Industry News
SAN RAFAEL, CA (BRAIN)—While attending this year's Sea Otter, Trips for Kids (TFK) made a profit selling surplus merchandise from the Re-Cyclery Bike Thrift Shop and met up with the bicycle industry to raise awareness of TFK programs.
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NAME: Victor Lin
AGE: 52
COMPANY: VP Components
POSITION: Managing Director
Most components companies in Taiwan are relatively small affairs. VP Components’ Victor Lin, who founded the company in 1981, now oversees 1,450 employees, some 350 of whom are in Taiwan.
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NAME: Daisuke Kobayashi
COMPANY: SR Suntour
TITLE: President
AGE: 62
Daisuke Kobayashi is the venerable manager of a venerable company. He oversees components maker SR Suntour, one of the oldest names in the business.
Blue Competition Cycles marketing manager Ryan Barnett was involved in a serious cycling accident last weekend in Georgia, when he was hit by a truck and landscape trailer while riding.
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KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN (BRAIN)—Andrew Lee is a barrel of a man. But that’s what happens when you lug camera equipment through 55 countries shooting film and photos for National Geographic.
BOULDER, CO (BRAIN)—Veltec has hired Kathy Stacy and Kristine Larsen for its Boulder, Colorado office.
CHATSWORTH, CA (BRAIN)—Currie Technologies has hired Dan Speck as director of dealer sales. He will oversee all aspects of building a new dealer sales organization at Currie.
MORGAN HILL, CA (BRAIN)—Specialized is once again hosting its annual Bike to Work Day Industry Commute Cup Challenge to inspire some friendly competition within the industry during National Bike to Work Week, May 12-16.
Official Rules:
![](https://bicycleretailer.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/images/article/1210104877taiwanDay3.jpg?itok=RWg1pNf-)
TAINAN, TAIWAN (BRAIN)—They say an army moves on its stomach. And so does the A-Team. No better example of what keeps a group of Taiwanese businessmen moving is turkey-rice. After some 70 kilometers of riding, the A-Team pulled into the Fountain Restaurant in Jia-yie, a town along the way.
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NAME: Stella Yu
COMPANY: Velo
TITLE: General Manager
AGE: 60
It’s tough enough to succeed in the bicycle business. It’s even tougher to succeed as a woman.
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NAME: John Chen
COMPANY: Wellgo
TITLE: General Manager
AGE: 55
The bicycle business runs in John Chen’s family. Chen, founder of pedal manufacturer Wellgo, is the brother-in-law of Stella Yu, founder of Velo saddles.
![](https://bicycleretailer.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/images/article/1210098356Joel%20Smith.jpg?itok=K9evkNbK)
"What twist of fate has you meet your hero, become friends and then run his company? It's a strange set of circumstances, and at times I am both awe inspired and overwhelmed by it. But, the goal is to make an iconic brand, and what better way than to start with an iconic name."
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BRAIN's still waiting on its formal invitation to the Jenna Bush/Henry Hager wedding in Crawford, Texas this weekend. We sure hope it's an open bar wedding (click on link).
SUN VALLEY, ID (BRAIN)—Scott USA has added Jeff Buerman to cover sales for Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, working with Kelly O’Brien.
Scott Irvine has joined sales covering Minnesota, North and South Dakota, working with Dominic Petit.
CARSON CITY, NV (BRAIN)—Veltec Sports will increase wholesale prices of the following European brands: Colnago, Sidi and Vredestein.
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CHANGHUA, TAIWAN (BRAIN)—When the A-Team, led by a police escort, rolled into the Merida factory late Monday a throng of employees chanted their approval, especially since Michael Tseng, their boss, was leading the pack which included the city’s mayor.