WFSGI announced that two new Chairpersons have been elected for its Bicycle Committees. Bernhard
Johanni (SRAM) succeeds Dirk Bruynseraede from Ridley as Technical
Committee Chairman and Tim Gerrits(Shimano) follows Josh Poertner from
Zipp as Wheel Committee Chairman.

Paul Lew from Reynolds Cycling
will join the Wheel Committee as a Vice-Chair and gets in line with the
two other Vice-Chairmen Martin Walthert (DT Swiss) and Pierre-Jean
Martin (Corima).

Bernhard Johanni will be supported by his Vice-Chairmen Claudio Marra (FSA) and Mark Schroeder (Specialized).

“The
WFSGI can be proud to draw on Committtee members who can display such a
long industry experience, high technical know-how and an excellent
network. These are important factors to continue our work with the UCI
and to tackle the tasks that are ahead of us,” says Robbert de Kock,
Secretary General of the WFSGI.

All candidates are supported by the WFSGI Bicycle Committees, representing 58 bicycle brands.

Bernhard Johanni, WFSGI Bicycle Technical Committee Chairman:

Bernhard
Johanni (48) lives in Schweinfurt, Germany is luckily married and
father of one son. Johanni did his Master degree in mechanical
engineering at Technical University of Munich in 1993 and started
afterwards his professional experience as Design Engineer for bicycle
components at Mannesmann Sachs AG and later as director of product
development for SRAM Europe. As of 2013 Johanni is member of the general
management team of SRAM Germany GmbH. Additionally to his work at SRAM
Johanni also serves as member of the bicycle standard working groups at
ISO and CEN.

Tim Gerrits, WFSGI Bicycle Wheel Committee Chairman:

Tim
Gerrits is 39 years old, married and father of a son and a daughter.
Originally educated as an airplane engineer, Gerrits has been working
for Shimano for 16 years in various product management positions. During
the last few years he has worked as a product coordinator for high-end
Road and MTB components. He has been involved in the development of
Shimano wheel systems from the start and his experience will influence
his work as Chairman of the WSFGI Wheel Committee for the benefit of the
entire industry.

Paul Lew, WFSGI Bicycle Wheel Committee Vice-Chairman:

Paul
Lew, graduated in Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Architecture
joined Reynolds Cycling as Director of Technology and Innovation in
2007. He was one of the early innovators of the carbon clincher,
creating the first production carbon clincher in 1996. He was the CEO of
Lew Composites and Lew Racing which manufactured the LEW brand as well
as the carbon rim for ROLF carbon raced by US Postal Service. Paul is
con-currently Director of Technology and Innovation at Reynolds Cycling
(Sandy, Utah) and CEO of Barking Sands CG (Las Vegas, Nevada) which
designs and manufactures Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) for the U.S.
Government.

He holds over 30 US and International patents related to mechanical and aerodynamic design.

The World Federation of the
Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) was founded in 1978 and is the world
authoritative body for the sports industry officially recognized by the
IOC as the industry representative within the Olympic family. The WFSGI
is an independent, non-profit and non-governmental association formed by
sports brands, manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, national
federations and other sporting goods industry related businesses. The
WFSGI plays a strategic role in the support and promotion of the
sporting goods industry worldwide. The WFSGI promotes free and fair
trade and provides platforms for the intergovernmental cooperation with
regards to the International Organizations interested or affected by
sports. Its aim is also to expand the cooperation on the protection of
intellectual property rights and improve human rights issues related to
working conditions. All this can be done through contacts with
International Organizations such as the ILO, WTO, WHO, UN but also
through International Sports Federations (FIFA, IAAF, FIVB, etc.) and
the IOC, via the exchange of information and clearing house on issues
and topics developed by WFSGI’s various committees.