Building on our work in the community since 2011, our board members have been guiding BFK since its formal incorporation as a Michigan non-profit organization and preparing it to achieve its goals on into the future.
Current Board Members
Deb Carpenter
- Child injury prevention consultant
- Safe Kids Kalamazoo County: Former Executive Director
- Safe Kids Worldwide President’s Advisory Council: former member
- MI Safe Kids Steering Committee: former member
- Nationally Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Instructor
- MI Occupant Protection Team: current member
- BFK Advisory Council: former member
- Has planned, coordinated and implemented numerous bicycle, pedestrian and road safety events for youth
- M.A. in Elementary & Early Childhood Education
Erin Denay
- Erin Susanne Photography: Owner
- Open Roads Bike Program: Executive Director (fmr)
- Certified Non-Profit Professional (CNP)
- Volunteer Ride Leader, Bike the Zoo
- B.A. in Organizational Communication and Environmental Studies
Robert T. Loftus
- CPA and Senior Manager with the accounting firm of Seber Tans, PLC.
- Kalamazoo Nature Center: Treasurer
- Provides accounting, assurance and consulting services to clients in a broad range of industries
- BFK Founding Board Member
Paul Runnels
- Veterinary Clinical Research Scientist at Zoetis, Retired February, 2016
- Board Member and Treasurer, Open Roads Bike Program
- Chain Gang Bicycle Club: current member
- Kalamazoo Bicycle Club: current member
- BFK Advisory Council: former member
- Survivor, June 7, 2016, Chain Gang Bicycling Tragedy (and very grateful for the support of the entire community!)
- Avid bicyclist (and sometimes runner)
- BA degree, DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana
- DVM, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
- PhD, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
Paul H. Selden
- Retired in 2016 as president of an information systems support firm he founded in 1978
- Bike Friendly Kalamazoo: Founder; Founding Board Member
- Fall Bike Celebration: Chair
- Kalamazoo Bike Week: Organizer/Chair
- Kalamazoo Region Bike Route Committee: Chair
- Kalamazoo Bicycle Club: current member; former Board Member; former Awards Committee Chair; former Director of Road Safety; Volunteer of the Year Award (2013)
- TriKats: current member
- Chain Gang Bicycle Club: current member
- League of Michigan Bicyclists: current member; Volunteer of the Year Award (2014)
- MDOT Pedestrian & Bicycle Committee: current member
- Randonneurs USA: current member; owner/designer of many “Permanent” routes; P-12 Award (3 times); R-12 Award
- Adventure Cycling Association: former member
- KATS Citizens Advisory Committee: former member
- World Ultracycling Association: former member; Larry Schwartz Year Rounder Challenge Award (2 times)
- The Complete Kalamazoo (1976): Author
Kimberly L. Swinehart
- Attorney with Lewis, Reed, Allen, PC
- Practicing corporate and estate planning attorney, 8 years
- Kalamazoo Concert Band: Clarinetist
- Van Buren County Young Professionals: current member
- Chicago Public Library Foundation Junior Board: former Membership Chair
- Recent area transplant from Chicago
- Avid bicyclist: favorite trips include Chicago to Milwaukee and Chicago to the Indiana Dunes
- B.A. in English and History, Northwestern University, 2005
- J.D., Loyola University, 2010
Donna Whitcomb
- Kazoo Valley AMBUCS: President – 2016 to present
- Vocational Counselor- State of Michigan: retired
- Volunteers for KBC Kal-Tour: Coordinator
- BFK Advisory Council: former member
- Committed to inclusion of persons of all abilities riding bikes in a safe environment
- Member- Women Who Care, Kalamazoo
- 20+ years nonprofit board and officer experience in budget, fundraising and event planning
- M.A. in Rehabilitation Counseling, Western Michigan University
Former Board Members
Michelle Karpinski
- Portage Public Schools: Community Relations Manager
- Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE)
- Pretty Lake Camp: Former Executive Director
- Kalamazoo Nature Center: Former VP of Development
- Kalamazoo Bicycle Club: Member
- 20+ years in nonprofit management
- B.A. in Broadcast Journalism and Spanish
- Masters Degree in Public Administration
- BFK Founding Board Member
Timothy M. Krone
- Pedal Bicycles: Owner/Founder
- TriKats: Current Member
- Former technologist
- Good sense of financial practice and organizational structure
- Committed to bicycling as a profession, pastime, economic development and source of wellness
- Degrees in physics, economics and engineering
- BFK Founding Board Member
Daniel P. McGlinn
- Practicing business attorney, 27+ years: Kreis, Enderle, Hudgins & Borsos P.C.
- Lift Foundation: Current Board Member
- Kalamazoo County: Former County Commissioner
- Friends of Western Michigan University PAC: Former Board Member
- Lakeside for Children: Former Board Member
- Northside Business Association: Former Board Member
- Western Michigan University Center for Disability Services: Former Board Member
- BFK Founding Board Member
Brendan Molony
- Bronson Healthcare Group: Acting Sustainability Coordinator
- Passion to drive organizational and community change while taking into account the people, planet and financial success. Focus on waste reduction, mobility, green building design, local/healthy food, green cleaning, and smarter purchasing
- Helped Bronson become one of the top 50 Green hospitals in the United States as rated by the Becker Review
- Michigan Health and Hospital Association’s Green Healthcare: Current Chair of the Committee, engaging other hospitals on sustainability issues and creating a common vision for reducing healthcare’s impact on the environment.
- Aquinas College: Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainable Business
- BFK Founding Board Member
Brian Persky
- Discover Kalamazoo (a.k.a. Kalamazoo County Convention & Visitor Bureau): Director of Sports Event Development
- Assists and supports local, regional, and national sports event planners, organizations, and venues
- Urban planning and economic development: 10 years experience
- Brian’s involvement with Bike Friendly Kalamazoo stems from his interest in strengthening the Kalamazoo region as an even more bike-friendly destination through education, policy/decision-making, community events, and other approaches.
- BFK Founding Board Member