Trek President John Burke to Keynote IMBA World Summit

For Immediate Release
04-10-08
Contact: Mark Eller, IMBA Communications Director

303-545-9011

Trek Bicycle president John Burke will give a keynote address at the 2008 IMBA World Summit this summer in Park City, Utah. In addition to guiding Trek, Burke serves on the board of directors for Bikes Belong, an organization founded by leaders within the bicycle industry with the mission of "putting more people on bikes more often." In March, at the National Bike Summit in Washington, DC, Burke was given the John Torosian award in recognition of his company's commitment to improving bicycle access.

Burke has earned a reputation as an inspiring and entertaining speaker. In a past appearanace at a bicycle business conference he hobbled to the podium wearing makeup designed to make him look old. Burke addressed the attendees as if he were looking back from the year 2030 and described how bicycling had undergone a renaissance over the past 30 years and now boasted millions of new riders and hundreds of thousands of miles of trails and bikeways.

Burke continuously looks for opportunities to boost advocacy efforts in the cycling industry. In a recent keynote address at the at the Bicycle Leadership Conference, Burke challenged bike manufacturers to actively support advocacy efforts -- including boosting donations to advocacy organizations to 0.5 percent of annual sales. Trek, along with other mountain bike companies such as Quality Bicycle Products and SRAM, has committed generous funding to IMBA to build model trail systems and improve trail resources for mountain bikers everywhere.

Trek advocacy director Rebecca Anderson says that the company is enthusiastic about partnering with IMBA on trailbuilding projects. "Trails play a huge role in getting people on bikes," says Anderson. Visit Trek's website to learn more about the "1 World, 2 Wheels" campaign to make the world a more friendly place for bicycling.

Summit Attracts Broad Interests, Sponsors

Mountain biking enthusiasts from around the globe will attend the IMBA World Summit. Held biannually for more than a decade, IMBA Summits bring mountain biking advocates, land managers, ski resort professionals, trailbuilders, park and urban planners, tourism officials and the bike industry together. The 2006 event, http://www.imba.com/resources/summit/whistler_index.html held in Whistler, BC, drew more than 400 delegates from 17 nations.

For the 2008 gathering, an impressive array of events , speakers and topics has been assembled. This will be IMBA's biggest and most informative summit yet. Partners in the bicycle industry and related fields are invited to inquire about sponsorship opportunities. Contact development director Rich Cook ( ) for more information.

Early Bird Pricing on Registration Extended

Special pricing is available for summit attendees who register before April 25. A limited number of scholarships are available for speakers and grassroots advocates. Also, members of the media are invited to contact IMBA communications director Mark Eller ( ) for information about special media rates and grants.