The FRCA welcomes your newly elected Board of Directors!

The following 7 members received the most votes and will serve as Directors:

On Sat, Nov 14 in Clermont, your newly elected Board of Directors will meet to elect Officers and to continue working on the association's mission by:

1. Supporting and Developing Amateur Cycling in the State of Florida
2. Supporting and Overseeing the promotion of cycling events in Florida by providing an organized and balanced Racing Calendar and Points System
3. Developing and Overseeing a variety of Programs directed to engage all members and improve the quality of cycling in Florida

CALL TO ACTION
( to all members, clubs/teams, promoters, officials, and volunteers )

Please communicate openly and volunteer often
so that we can accomplish together all the lofty goals we have set for the FRCA!

These individuals have been Nominated to serve on the Board of Directors:

- Chris Bishop
- Jim Hubbard
- Henry Willis
- Jorge Michelana
- Josie Strange
- Keith Creeden
- Keri Burns
- Michael Chiarella
- Pablo Santa Cruz
- Robert (Bob) Tyler
- Tim Bascombe
- Tim Molyneaux
- William (Bill) McLoughlin (decline)

Chris Bishop

I accept the nomination for board of directors.  I am running on the platform that I am an active racer in Florida and a race promoter. I feel that the board needs people on it that are active in the sport of cycling and racing in Florida.  My main goal is to provide the best venues and races that we can to our racers.  I, with Kurt phillips have put on five days of racing this year.  I am also a member/ founder of the Ball Watch cycling team.  I have been involved in bike racing since 1996 both on road and off.  I feel we have a good program in Florida that we can make great!  I look forward to putting in the commitment to achieve that goal.

I am very honored to have been nominated to be a member of the FRCA Board.  While I come from a cycling family and understand the sport of cycling from a racer’s view. I have dedicated all my efforts to being the best and fairest race official possible.  I have been involved solely as an official for over 10 years and have served as Chief Judge, Chief Official, as well as a regular official. With over 35 years as a baseball/softball umpire I believe I have a stronger understanding of what it takes to develop a stronger group of officials. This will provide stronger officials both in rules understanding and overall ability at each race. I believe stronger recruiting, training, and ongoing evaluations will help us reach that goal.

I want to see Cycle Racing grow to even stronger than it was 7 or 10 years ago in Florida. There are several ideas that

I believe can be done to accomplish this:

YOUTH Programs need to be nurtured in every major populous area of Florida. Not just Orlando, where the ORC program continues to be one of the best in the country, but areas like Jacksonville and Tallahassee and others where there are many young riders waiting to be developed.

WOMEN Programs again need to be developed and the best way is to reach out to every cycle shop and bicycle clubs in Florida to recruit more women to come out.  (especially areas where we don’t have many races)
While these are only some areas of importance, they are important. Without the growth of new and young (as well as older) riders into our program we will stagnate. Without a strong officiating force we are left to ‘happen stance decisions’ that can cost racers position in races and possible dangerous situations during races themselves.
I believe that I offer the board a unique option in having a person who understands racing but is committed to officiating, someone who is not afraid to address difficult situations by standing firm, one who is readily reachable, and one who is always respectful and proud of every racer. Many of you have known me as the crazy official on the road hanging out the car window and blocking traffic to make the road safer for you and have always put my life on the line to protect you.  I welcome the opportunity to serve on the board and to represent all cyclist in Florida. 

I would like to arrange races more spread out through out the season not on a every weekend basis. This would make it easier for  riders from South Florida and teams from other locations to make it to the races. It gets very expensive to drive 3 to 4 hours every weekend so by spreading the races it will give everyone a break. I believe you must of seen a drop in rider participation in the  second half of the year. I would also like to work on making some circuits more race friendly and not as dangerous, we all need to go to work on Monday.  

Thank you very much and I hope to be working with everyone to make 2010 a more successful year. 

Lets make cycling stronger and more competitive in Florida.

I would like to build the number of races held in the north Florida area, schedule regular seminars to educate officials and racers on rule changes or updates and help in making the public aware of  our rights as cyclists.  I've officiated at road, mountain and BMX events and have worked every Tour de Georgia, Tour of Missouri and two California tours as a traveling course marshal.

I am a retired veterinarian, have raced in masters 55+, am a USA Cycling licensed coach, USA Cycling licensed official, served as treasurer of ORC for 4 years, promoted races while on the Orlando Road Club, promoted training races in the Clermont area last year, and will be promoting 6 training races this year in Clermont. 

I am currently on the Board serving as Treasurer and a member of Atlantic Shores Velo. Since getting on the Board last year, I have updated all the FRCA financials to QuickBooks, filed the tax returns, acquired a sales tax exempt certificate from the state, filed the necessary documents to maintain our 501(c)3 status, and assisted Pablo with writing current guidelines for promoters and racers. 

If elected, I would like to continue in the capacity as Treasurer and continue to develop the FRCA. One goal I have is to establish a junior training camp next summer for juniors age 10-14 similar to the USA Cycling regional camps that I have worked as a coach the last 3 years.

Our FRCA Board must be balanced in our approach to treatment of riders, promoters, and cycling clubs within the state. We have made good steps to improve the FRCA over the past 12 months and I would like to continue to be a part of these changes going forward. 

I am an attorney employed by JP Morgan Chase as the Operations Manager for Estate Management with Chase Retirement Services. I have been cycling for almost four (4) years. I have had a great deal of involvement in the sport in a relatively short period.

I have raced 45+ Masters for the past three (3) years and finished in the top ten overall in the Florida Points Series each year, including sixth (6) this past season. I ride for Florida Velo and am one of the inaugural members of the team. I am also a member of the Suncoast Cycling Club.

In 2007, I founded the Pinellas Park event, which is now a fixture on the FPS schedule and one of the better attended races. I have served as Race Director each year the event has been held and have handled all of the organizational aspects of the event. I also organized and coordinated the year end awards ceremony which was held in Pinellas Park.

If elected, I would like to work with the other members of the Board in a collaborative manner to promote cycling throughout the State of Florida. Since a very small percentage of riders race, one area of great interest is to help create events that would attract both racers and those cyclists that prefer touring. I would welcome the opportunity to serve on the Board of the FRCA.

I accept the nomination and, if re-elected, I pledge my commitment to complete what we have started - the organization and structuring of cycling in Florida for the equal benefit of all riders, teams, and promoters. I will direct and guide the FRCA with transparency to implement effective by-laws, quality and safety standards, ,a balanced calendar, core technologies, and key programs among other initiatives already underway.

It all began with a simple question 6 years back after my first race where I was treated like a number rather than a customer. That day I asked, "what will it take to make bike racing a source of pride for all involved". The answer was "direction, structure, resources, and lots of time". I am very lucky, happy, and proud that Tim Molyneaux answered my question - his great heart, character, and work ethic have been a source of encouragement and joy to continue supporting all we do through the FRCA, Topview Sports, and our respective teams.

I am fortunate to look at all issues as a director, rider, and promoter (in that exact order), and I ask every one of the 1,630 plus USAC members in Florida to communicate openly and to volunteer often so that we can accomplish together all the lofty goals we have set for the FRCA.

In family, we are empty-nesters with kids in college, and now I have some extra time to play and to give back.

In athletics, I played soccer and raced cars professionally, and now I compete and have fun with our cycling team FloridaVelo, a soccer club, and a car racing team.

In business, I built a career in the software and technology fields, and now I direct an investment banking and private equity business.

I think I can bring a unique perspective to the board. As a licensed (racer, coach, and official) and one of the most qualified junior coaches in the state I think I have a pretty balanced view of racing as a whole. As a coach running my own coach business (Coach Bob's LLC) I also understand the need to make a profit in order to grow and improve your services.

For those who don't know much about me besides being a Cat 3 and Masters 55+ racer I am also a Cat B official (with a motoref specialty). I am the head coach for the Orlando Road Club and a Level 1 USAC Cycling Coach. I have been taking a group of ORC riders to and coaching for USA Cycling at the Regional Road Camp in Greenville, SC every summer in June for years. This past summer I was the Team Director for the USA Cycling - SE Regional Team at the Tour of the Red River Gorge UCI Junior Stage Race in Kentucky.

I would like the opportunity to bring my perspectives to the board and would like the opportunity to help more junior racers at the State level (Vs. just locally with ORC racers).

I have been riding for many years and have been very happy to see so many new riders join our ranks. However, this growth has also brought many more accidents, most resulting in simple cuts and bruises, but many result in tragedy and death. My main mission and overriding issue at hand is to do whatever it takes to make our roads safer for cyclists.