BOULDER, CO (BRAIN)—A new slate of officers were elected to serve two-year terms on the Bikes Belong executive board early last week at a board meeting at the nonprofit’s Boulder office, according to Bikes Belong president Tim Blumenthal.
Chris Fortune, president of Saris Cycling Group, was elected as the new chairman, replacing outgoing chairman Steve Meineke, president of Raleigh America, whose two-year term had expired. Fortune had completed a two-year term as vice chairman.
Moving into the vice chairman role is Michael Mercuri, vice president of SRAM, who had served as treasurer and secretary of the board the past two years. And Nielsen group show director Andy Tompkins was elected secretary and treasurer. Nielsen produces several trade shows including Interbike and the Health+Fitness Business Expo, which Tompkins heads up.
The Bikes Belong board of directors is made up of 20 executives from the top companies in the bike industry who meet several times a year to discuss ways to promote and increase bicycling in the U.S.
At its recent meeting, the board discussed the impact a new congress will have on the nonprofit’s initiatives in D.C., and future spending on bike infrastructure and programs. “A lot of our discussion focused on D.C., federal government relations and partnerships with not only the other national advocacy groups that are part of America Bikes but other non-endemic partners,” said Blumenthal.
Blumenthal also said Bikes Belong’s People for Bikes campaign enjoyed a surge of pledges over the summer months thanks to a strong push from suppliers and retailers. Once all pledge sheets are accounted for, he estimates the campaign, which launched in March, will reach 175,000 signatures. Blumenthal said the goal is to reach 500,000 pledges by the end of 2011 and a million by 2012.
—Lynette Carpiet
lcarpiet@bicycleretailer.com
