BikeNewark’s December election for all four board positions resulted in new leadership for the two-year-old nonprofit advocacy organization.
Retiring from the Chair position was Mark Deshon. Bob McBride has assumed the duties as BikeNewark’s Chair, having served as Treasurer for the past two years and doubled as Secretary for the past 12 months. McBride grew up in Newark and had recently retired here after a long career at a private school in Pennsylvania. He is a member of the White Clay Bicycle Club.
Helga Huntley is now serving as Co-Chair. She has been very involved in the Safe Routes to School project at John R. Downes Elementary School and is both a key advocate and an exemplar for bicycling as transportation. She replaces Susan Grasso, who (alas) has relocated to Dearborn, Mich. BikeNewark thanks Grasso for the great energy and enthusiasm she poured into our advocacy efforts.
Karl Hassler has taken over for Bob McBride as Treasurer. He has worked on BikeNewark’s Engineering Committee since its inception and was a key player on the ad hoc Organizational Committee back in 2016. He’d remind you that if you can’t support BikeNewark with your time, you can still donate to help enhance our efforts. Hassler is also a member of the White Clay Bicycle Club.
BikeNewark had been operating without an official Secretary for the past year, so we’re very pleased that Dave Saunders was willing to be nominated and, having been elected, is now taking on the task. An avid bicycle commuter, though not technically a resident of the city (desirable but not a requirement for any of the board positions), he’ll be the first to tell you that his property line does abut the city boundary.
McBride, Huntley, Hassler, and Saunders will each be serving a two-year term (2019-2020), consistent with BikeNewark’s bylaws.
During the December partnership meeting, Deshon, who had declined nomination for another term as Chair, praised the faithful BikeNewark members who, along with its partner liaisons, continue to make it possible for this organization to accelerate the pace of progress and improve conditions for bicycling in Newark.
Note: Our partnership meetings are open to the public and typically are held on the third Thursday of the month at 4:30 p.m. in the WILMAPCO conference room on the eighth floor of the Tower at STAR, on the University of Delaware’s STAR Campus. Want to help? Get involved!
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