COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (BRAIN) — USA Cycling has hired six new staff members in three departments. Most notably, the hires include Andy Sparks as director of track programs and Mark Guthart as technical director.
"Each new staff member brings a unique set of skills that I expect will profoundly and positively affect their respective areas of responsibility," said Steve Johnson, the organization's CEO and president. Johnson announced last month that he will retire in October this year.
Sparks is the organization's former head coach for track endurance events, and the former para-cycling track head coach for the USOC. He is a former director of the United Cycling Center in Mallorca, Spain as well as the track cycling program at the UCI's World Cycling Center in Switzerland.
Guthart is a former race promoter, president of the Iowa Bicycle Racing Association Board, and owner of G4 Sports Marketing. As technical director, Guthart will oversee referee development and education, direct national event officiating and manage technical advancement. The position was held for many years by Shawn Farrell, who left the organization in October.
Other new hires at USAC:
- Laura Ryan was hired as national events manager. A three-time Olympian in team handball, Ryan spent 10 years with U.S. Paralympics where she served as an associate events director. Most recently, Ryan held the role of senior program director for the Navy Wounded Warrior – Safe Harbor Adaptive Athletics Program.
- Cynthia Weisinger was hired as race director certification manager. Weisinger is a former race director and spent 20 years as the director of training and certification for the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission. Weisinger will administer the educational content and oversee the certification process for race directors in the U.S.
- Steve Bitter joins as USAC's new digital and social media manager. He brings communications and marketing experience from both in-house and agency capacities, including time spent with two professional sports teams. He most recently came from the content marketing agency, Vertical Measures, in Phoenix.
- Daniel Gillespie was hired as sponsorship and member benefits manager. Gillespie spent the last 10 years with SRM PowerMeters, splitting time between the U.S. and Europe, providing sponsorship and technical support for SRM-sponsored teams. Prior to his work with SRM, he spent four years with Carmichael Training Systems as an events and marketing manager. The former professional mountain biker will work with USAC's communications and marketing staff to develop new and current corporate partnerships.
