COSTA MESA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Brandee Lepak was recently voted chair of the National Bicycle Dealers Association Board.
Lepak, owner of Global Bikes in Gilbert, Arizona, takes over the role from Chris Kegel, who resigned following his recent cancer diagnosis. Lepak joined the board in 2013.
Lepak isn't the first woman to head up the NBDA board, a role that's been previously held by Beth Annon, Jan Brunk and Portia Masterson. Past women on the board have included Mary Ann Cash, Meg Murphy, and Estelle Gray.
The NBDA by-laws were changed a couple of years ago, creating the chairman of the board position. Kegel was the first chairman of the board. Before, the chair was called president and chief staff was the executive director. That title has been replaced with president.
"I'm thrilled to have Brandee at the helm of the board. She's driven and you see that throughout her business and connections in the industry," said Todd Grant, the NBDA's president. "She has great ideas on business, and she also happens to be a woman, so she brings a great perspective. I look forward to working with her."
Other changes on the board's executive committee include Robert Fullem of Downtube Bicycle Works, who becomes first vice chair; he previously was second vice chair. Kent Cranford, who was on the board but not in an executive role becomes second vice president. He owns Motion Makers Bike Shop in Asheville and Sylva, North Carolina.
Erik Kugler, owner of Bicycle SPACE in Washington, D.C., also previously on the board, was named treasurer. Kugler is an accredited CPA, which makes him a perfect match for the role, Grant said.
Jeff Selzer of Palo Alto Bicycles, who was serving as secretary, continues his board-term.
Board members have to serve two years before being elected into officer roles.
Making up the rest of the board in non-officer roles are Dave Enz of Oakdale Bicycle Shop in Oakdale, California; Phil Cohen of Chain Reaction Bicycles in Evans, Georgia; Mike Jacoubowsky of Chain Reaction Bicycles in Redwood City, California; Kelli Kavanaugh of Wheelhouse Detroit in Detroit; and James Moore of Moore's Bicycle Shop in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Grant said the NBDA recently changed its by-laws to extend the term limits to serve on the board from two years to three. And board members can serve no more than three terms on the board.
"It usually takes a couple of years on a board to really know what's going on and begin to contribute," Grant said. "So everyone on the board is on a 3-year term now."
According to its by-laws, the NBDA can have up to 15 members on its board. Currently there are five vacant seats, which is also allowed.
But Grant said that the NBDA will put out a call for people who are interested in joining the board by summer in an effort to fill the vacant seats at the board meeting held at Interbike.
