IRVINE, Calif. (BRAIN) — Three retailers have joined the board of directors of the National Bicycle Dealers Association, along with two re-elected board members.
The new members are Jake Capistrant, owner of Jake's Bikes in Alexandria, Minnesota; Gillian Forsyth, owner of BFF Bikes in Chicago; and Whit Ellerman, owner of Cardinal Bicycle in Roanoke, Virginia. Tim Krone, owner of PEDAL in Kalamazoo, Michigan; and Chad Pickard, owner of Spoke-N-Sport in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, were each re-elected to serve additional terms.
Ellerman said, "As a relative newcomer to the bicycle industry, I rely heavily on the NBDA, its resources, and its members to give me guidance on how to be the best bicycle shop owner I can be. The support I get from the NBDA and my fellow (Profitability Project) P2 members is invaluable to me, and I hope that as a board member I can pay back some of what I've gained by helping the organization and other retailers like myself."
Forsyth spent most of her career in accounting and finance. After leaving her corporate position in 2020 her love and passion for cycling led her to bike shop ownership. She said she hopes to lend her vision and resource to the NBDA around issues such as human resources, improved POS reporting, and better inventory reporting and management from vendors.
Capistrant said, "My passion for cycling began when I was 13 and started working after school at our local bike shop. After eight years I moved to the Twin Cities and for three years worked at Penn Cycle, one of the largest bike dealers in the country. I returned to Alexandria to manage the shop there. When my boss left the bike industry, I knew it was the right time to follow my dream of owning my own shop. This has resulted in the significant growth of the area's cycling community."
The NBDA board is currently compromised of 10 retailers, with the additions the board will have 13 members. Board member profiles are on at nbda.com/board-of-directors.
