CHICAGO, IL (BRAIN)—SRAM has hired Randy Neufeld as its Cycling Fund director.
The SRAM Cycling Fund was created on September 30, 2008. During the next five years the Fund plans to award $10 million in grants to support committed national and international advocacy efforts that enhance cycling infrastructure, safety and access.
"Randy is the right person to manage the SRAM Cycling Fund", said Stan Day, president and chief executive officer of SRAM. "He has the professional experience and insight required to oversee and maximize the impact of the Fund".
Neufeld's experience spans 22 years across the entire spectrum of local, national and international cycling advocacy. He is currently the chief strategy officer for the Active Transportation Alliance, (formerly Chicagoland Bicycle Federation), having served as executive director from 1987 through 2005. He also currently serves with a number of national organizations, including as the president of America Bikes, special advisor to the board of the Alliance for Biking and Walking and Advocacy Committee Chair for the National Safe Routes to School Partnership.
Neufeld's international experience includes his close association with European Advocacy organizations and participation at cycling and alternative transportation conferences such as Velo Mondial in 1992 and 2000, Velocity Munich in 2007, and Prague in 2006 and 2007.
In his role as SRAM Cycling Fund director, Neufeld will serve as part of a three-person grant committee that includes Day and Mike Mercuri, SRAM vice president of product and marketing and current board member with the Bikes Belong Coalition. Additional responsibilities will include developing measures of grant effectiveness, oversight of grantee progress to objectives and building strong ties and synergy with European Advocacy.
"We look forward to working with Randy," Mercuri said. "He has been a brilliant advocate and tireless leader. His experience will add enormous value to our advocacy effort and the cycling movement worldwide."
Support for Neufeld among U.S. advocacy leaders has been strong. "Randy Neufeld is the perfect person to guide SRAM's Cycling Fund in partnership with the company's visionary leadership," said Bikes Belong executive director Tim Blumenthal. "He knows how government works, how advocacy groups can be most effective, and he has his finger on the pulse of innovative programs that will get more people riding bikes more often."
"Randy is a treasure in the bicycle advocacy world", said Jeff Miller, president for the Alliance for Biking and Walking. "He is both an inspiration and mentor to nearly every grassroots leader. We now look forward to Randy's expanded involvement at the national level. His strategic mind and patient counsel will continue to benefit all of us."
Neufeld will officially assume his new responsibilities at SRAM starting July 1, and will work at SRAM's headquarters in Chicago.
