SAN DIEGO, CA (BRAIN)—Bicycle Retailer and Industry News recently handed out its BRAINy awards with a first-ever emphasis on companies making a concerted effort to go green.
“We want to encourage companies to consider taking small steps toward lessening their environmental footprint,” said Megan Tompkins, the magazine’s editor.
Green award winners were selected based on an online self-nominating survey conducted by an independent research group. Companies were selected for participating in a range of environmentally friendly initiatives such as offering incentives to employees who use alternative means of transportation to get to work, offsetting carbon emissions, implementing green shipping practices and using recycled paper.
Winners in the manufacturers category for large, mid-size and small companies were Specialized, Thule and Pedro’s USA, respectively.
REI won for large retailer; Mt. Airy Bicycles/College Park Bicycles in Maryland was the winner in the multiple-store category; and Trailhead Cycle & Ski in Buena Vista, Colorado, won the single-store award.
BRAIN announced these and 11 other BRAINy awards Jan. 19 at the Bicycle Leadership Conference in San Diego.
The magazine dropped its longstanding supplier and distributor awards, but continued its advocacy awards, recognizing companies and individuals that are improving bicycling conditions.
“The BRAINys originated with advocacy awards eight years ago, and the advocacy awards continue to be at the heart of the recognition program,” Tompkins said.
Lance Camisasca of Interbike received the individual advocate award; Planet Bike received the supplier advocate award; and Randy Clark, owner of Bicycle Garage Indy in Indianapolis, received the retailer advocate award.
BRAIN also recognized six retailers for excellence in specific categories determined by its Top 100 survey conducted by Boulder Sports Research. Plan B Cycling in Port Orange, Florida won best new shop; Richardson Bike Mart in Texas won best pro shop; The Bike Source won best multi-market retailer; and Penn Cycle in Minnesota won best family shop for the second year. In new retail categories this year, Gear West Bike and Triathlon in Long Lake, Minnesota won best multisport shop and River City Bicycles in Portland, Oregon won best female-friendly shop.
BRAIN also introduced a new category of international individual of the year, given to Ying-Ming Yang, chairman of the Taiwan Bicycle Exporters Association.
Bill Austin, chief executive officer of Raleigh and past president of the BPSA, received BRAIN’s lifetime achievement award for the second time—this time for his commitment to tracking and analyzing industry statistics over the past 19 years.
(Pictured are BRAIN editor Megan Tompkins, Dave Guettler of River City and Thomas Prehn of Boulder Sports Research.)
