Capitol Day 2010: Awards List

Bicycle Day at the Capitol--Award Winners from 2009

Bicycle & Pedestrian Day at the Capitol is February 16th, 2010. 

A highlight of the day is the awards ceremony under the capitol rotunda at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Below is the complete list of award winners for 2010.

The awards list is also available as a PDF file (booklet format).

GOVERNOR JEREMIAH NIXON

Governor Jay Nixon has been a supporter of the Katy Trail since its creation, when he was a member of the Missouri Senate. As Attorney General, he was vital in the successful effort to complete an agreement with AmerenUE to "Complete the Katy Trail" by connecting it to the Kansas City area. Now as Governor, he recently negotiated an agreement that will preserve the historic Katy Bridge and transfer it to the city of Boonville.


SENATOR BILL STOUFFER

We would like to recognize your leadership and commitment to saving the Katy Bridge at Boonville. Your skill in bringing key leaders together, developing consensus, building grass roots support, reaching across the aisle in a spirit of bipartisanship and cooperation, and working for the greater good of the citizens you represent is outstanding. The result of those many years of work is now to see the landmark Katy Bridge saved for posterity.
 

STACEY BLOMBERG

Stacey Blomberg has been the key staff person for the Tour of Missouri since its inception. Stacey has been the one to take care of all the details of planning, coordinating, and carrying out the Tour for the past three years.  She has attended countless planning meetings and traveled the state coordinating with cities, organizations, and agencies to make the Tour happen.

The Tour of Missouri has been the biggest and best bicycle event ever in the history of Missouri, has brought hundreds of thousands of people out to watch the Tour and enjoy our state, has brought a large amount of positive national and international media attention to Missouri, and has brought tens of millions of dollars of economic impact to Missouri each year.  Stacey's role in making the Tour happen has been a vital one and without her able organizational skills, the Tour would not be the international success that it is.

DAVID FISHER, GREAT RIVERS GREENWAY

David Fisher, the first executive director of Great River Greenway (GRG), joined the organization in fall 2001.  David has been instrumental in leading the development of a region-wide system of interconnected greenways, parks and trails known as The River Ring. As of January 2010, more than 150 miles of greenways, parks and trails have been developed as part of The River Ring, including nearly 80 miles of designated on-street bike lanes.  Two recent projects that stand out are Bike St Louis and the McKinley Bridge Bikeway and Trestle.

Under Fisher's leadership, GRG has received several prestigious awards recognizing the organizations accomplishments, including an All-America City Award from the National Civic League, the oldest and most prestigious civic recognition in the nation.


MIKE WEISS, BIG SHARK BICYCLE COMPANY

Mike's leadership has developed Big Shark Bicycle Company into one of the most successful bicycle shops in the United States.  His involvement in every area of bicycling has provided numerous opportunities to new and veteran bikers in St Louis.Mike is also president of the Missouri Bicycle Racing Association, director of the Gateway Cup, an organizing committee member for the Tour of Missouri since its inception and a sponsor of numerous road, cross-country and recreational bicycle events. Recently, Mike was selected by Alive Magazine as a force in the St Louis bicycling community.


THOMAS ZOUMARAS

Thomas Zoumaras, a resident of Kirksville, Missouri, is one of the founding organizers of the Missouri Bicycle Federation. He served as the Chair of the Governors Bicycle-Pedestrian Commission, which was set up to advise the Governor on how to implement funds appropriated by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Act, which contributed to the creation of the Missouri Bicycle Federation. He participated in the drafting of the Federations organizational documents and also served as Vice-President for the Federation.

Tom has been president of the Kirksville Bicycle Club and a member of the city advisory commission that drew up the plans for the Kirksville area bicycle and pedestrian system. He is a fixture of the Northeast Missouri roads, riding 15,000 miles a year.


ARTHUR GOUGH

We would like to recognize Arthur's many years of service on committees and work groups for the Mid-America Council and other community organizations on behalf of bicyclists and pedestrians across the Kansas City metropolitan area. Arthur's  foresight, leadership, guidance and service have helped other bicycle and pedestrian advocates, organizations, and individuals in the city, region, and state.


DONALD N. HUMPHRIES, THE TOURING CYCLIST

Don co-founded The Touring Cyclist in 1973 during the oil shortage of 1973-1975.  In1974 it began having weekend tours for cyclist. By 1976, this project turned into the St Louis Bicycle Touring Society, an organization that conducted day tours, monthly meetings, and published a monthly newspaper about St Louis cyclists. In the past fifteen years we have conducted numerous tours, going on tours overseas to Europe from Russia to Ireland and to Canada, New Zealand and Thailand, but returning annually to the Katy Trail, one of the best in the U.S.
 

BILL BRYAN, MISSOURI STATE PARKS

During his 18-year career at the Attorney General's Office, Bill Bryan litigated complex cases around the country as the states lead counsel in the Missouri River fight. To cap off his legal career, Bill was lead counsel in the Taum Sauk disaster litigation that resulted in a $180 million settlement for the people of Missouri.Bill served as Missouris chief information officer, having been appointed by Gov. Nixon in January 2009.

Then, In September 2009, Gov. Jay Nixon appointed Bill to serve as deputy director of the Department of Natural Resources and director of the Division of State Parks.

Bill is the chief steward of Missouri's park system, which includes 85 state parks and historic sites across the state, including the nationally recognized Katy Trail State Park.

PAULA SHANNON, SAVE THE KATY BRIDGE COALITION

We would like to recognize Paula Shannon's leadership and hard work, and that of all the members and supporters of the Save the Katy Bridge Coalition, in leading the grass roots effort to save the Katy Bridge at Boonville.

The efforts of the Save the Katy Bridge Coalition in building local support, building political support, and fund raising resulted in the renovation of a historical structure, an integral part of the Katy railroad line.
 

LINDA CLARK

We recognized Linda Clark for her leadership throughout her career at MoDOT, for the numerous bicycle and pedestrian committees and initiatives, for the numerous specific bicycle and pedestrian projects, and especially for her communications skills and outreach work in helping bicycle and pedestrian organizations feel a part of the transportation decision-making process in MoDOT District 4.


BOB FOSTER

Bob and others launched the St Louis Regional Bicycle Federation in 2001, where Bob served as foBobunding chair, and remained chair for five years. During that time, the St Louis Regional Bicycle Federation spearheaded a successful campaign to ensure bike carriers graced all of Metro's buses and successfully lobbied MoDOT for Share the Road signs, specifically on popular cycling routes. Bob, along with Carrie Zukoski, launched and managed the Bike Feds first swap meets, generating excitement and raising the profile of the Bike Fed in the dead of winter.  Additionally during Bobs tenure at the Bike Fed, "Valet Bike Parking" became an expected amenity at the Earth Day celebration in Forest Park.

In addition to his position as chair of the Bike Fed, Bob has served as a board member of Bicycle Works, as a member of the Tour of Missouris local organizing committee for St Louis and as the chair of the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee for East/West Gateway Council of Governments. Bob has written grants that to date have won more than $300,000 in funds to benefit cyclists and pedestrians, including a grant for 20 "swizzle stick" bike racks and had them installed around the area as well as a grant securing $50,000 in federal transportation funds for custom bike racks in St Louis City and County. He is also certified by the League of American Bicyclists as a League Cycling Instructor.


SARAH ASHMAN & MARK BENDEL, WALTS BIKE SHOP

As managers of Walts Bike Shop, Sarah and Mark have gone beyond the call of duty when it comes to supporting the PedNet Coalition and bicycling as a whole in Columbia. They have donated several thousand dollars worth of money, time, resources and advertising to several PedNet projects. They have even let PedNet use their bicycle trailer to store bicycles for 8 weeks at a childrens biking class. Basically anything that they are asked to do, no matter how audacious, they jump at the chance to do it.


DAN SMITH, P.E., GREENE COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT

Dan Smith has been supportive in working with Ozark Greenways and the local bicycle club in following the Ozark Transportation Organization Bicycle Plan, and installing Share the Road signs on popular bicycle routes in Greene County, for instance on Farm Roads 170, 94,137, 127 and 129.

These are priority routes with daily bicycle traffic and special event rides that promote the county as a bicycle destination in the Ozarks.