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Brendan Quirk has joined the Runway Group to lead efforts as cycling program director.
Quirk will be responsible for positioning Northwest Arkansas as a leading region nationwide for the incubation and recruitment of cycling-related brands, an innovator in cycling infrastructure, and a bucket-list destination for bike tourism.
“Tom and I are thrilled Brendan is joining the Runway Group,” said Runway co-founder Steuart Walton. “He will bring leadership and strategic thinking to our organization’s cycling work across many formats, and we’re thrilled to add another passionate cyclist to the Bentonville community.”
Quirk was co-founder and CEO of Competitive Cyclist, a startup which eventually grew to become North America’s largest eCommerce cycling company. In 2011, it was acquired by outdoor eCommerce retailer Backcountry.com, where he served as executive vice president of customer experience. Most recently, he served as North America President for Rapha Racing a London-based brand of cycling apparel and accessories.
“Northwest Arkansas is setting an all-new standard for how cycling can meaningfully add to a community’s quality of life,” Quirk said. “The development of the Razorback Greenway allows residents of the whole region easy bike access to school or work or the grocery store. The Oz Trails network of mountain bike trails gives riders of all levels access to the sort of high–quality mountain biking you’ll otherwise only find in Colorado or Utah.
“The region is integrating cycling into the Physical Education curriculum in the schools to ensure all kids have access to bikes, regardless of income level. In Northwest Arkansas, the opportunity exists for cycling to touch everyone’s lives.
“The nationwide cycling community is taking notice of the ambitious work underway here,” he concluded.
