Board Members

JEANNE GRIER had a bike as a child, but didn't really start riding seriously until mid-life. She decided that if her husband, Colin, was going to go off riding for hours on end, she would have to join him. She initially started enjoying rail trails, and has also learned to enjoy cycling the backroads of Ontario. Her next challenge: exploring gravel riding. She and her husband joined Cycle Stratford in 2019, as a way of meeting local riders before they had even purchased a home here. For 2 years, they got up at 5:00 am to have a hearty breakfast and drive from Richmond Hill to Stratford to join the Sunday morning group rides. In 2021, they purchased a home in Stratford, where they will eventually retire. For now, they spend every weekend in Stratford, joining in on Sunday group rides (without the 5:00 am wakeup call!) and as many Destination rides as they can. Jeanne brings her business and marketing experience to the board, as well as experience with other not-for-profit boards. She is enthusiastically growing our social media presence and is the Board Secretary.

FRANCES EVANS loves living in Stratford as much as she loves riding her bike approximately 322 days a year. She has been working at Famme & Co. the last 2 1/2 years coming back after a 30 year leave of absence. Her love of restaurants finds her a couple days a week at Bluebird as one of Stratford’s happiest waitresses. Frances is the Board Treasurer.

LYLE BEAMAN is a lifelong cyclist, having discovered the freedom of going pretty well wherever he wanted to at a very early age in his hometown of St. Lambert, QC, back in the early 1960s. After many years in the property/casualty insurance industry in Montreal, Toronto, London UK and New York, Lyle is now self employed as an insurance consultant operating from his new home in Stratford, since 2009. Lyle loves Sunday rides, meeting new friends, and supporting greater engagement with cycling for all, in Stratford and Perth County. Lyle is the club's Safety Officer.

DAVE JASPER started cycling about ten years ago, mainly for fitness, through good weather and bad. He likes to cycle on rail trails or any other pathway where vehicles are not allowed. Since being bitten by the cycling bug (year-round!), he has purchased three bikes, all made by Giant: a mountain bike for off roading through Wildwood, a road bike for longer trips on shared roads and his “just around town” bike for errands and short trips.

PETE MCDONNELL has been riding on two wheels almost as long as he has been able to walk. A dedicated year round cycling commuter, when not on his way to work he can be found riding for exercise and enjoyment. Favourite routes take him all around Perth County on his road bike. Occasional trail rides, either in Wildwood or the G2G trail are another favourite pastime. For longer rides in the winter months, Pete coordinates rides in Zwift with fellow Cycle Stratford members. Ride On!

GEOFF LOVE is a life-long cyclist, starting with daily rides to a one room country school north of Toronto. His cycling took a new turn when he and his wife moved to Stratford 10 years ago. His energy is high gear, but he loves being the slowest of the slow while sweeping the “experienced” group's Sunday rides and keeping everyone safe. Geoff is strongly committed to Cycle Stratford's ongoing advocacy work to make Stratford a more bike-friendly place to ride.

See an interview with Geoff Love here.

JENNIFER NICKEL started cycling with Vancouver MeetUp groups in 2005, and she and her husband David often rent bikes to go exploring while on vacation. Since moving to Stratford in 2019, Jen has enjoyed riding local road routes and rail trails on her hybrid Norco Indie. During the pandemic, she logged many kms indoors on a Bowflex spin bike and using Zwift (including riding virtually with other Cycle Stratford members.) Jen brings project management and organizational consulting skills to the Board and is the current Board President/Chair.

ROLAND PLUM started cycling as a kid in Germany. He brought his 1988 road bike with him when he came to Stratford in 1994, but it was mainly living room decoration until he joined the cycle club about 5 years ago. Around town Roland uses a Giant city bike to run errands, and just got a new Cannondale road bike for the Sunday and destination rides. Roland is a semi-retired mechanical engineer and worked for a local bearing company. As a few of you might know, modern ball bearings were first developed in the 1880's for the use in bicycles, which shows their importance as a driver of innovation.

PAT RANNEY has cycled since she was a kid and has hit the road more frequently the last few years on her Liv Alight bike. She enjoys the exercise and people she has met through Cycle Stratford. Born and raised in Stratford, Pat lived in Toronto where she was a Project Manager and Strategic Planner. Retired now, she is a part time usher for the Stratford Festival and Returning Officer at election times. A seasoned traveller, she enjoys short jaunts around Stratford and multi-day cycling trips. Pat is the Board's ATAC Representative.

KATE SWIFT has been cycling for close to five decades, starting on the family’s hand-me-down kid’s tricycle. After moving to the Pacific NW in 1995, she enjoyed the paved shoulders and off-road trails of Washington State and the classic Seattle to Portland event hosted by the Cascade Cycle Club. Since moving to Stratford in 2017, she has enjoyed many rides with the Cycle Stratford club, including test runs of proposed PCCT routes. For her, a great day of riding includes an early start with a big breakfast, and a long ride somewhere scenic with a stop in the middle. Bonus points if there’s a swim at the stopping point and more bonus points if someone else cooks afterward!

She joined the board in April 2020 and is a member of the Safety subcommittee.