BETHEL, CT—Mark Peterman, who has been with GT Bicycles for more than 20 years, has been tapped to be its new general manager, and will work out of Cycling Sports Group’s headquarters in Bethel, Connecticut, starting Oct. 31.
Peterman had been working out of GT’s Lake Forest, California, office for almost 10 years.
Dorel Industries, parent company of CSG, decided in early April to close its four remote bike offices including Lake Forest. Joining Peterman in Bethel from Lake Forest will be product manager Patrick Kaye and new vice president of design Aaron Bethlenfalvy.
“It’s not always been the best situation,” Peterman said of working out of a remote office. Having everybody under one roof should improve the way GT does business, Peterman added.
Peterman, a White Plains, New York native, said he decided to stay on with GT even if it meant moving from Southern California because the opportunity was a great career move for him.
“I have the chance to craft the brand,” Peterman said. “I really wanted to take that next step in my career.”
Staying with Dorel in this leadership role will give Peterman the ability to bring in more people, giving him more resources to succeed. Dorel not only owns GT, but Cannondale, Schwinn, Mongoose and apparel brand Sugoi.
Peterman said he’s impressed with CSG’s North American president Jeff McGuane, who took on that role in March. “He’s an industry guy,” Peterman said. And he can handle a downhill bike pretty well, he added.
“All of this gives me a lot of optimism and confidence going forward,” Peterman said.
Peterman wants to build upon the brand’s core technologies like Triple Triangle frame design and Independent Drivetrain rear suspension design while pushing the envelope further. He said he’s ready to step into his new role.
“Overseeing the marketing, managing people, coordinating all the aspects of the business from sourcing to sales—that’s a great challenge,” Peterman said.
Peterman also is excited to show GT’s 2010 line at Interbike. The brand is going after the gravity crowd with the Fury Carbon DH rig and new Ruckus 7 freeride bike.
On the pavement side GT has a new series of urban commuting bikes. The Traffic line features PinHead locking systems as standard equipment along with reflective decals and toptube bumpers, Peterman said.
“We will also offer a range of cyclocross models, new flat bar pavement and the all-new belt drive Streamline series,” Peterman said. “GT may have been born in the dirt, but we also know how to hit the road.”
