WATERLOO, WI (BRAIN)—Trek Bicycle recently recognized three retailers at the company’s annual Trek World convention in Madison, Wisconsin for a combined six decades of success selling Trek bicycles and accessories.
Alex Obreicht, owner of Race Pace Cycles in Baltimore, Maryland, Ron Uhlenberg, co-owner of Ridley’s Cycles in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Pat Sorensen, President of Penn Cycle in Minneapolis, Minnesota, all received the Elmer J. Sorensen Legend Award, the most esteemed award which Trek extends to its retailers.
Race Pace Cycles began selling Trek bicycles 25 years ago and has since grown from a single store into a four-location market leader.
“[Alex] has grown by constantly improving his business and attempting new and innovative things,” said John Burke, president of Trek Bicycles, as he presented the awards during a keynote presentation for Trek’s Top 100 independent bicycle retailers. “A most recent example is the very successful ‘women’s only’ store that he opened last year.”
Ridley’s Cycles opened in 1986 and is Trek’s oldest international retail location. Uhlenberg began working at Ridley’s the same year and purchased the business in 1988.
“Ron is only the eleventh recipient of our most prestigious retailer award,” said Mike Hietpas, Canadian sales manager at Trek Bicycle. “Deciding to nominate Ron took all of about one minute. Ron is as great of a friend as he is a customer and businessman.”
Penn Cycle was the first retail distributor of Trek touring frames, beginning in 1977, when Trek was just getting started. As Trek’s oldest customer, the Elmer J. Sorensen Legend Award is named in honor of Penn Cycle’s founding owner. Since taking over the business in 2000, Elmer’s son Pat has continued the longstanding relationship with Trek while taking Penn Cycle to new levels.
“[Pat] has worked tirelessly, embraced Continuous Improvement, and has done an excellent job becoming a bicycle advocacy leader in his market,” Burke said. “Penn Cycle and Trek Bicycle will forever be linked as business partners, but we truly think of them as part of the family.”
The Legend Award is presented annually to Retailers who have been in the Trek family for a minimum of 20 years. Recipients must continually demonstrate an unrelenting commitment to service and have excelled at making a name for themselves in their local market. They must also have displayed an unparalleled commitment to Trek.
