When Tom Stuessy took the job as executive director of the Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA), the organization’s bank account had only $3,800 in it.
The previous executive director had just moved to Arizona to work for IMBA, most trails weren’t mapped, clubs were competing for sponsors and a lot of the riding was a backyard rake-and-ride affair.
Stuessy inherited the awesomeness of the Vermont trail network, as well as the problems inherent in trails built primarily on private land. That small chunk of change could have funded a few batches of T-shirts or bought a decent collection of trailbuilding tools, but it wasn’t going to pay his salary or buy statewide insurance for clubs. To do that, Stuessy would have to reimagine how VMBA functioned.
[continued...]
From Freehub Mag
At our core, we are mountain bikers and adventurers. Luckily for others, we are also storytellers, builders and advocates for all things bike, and we strive to bring mountain bike culture to the like-minded masses through our magazine and website. People are what drive our sport, and their stories are what motivate us to produce our printed publication, short films and web content. Whether it’s the tale of a world-class athlete, legacy of a local trail builder, or delineation of a struggling community turned mountain bike mecca, these are the narratives that drive innovation and inspiration alike—and the stories we love to tell.
