Mission Statement: To advocate, promote, and create opportunities for all forms of bicycling in the Miami Valley
History: Bike Miami Valley started to emerge in the early 1960s and operated under a few different titles until becoming the organization we are today. It all leads back to the Huffy Corporation. In 1961 Horace Huffman Jr., Chairman and CEO of the Huffy Bicycle Corporation, co-founded and sat as the first president of the Dayton Cycling Club. Four years later, he formed and led the Greater Dayton Bikeway Committee, which later would be named the Miami Valley Regional Bicycle Council (MVRBC). Bike Miami Valley (BMV), this nonprofit organization, branched from MVRBC in the early 70s. Bike Miami Valley drafted one of the nation’s first regional bikeway plans, which was adopted by Dayton’s regional planning commission in 1973. This proved instrumental in the development of much of the recreational trail system you might be familiar with today. After being officially incorporated in 1979, BMV was diligently focused on the region’s cycling trends over the next twenty years. In addition, BMV hosted the region’s largest and most widely celebrated bike event; The Thunder Road Bike-a-thon. In the past decade, BMV became dormant, and there is no better way to say it… but BMV simply put itself out of business by accomplishing its core programs and initiatives. There seemed to be little left to do, so the organization fell silent. In 2008 BMV resurfaced from that dormant period and is now refocused on current cycling trends and the region’s growing cycling community, which is dramatically different today. We are the founding organization of the Miami Valley Cycling Summit, an event held biennially around the region. The latest accomplishment to our record is hiring full-time staff and launching southwest Ohio’s first bike share program, Link, in May of 2015. Bike Miami Valley operates 37 Link hubs and a fleet of pedal and pedal assist bicycles in downtown Dayton and the surrounding historic neighborhoods. The system generates approximately 25,000 trips annually and serves approximately 3,500 unique users annually. Bike Miami Valley is recognized as a Platinum Level Bicycle Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists.
Please consider joining Bike Miami Valley and help us write the next 30 years of our history.
Board
Walt Hibner, President
Walt is the Director, External Affairs – Ohio for CenterPoint Energy Company. He responsible for local government affairs and building relationships with customers and businesses seeking to move into or expand their operations in west central Ohio. He is actively involved with several local, regional and state organizations throughout the 17 counties served natural gas by CenterPoint Energy. Currently, Walt is involved with numerous community and development non-profit Boards including; Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau, CountyCorp Board of Directors, CityWide Development, Chair of the Montgomery County Transportation Improvement District Board, and is a member of the Dayton Development Coalition Priority Development Advisory Committee, the Montgomery County Workforce Investment Board and Transportation Improvement District Board, the Dayton Air Show Board of Directors, the Dayton Public Schools Business Advisory Committee and Dayton Rotary Club Board of Directors. Walt has a bachelor’s degree in construction technology from Eastern Kentucky University and has studied Architectural Technology at Sinclair Community College. He is a bicycling touring enthusiast, since 2007, participating in over 19 national, century rides for JDRF, raising funds to find a cure for diabetes, he also participates in the Young’s Charity Bike Tour and has ridden in the Five Boro Ride in NYC, the GAP Trail, the C&O Towpath Trail, KATY Trail and the OTET. He and his spouse, Joan, have two adult children, two fur children and currently reside in Sugarcreek Township.
Paul Jones, Vice President
Paul Jones is a partner at the accounting firm of RSM US LLP and has lived in worked in the Dayton area for nearly 30 years. Paul is a graduate of Ohio University and a veteran of the U.S. Army. Paul has served on Bike Miami’s Board since 2014 and has been the President and Treasurer during his terms on the Board. Paul also serves on the Miami Valley Mountain Bike Association’s Board and supports many other organizations focused on cycling advocacy. During his time away from his professional and community activities Paul enjoys spending time with his wife and 2 sons, is an avid cyclist, and enjoys other outdoor activities.
Travis Knight, Treasurer
Travis Knight grew up in Huber Heights and attended the University of Dayton. After graduating in 2010, he moved downtown and got hooked on the Dayton experience. Travis is a CPA and Senior Manager at Barnes Dennig (merged in from Thorn, Lewis + Duncan) in Stratacache Tower, where he spent the last 15 years watching Dayton thrive with a view from the 20th floor. Now residing in South Park, Travis is a frequent user of Link: Dayton Bike Share, to commute between home, work, and play. In his spare time, Travis likes to take advantage of all the city has to offer, including Sportcial events, the Levitt Pavilion, and exploring new hangouts with old friends. Travis dreams of one day taking a Link ride with his cat, Kevin, in the basket. Go Flyers!
Zion Savory, Secretary
Zion Savory is a litigation associate at Thompson Hine LLP. An avid cyclist, Zion spent many weekends cycling south Florida’s beaches, where he grew up. He moved to Dayton to attend the University of Dayton School of Law in 2018 and fell in love with the city he now calls home. Zion currently lives downtown, where he enjoys spending time doing physical activities, taking advantage of the various bike trail outlets, and supporting local businesses. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Zion serves on other local community boards and coaches Fairborn primary school basketball teams.Zion has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Florida International University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Dayton School of Law.
James Muhammad, Board Member
James Muhammad is an internationally recognized comedian, public speaker and native of Dayton. His community involvement is centered on sustainable civic progress and innovations of the new sharing economy. He believes that the Link: Dayton Bike Share program represents a model opportunity in both areas. A terrible fisherman, novice bird watcher, and collector of hats – he is an avid enthusiast for the continued growth of the recreational assets of the Miami Valley.
Ife Olaore, Board Member
Ife Olaore (Ee-feh Uh-la-uh-reh) is a human capital developer, local business owner and a social entrepreneur. As a West Coast transplant, he equally enjoys long walks on any beach, amatuer snow sports and pretending to remodel his house based on unrealistic goals set by HGTV. The majority of his career has been spent as a healthcare talent acquisition consultant.”I am passionate about BMV’s mission to make transportation equitable and accessible.”
Steve Mays, Board Member
A recently retired mechanical engineer and business co-owner, Steve spent 35 years as General Manager and Vice President at Reynolds Machinery, a second-generation family business in West Carrollton, Ohio. Now, he’s traded the office for the open road. Cycling has been a lifelong passion for Steve, with over 100,000 miles logged across 28 states and abroad, including a cross-country trip in 2011. He’s a past president of the Bike Centerville chapter of Bike Miami Valley and founded Bicycles for All non-profit used bike shop in 2012. A League of American Bicyclists certified instructor, he’s active with the Dayton Cycling Club as an unofficial ride leader and regularly organizes and leads rides for the Centerville Washington Park District. He also serves as the committee chair of “Safety on Wheels” youth safety cycling event for the Optimist Club of Centerville. Steve holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University (1987) and is a graduate of West Carrollton High School.