JOB ANNOUNCEMENT: DENVER BIKE SHARING

Director of Sales, Marketing and Public Relations

Click for the full job announcement. 

 www.denverbikesharing.org; www.denver.bcycle.com

(Courtesy Denver Bike Sharing) Denver Bike Sharing is a Colorado charitable, non-profit corporation that has been organized and operates to promote health, quality of life and preservation of the environment in Denver.  Our mission is to replace short car trips with b-cycle trips.  Denver Bike Sharing is an unusual hybrid – both a non-profit, mission-driven organization and also a business that relies on membership sales for the majority of its operational funding.   Correspondingly, this position will require an unusual combination of atypical community-organizing/social marketing skills while being accountable for achieving budget-based membership sales. 

As a non-profit organization, Denver Bike Sharing, is a flat organization with “departments of one” and therefore, relies substantially on the support of volunteers, pro bono advisors and staff teamwork.  The Director will be responsible for executing all related programs securing this support as needed. 

The successful candidate will need to understand and exemplify the cultural change we are seeking.  This means simply that the successful candidate needs to practice what we preach – i.e. ride a bike for transportation when possible. 

Please direct questions and submit letter of interest, resume plus list of 3 references and contact information by December 8, 2010 to Parry Burnap -parry.burnap@denverbikesharing.org

About the Award: BikeDenver introduced The Rossmiller Volunteer of the Year Award in 2009, naming Ken Cook for the inaugural honor. On November 16th, Ken passed the baton to Mike Ullich at BikeDenver’s annual end-of-season Volunteer Night celebration. The award honors a volunteer who offered standout contributions during BikeDenver’s Community Bike Parking season.

Meet Mike Ullrich: A bike commuter since high school and college, Mike says he’s commuted to every job he’s ever had. As a youth soccer coach, he’d ride to work and then to practice with a giant bag of 10-12 soccer balls and cones bungee’d to the back of his bike. He started volunteering because he believes it is important for people to get out of the house and get involved in their community.  On what he likes about being a bike parking volunteer, Mike says: “I’ve met a lot of great people, including the volunteers and the people whose bikes we’ve parked (and skateboards, trailers, strollers, etc.).  When we park bikes people really seem to be appreciative of the service. You get to meet some cool bikes too.”

When he’s not volunteering, Mike likes to ride.  He says: “Last year I rode the Cherry Creek trail end to end, and back, in the pouring rain one fine spring day – and I do mean to the very dead end (85 miles that day).”  He’s also ridden the Katy Trail end-to-end 2 times with his daughter as part of a group ride, and probably covered the whole trail with partial trips 20 times over.  An engineer by profession, Mike moved to Denver in 2007 when his wife Mary was hired by Craig Hospital.  Mary has also stepped up to volunteer for BikeDenver with the token sales crew at New Belgium’s Tour de Fat.

2009 honoree Ken Cook says: I firmly believe in what I said Tuesday at Volunteer Night.  Bike Denver has two faces – there’s the “private face” that is the advocate for all cyclists.  It is the one that works for better bike infrastructure, more bike friendly rules and ordinances and greater recognition of cyclists needs.  Then there is the “public face” – the one that is out there demonstrating that Denver has an organization of committed cyclists whose love of cycling leads them to share their time and energy so other cyclists can also enjoy the pleasure and benefits of cycling.  Bike Denver’s “public face”  – the one that parks bikes at festivals, helps launch bike friendly programs like B-Cycle, or staffs one of Denver’s best bike celebrations ever – is only possible because of the unselfish commitment of hundreds of volunteers.” 

Ken says: “Mike’s dedication and countless hours of service to Bike Denver led to his selection as Volunteer of the Year.  It is a well deserved honor and recognition of his efforts.  But I am sure he will be the first to agree that every single volunteer deserves a piece of the award.  Without the efforts of all, Bike Denver’s public face would simply disappear and Denver’s cycling community would be the real loser.”

About the Bike Parking Program: BikeDenver’s Bike Parking Program was created in large part through the individual efforts of Gary Rossmiller, for whom the award is named. Gary is a former BikeDenver board member and President of the organization.   He designed the self-valet bike parking corral system, recruited, trained and supervised hundreds of bike parking volunteers and engineered BikeDenver’s first partnerships with large-scale Denver events at A Taste of Colorado and the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. Today, the program helps more of Denver’s citizenry make the choice to reach for the handlebars instead of car keys on their way to some of Denver’s largest events and festivals. In 2010, BikeDenver parked 6,233 bikes at 22 events with an estimated attendance of over 1,609,350.

Please join us on Tuesday, November 30th at Jonesy’s EatBar (400 E 20th Ave. at Logan) between 5 and 11pm for our ever-popular “Wheel Eat Out!” monthly fundraiser. Not only will you find a fine selection of tempting gastronomical treats and tasty beverages, 10% of the night’s proceeds will go directly to BikeDenver to help us keep our wheels greased!

So bring your friends and family and join fellow cyclists for a fun evening at Denver’s original Gastro Pub. Go ahead, indulge! The more you eat and drink, the more money Jonesy’s will generously donate to BikeDenver. For more information, including menu and happy hour specials, click this link: Jonesy\’s EatBar. See you there!

This terrific basketball promotion is open to anyone.  Sign up for reduced-price tickets ($4 off the $9 admission price) for the classic hardcourt alumni-night matchup of DU-CSU at Magness Arena on November 18. Thanks to the generosity of Coldwell Banker, BikeDenver and the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center will also benefit $2 for every ticket sold via this promotion. And, our friends at Bicycle Village have stepped in to sweeten the deal!  The first 200 people to buy tickets via this promotion will be entered in a drawing to win a Trek Classic Steel Cruiser bike. Check out the specs here: Trek Classic Steel Cruiser But wait, there’s more!  Early-birds will also get some love from Transportation Solutions.  They’ll be providing free light rail passes for your future use.

Now it’s time to buy your tickets! Use promo-code Coldwell to get the discount! Here’s the link: www.coldwellbankerpromotions.com/familynight

Invite your friends and spread the word! This offer benefits two charities working hard for the Denver community, and it’s another excellent opportunity to ride your bike (or take light rail) to a fun night out for everyone.

Learn more about the team behind this great offer:

BikeDenver is Denver’s bicycle advocacy organization. BikeDenver promotes and encourages bicycling in and around Denver and works to make Denver a better place to ride your bike for fun, recreation and transportation. Why? Because it’s healthy for you, and healthy for Denver. www.bikedenver.org

Bicycle Village has been a Colorado owned and operated business for more than 30 years. From modest beginnings in an 1800 square ft. building in West Denver, Bicycle Village has grown into the largest bicycle retailer in the Rockies. www.bicyclevillage.com

Coldwell Banker is the nation’s oldest real estate company.  They’ve helped make the dream of home ownership a reality for millions of families. Founded in 1906 on a commitment to professionalism and customer service, these principles remain the cornerstone of their business philosophy today. www.coloradohomes.com

Transportation Solutions is a Transportation Management Association (TMA) focused on issues in the Cherry Creek and Glendale areas, and the Colorado and University Boulevard corridors. Founded in 1997, Transportation Solutions works to foster a balanced transportation system in the area where people can use a variety of modes to get around. transolutions.org

(Courtesy Denver Moves website) Please join us for the November 16th, 2010 Denver Moves final public event of 2010.  Denver Moves: Making bicycle and pedestrian connections program will host a final event for 2010 in the atrium of the City and county of Denver Webb building.  This event will feature the proposed designs that will improve bicycle and pedestrian connections citywide. See the Denver Moves website: denvermoves.org

The event will include new mapping based on comments collected at 5 summer outreach sessions and a interactive project website.  The new mapping and proposed designs are based  on more than 500 comments from the public and a citizens task force.

The November 16th, 2010 public event will take place from 11am to 2:00pm and from 5pm to 7pm in the main atrium of the Webb Building.  Please stop in at any point and learn more about the future of bicycling and walking in the Mile High city.  If you cannot attend the event please visit the project website to review the draft materials between November 16th and December 15th, 2010. (link provided above.)

BikeDenver helped park over 6,000 bikes at events with a combined attendance of over 1.5 million this year. We helped leave a lot of cars at home and get bicyclists excellent VIP bike parking locations at large scale events like Cherry Creek Arts Festival, A Taste of Colorado, Broncos vs. Jets, not to mention bicycle community favorites like the Bike From Work Bash at Cactus and Veloswap! We couldn’t do it without an awesome volunteer crew. You guys are simply the best!

We’ve got a brew or two and some tasty appetizers waiting for you at Vine Street Pub’s annex location right next door. Everyone gets a raffle ticket for some fun end of season prizes and we’re going to unveil the 2010 Rossmiller Volunteer of the Year award-winner! Come out and celebrate yourself! You need to RSVP for the par-tay, and you can do that here: RSVP for BikeDenver Volunteer Night!

When: November 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Where: Vine Street Pub
Why: WE LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS!

10 Top Things we think we know about YOU if you are attending BikeDenver’s Volunteer Night event on November 16th:

10.  You volunteered for BikeDenver two or more times this year.
9.  You think more bike lanes are good for Denver, even if you don’t intend to use them.
8.  You may be a B-cycle mechanic who transported BikeDenver bike parking racks this year.
7.  The terms Salsa and Panda make sense to you.
6.  You like bikes, and probably appreciate beer.
5.  You think a bad bike commute is better than a good day in I-25 traffic.
4.  You know that Denver B-cycle is not a U.N. conspiracy.
3.  You know Cactus is a plant, and a party.
2.  You’ve ridden a bicycle through the Denver Botanic Gardens.
1.  You think Tour de Fat is more fun than Tour de France.

Clif Bar and BikeDenver are pleased to announce Holland & Hart as November’s Bicycle Friendly Business of the Month! This large downtown law firm promotes cycling for fun, fitness, and environmentally conscious commuting through several progressive programs and activities. Employees committed to commuting on two wheels at least twice per week receive a monthly stipend for bike-related expenses and, once they arrive, find all of the accommodations needed for a smooth transition into the work day: lockers, showers, and a secure “bike cage” for parking and protecting bikes. Alison Karas, who rides her bike to work every day the mercury rises above zero, also credits Holland & Hart’s casual atmosphere for easing the commute. “If I had to wear a suit and pumps every day,” she says, “it might be a little more difficult.”

Many Holland & Hart employees find that riding to work coincides nicely with the firm’s Hart & Soul Wellness Program in which members earn points for healthy physical pursuits like biking. Once they’ve accumulated a certain number of points, members enjoy benefits such as reduced health care premiums. Plus, on Bike to Work Day, those who pedal in are treated to valet bike parking and a celebratory breakfast. Small wonder there’s always a big turnout! (Some of this year’s participants are pictured at right.)

Holland & Hart also encourages biking for fun, fundraising, and camaraderie. Several of their 400+ employees are avid cyclists, and the firm is a proud sponsor of the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure, organizing a team to gather donations and ride it each year. You might also spot the team at other local cycling events in their spiffy Holland & Hart jerseys; next year’s version is being modeled in miniature at left by Susan Tinger’s fingers (“This is the size exra-small,” she laughs), along with her fellow co-workers and commuters Alison Karas (middle) and Scott Schluterman (left). Kudos to Holland & Hart for going the extra mile to promote cycling as a way of life in Denver!

[Submitted by Erin Hilmer]

BikeDenver’s Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) of the Month Awards help highlight organizations that are making standout contributions and offering great success stories from among BikeDenver’s Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) Program members. The BFB program, with 125 honorees to date, recognizes businesses, organizations and workplaces that are leading the way to make bicycling an easy and accepted form of transportation in Denver. Nominate a workplace as a Bicycle Friendly Business here.

Holland & Hart LLP is a Denver-based law firm employing over 400 people. With such a large presence in the city, their commitment to cycling creates both a healthier workforce and a healthier community. Ride on! www.hollandhart.com

BikeDenver is Denver’s bicycle advocacy organization. BikeDenver promotes and encourages bicycling in Denver and works to make Denver a better place to ride your bike. Why? Because it’s healthy for you, and healthy for Denver. www.bikedenver.org

Clif Bar & Company started on a bike ride. Founder Gary took a bite of another energy bar and thought he could make a better bar. Today, Clif Bar is a leading maker of all-natural and organic energy and nutrition foods and drinks. www.clifbar.com

Bicycle Friendly Business of the Month Awards: Since partnering in July of 2009 to launch the monthly awards program, Clif Bar and BikeDenver have recognized Watercourse Restaurant, Historic Denver’s Story Trek, Downtown Denver Business Improvement District, Jones Lang LaSalle, Human Powered Transit Authority, Denver Pavilions, the Alliance for a Sustainable Colorado, Salvagetti Bicycle Workshop, Little Man Ice Cream, Denver Water, Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), Sweet Action Ice Cream, MIGHTYkarma, Quiznos, REI Denver Flagship Store, Solera Green Living, and Holland & Hart.

More about BikeDenver:

See BikeDenver’s PSA’s and learn about the great reasons to ride in Denver: “Priceless” “Why I Ride”

You can help make a better place to ride a bike by becoming a BikeDenver member: Join BikeDenver!

Want to hear our zippy new radio PSAs? Click here. Hear them here.

Read about previous Bicycle Friendly Business of the Month honorees:

October 2010 – Solera Green Living

September 2010 – REI Denver Flagship Store

August 2010 – Quiznos

July 2010 – MIGHTYkarma

June 2010 – Sweet Action Ice Cream

May 2010 – Denver Regional Council of Governments

April 2010 – Denver Water

March 2010 – Little Man Ice Cream

February 2010 – Salvagetti Bicycle Workshop

January 2010 – The Alliance for a Sustainable Colorado

December 2009 – Denver Pavilions

November 2009 – Human Powered Transit Authority

October 2009 – Jones Lang LaSalle

September 2009 – Downtown Denver Partnership & BID

August 2009 – Historic Denver’s Story Trek

July 2009 (Inaugural) – Watercourse Restaurant

In the Fall 2010 BikeDenver Newsletter you will find:

• Denver gets a silver rating from the League of American Bicyclists,
• Pics of the 400-strong Summer Solstice Ride,
• Bios of our latest team of Bicycle Heros!

Download the Summer 2010 BikeDenver Newsletter

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