing city leaders and advocates with the legislative tools to get these projects funded and built. PeopleForBikes Senior Research Manager Patrick Hogan updated the board on progress from year two of the organization's three-year research and data expansion plan as well as new data products available through the PeopleForBikes Member Center and Business Intelligence Hub.
“More Americans are riding bikes than ever before. It is imperative to the health of our industry that we give these millions of people safer, fun, and connected places to ride. PeopleForBikes’ Great Bike Infrastructure Project is doing exactly that,” said Chris Speyer, senior vice president and chief merchandising officer of REI and chair of the board. “Similarly, PeopleForBikes’ data offerings provide our industry much-needed market insights to navigate the current economic climate and better plan for the future. Put simply — safer places for people to ride their bikes and good data to plan for your business are more essential than ever. I urge any bike businesses that are not already PeopleForBikes members to join the Coalition and support our collective work. We may be facing uncertain times, but we are so much stronger together.”
The board engaged in a group discussion on the changing state of the bike business and industry, providing input on how PeopleForBikes can continue best representing the bicycle industry and serving member needs while also adapting and anticipating more broadscale changes.
“While the bicycle industry may be in a tough spot right now, the bicycling movement is stronger than ever. A record number of Americans are discovering the joys of bicycling for transportation and recreation and more funding for bike projects is flowing in at all levels of government,” said PeopleForBikes President and CEO Jenn Dice. “As the U.S. bicycle industry’s trade association, PeopleForBikes is committed to keeping that bike and public policy momentum going and being a trusted partner and resource for bike businesses to successfully navigate the next year and beyond.”
The board also welcomed two new members — Michael Forte, USA finance and strategy leader at Specialized Bicycle Components, and Jeff McGuane, president of Vista Outdoor (Fox Racing, Bell, Giro, Blackburn, Krash, Copilot, and Raskullz).
“I've followed and admired PeopleForBikes' work since the early days when it was called Bikes Belong,” said Michael Forte. “I recognized then that they were key to the future of bicycling. I am so excited to now be on the PeopleForBikes board to continue helping pedal the planet forward.”
PeopleForBikes board members are instrumental in shaping the content and agenda for the organization’s annual Bicycle Leadership Conference (BLC), where top leaders and decision makers come together to chart the course of the bike industry. The 2024 BLC will take place March 26-29 in Tucson, Arizona. Featuring a blend of inspiration, education, and action, speakers will offer lessons on guiding your business as well as short and long-term market insights to plan for the future.
Finally, the board approved PeopleForBikes’ 2023 Industry Community Grants recipients, totaling $100,000 in funding across 13 grants. The grants will help fund projects that support PeopleForBikes’ focus on building infrastructure that makes communities great places to ride a bike. The projects include several pump tracks, efforts to build safe routes to schools, demonstration projects to promote the importance of protected bike lanes, innovative solutions to combat bike theft in college towns, and mountain bike parks in flat urban areas.
2023 PeopleForBikes Industry Community Grants
Delmont Visionary Committee — $10,000
Delmont, PA | Trail construction and intersection improvements for a connection to the Westmoreland Heritage Rail Trail. Our funds leverage an additional $18,000 to build a new and vital bikeway for residents and visitors in Delmont.
Georgia Hi-Lo Trail — $10,000
Sandersville, GA | Funding to construct the first 3 miles of a 250-mile trail system in Georgia, leveraging $6 million in other funding.
CicLAvia — $10,000
Los Angeles, CA | One in a series of “CicLAminis,” a neighborhood-focused open streets event celebrating new neighborhood bike infrastructure. This grant will highlight the specific trail extensions and protected bikeways that improve bicycling locally.
The Treeline Conservancy — $9,000
Ann Arbor, MI | Demonstration project to install and evaluate permeable surfaces on a segment of the Treeline-Allen Creek Urban Trail to create a safe and accessible bike path through a floodplain.
Bike Durango — $8,750
Durango, CO | Demonstration projects of fully protected bike lanes on key portions of a proposed citywide network of low-stress bikeways.
Apache County Youth Council — $8,500
Saint Johns, AZ | A collaboration with the Legacy Teen Center to build a new pump track that will help launch the Legacy Bike Club.
Bike JC — $8,000
Jersey City, NJ | Demonstration project to install and evaluate protected bike lanes in Jersey City to leverage $670,590 in state funding for permanent construction.
Clear Creek Off-Road Bike Association — $7,650
Pearland, TX | Initial construction costs for an innovative mountain bike trail system in an urban park, using shipping containers to create hills in an otherwise flat, low-income neighborhood.
Providence Streets Coalition — $7,500
Providence, RI | Community rides and organizing to win community support for protected bike lanes in low-income communities and leverage $28 million in federal grants.
Tempe Bicycle Action Group — $5,600
Tempe, AZ | A "bike bus" to highlight the need for infrastructure that’s safe for children to enjoy on a bicycle and support its construction.
Shift Community Cycles — $5,000
Eugene, OR | An innovative solution to prevent bike theft with a strategy to expand the use of public funding and provide an example for other college towns where bike theft prevents people from relying on a bike for transportation.
Trailnet — $5,000
St. Louis, MO | Support for the construction of a quick-build protected bike lane on Compton Avenue, a key connection to existing bike boulevard projects in the citywide network.
Trails Utah — $5,000
Kearns, UT | An upgrade to the Lodestar XC Bike Park to enhance the trails and add skills features including adaptive features. Open to the public, the park provides the only training opportunities for students from six high school mountain bike teams.
PeopleForBikes Coalition Board of Directors
Chair: Chris Speyer, Executive Vice President + Chief Merchandising Officer, REI
Vice Chair: An Le, Global Marketing Director, Giant Bicycles
Secretary: Michael Mercuri, Board member, SRAM
Treasurer: Pat Cunnane, CEO, Messingschlager USA
Bob Burns, Vice President and Senior Legal Officer, Trek Bicycle
Ian Christie, President and CEO, Summit Bicycles
Bernie Doering, Board Member and Member of Research & Statistics Committee
Michael Forte, USA Finance and Strategy Leader, Specialized Bicycle Components
Joe Graney, Chief Executive Officer, Santa Cruz and SVP Pon.bike Performance
Nick Hage, SVP General Manager North America & Japan, Dorel Sports, Cycling Sports Group
Gloria Hwang, Founder and CEO, Thousand
Ken Lousberg, CEO, SRAM
Jeff McGuane, President, Vista Outdoor
Nolan Moser, Assistant Vice President Bicycle Component Division, Shimano North America
John Munhall, Director of Product, Giant Bicycles
Larry Pizzi, General Manager, Alta Cycling Group
Patrick Seidler, President, Wilderness Trail Bikes
Allison Straub, President and CEO, Burley Design
Rich Tauer, President, Quality Bicycle Products
Daniel Trujillo, Partner and Global Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer, McKinsey & Company
Claudia Wasko, Vice President and General Manager, Bosch eBike Systems
About PeopleForBikes
PeopleForBikes is the U.S. bicycle industry’s trade association and a national advocacy nonprofit representing 325 bicycle industry supplier members and 1.4 million individuals. Through our three areas of influence — infrastructure, policy, and participation — we accelerate the construction of safe, fun, and connected places to bike; advance pro-bike and pro-bike-business legislation; and reduce barriers to access and welcome more people to the joys of riding a bike. Our goal: Become the best place in the world to ride a bike. Join us at peopleforbikes.org.
