Tarwheels 2026 Annual Business Meeting

Tarwheels 2026 Annual Business Meeting: February 19, 2026
The Tarwheels will hold its annual business meeting at 7:00PM Thursday, February 19, 2026 at the New Hope Improvement Assn Community Center, 4012 Whitfield Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27514.

It is traditional as stipulated by the club’s bylaws that the club holds our annual business meeting and elections the 3rd week of January. Owing to scheduling conflicts, we are going to hold the meeting on Thursday, February 19, 2026. As the club’s bylaws stipulate that this meeting be held in January, the Board has approved pushing the date back to accommodate these scheduling issues.

We are going to try something a bit different. Rather than a potluck dinner, we are going to convene at 7:00PM and have some light hors d'oeuvres available to pair with the libation of your choice that you may bring along.

The agenda will include reports regarding membership, rides, BikeFest, finances, jerseys/kit, website redesign as well as the elections. Let me encourage you to attend as some significant changes are coming up which may warrant your input and discussion.

To remind you, the club’s Officers -- President, Treasurer and Secretary -- are elected annually for one year terms. The club has six Board members who are elected to two year terms, so we usually have elections for three Board members each year.
In 2025, the Tarwheels Officers were Mark Olsen, President, Bobby Lamaute, Treasurer, and Todd LoFrese, Secretary. Board members whose terms are expiring are Mike Doub, Margit Bucher, and Alexis Moore. Cynthia Shimer, Micheal Murrary and Michael Venutolo-Mantovani served the first of their two year terms in 2025.

This election cycle will present a bit of a twist. Todd LoFrese will run for re-election as Secretary and I will run for re-election as President. Todd and I have agreed that I will step down as President of the Tarwheels after BikeFest 2026 (September 26), on or about October 1st, when Todd will assume this role. I will continue to serve on the Board until the end of 2026. We have agreed on this timeframe as it suits our respective travel plans for 2026 and will allow us to handle transition issues. As the club’s ByLaws do not anticipate a mid-term transition process, this proposal has been approved unanimously by the Tarwheels Board of Directors.

Let me say how delighted I am that Todd has agreed to become President of the Tarwheels. Todd has served the club in many capacities including Secretary of the club for the past three years; BikeFest Registrar for the past couple of years; very frequent Ride Leader; organizer of our Pluck Farm rides; and has coordinated with local bicycle shops on various issues. I know the club will benefit from his leadership and fresh perspectives. I plan to remain an active member of the club and will be happy to help Todd and the club out in whatever capacity he deems appropriate.

Pressing time constraints have led Michael Venutolo-Mantovani to step down from the Board. As you know, he has been an active member of the Tarwheels, leading training rides and the vintage bike rides, and is a very active cycling journalist with broad expertise. Please join me in thanking him for his service to the club.

David Cooperstein has volunteered to run as a Board member to fill the one year remaining in Michael Venutolo-Mantovani’s term. David handled the BikeFest 2025 T-shirt and advertising and has started working on updating the club's WWW site(s).

Bobby Lamaute has agreed again to run for Treasurer, which, if I am correct, will be his 14th year! Mike Doub, Margit Bucher, and Alexis Moore have all expressed their willingness to stand again for election to the Board.

If there is time remaining and interest, we may have a presentation or two on recent cycling tours.