MEET YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Brian Staiger / President 

Brian moved to Bend in the summer of 2018 from upstate NY. Brian is a retired high school science teacher,  track, cross country and basketball coach. He shares his passion for road cycling with his wife Therese. Within the first month of moving here, Brian and Therese joined the COWs . Saturday group rides have become a regular part of their routine. Brian has also become an avid mountain biker and enjoys hitting the trails with friends. 

Frank Horwitz / Vice President & Ride Coordinator

Frank came to Sunriver with his wife Karla in 2020 from Seattle WA. He was a member and ride leader with the Cascade Bicycle Club in Seattle and enjoys both road and gravel rides. Cycling has brought him some of his closest personal relationships, taken him on adventures around the world , and enriched his life in ways that are hard to express. He joined COWs in 2021 looking for new friends and to get involved in the Bend cycling community. With a the COWs focus on camaraderie, group rides and social events, Frank was motivated to join the board of directors.

Terry Belunes / Secretary

Terry returned to Bend after a 30 year career as an Environmental Scientist. After many years of white water kayaking, backpacking and mountain biking, Terry began road cycling in the 2000’s to stay active, enjoy the beauty of rural Oregon, and met new friends. Committed to safe and healthy cycling, Terry leads beginner rider orientations and the club’s Progressive Tuesday rides to help riders achieve their cycling goals.

Amy Bender / Treasurer

Amy relocated to Bend from Ashland with her husband Rhett in 2020. She is a former race director and cyclocross and road racer who now trains mainly to take bike vacations around the world. Amy enjoys road, gravel and easy mountain bike rides. She joined the COWS to meet new people to ride and socialize with. She is always looking for another hill to climb.

Paul Brooksbank / Social Director

Paul moved to Bend following his retirement in 2015. Paul worked as a Fire Captain in Las Vegas. Paul is married with three sons. Paul enjoys road, mountain, and cycle touring. Along with sail plane soaring,  restoring vintage motorcycles, and attempting to ski. Paul joined COWs in the spring of 2021 and enjoys both riding and drinking beer with the club, but mostly the drinking part because riding is hard. Paul looks forward to leading more rides and serving on your board with enthusiasm.

Tina Beyer / Event Planning

Tina moved to Bend in December 2018 following an earlier snowboarding trip. She’s a former fed from the DE/MD/DC area where in her job she listened well. She enjoys road biking, gravel and mountain biking as well as snowboarding and trail running. She joined COWS because of its reputation for fun rides and fun people and has enjoyed discovering both.

Sam Handelman / Webmaster (Non-Board member)

Sam moved to Bend in 2000, and has always wondered why Bend and Central Oregon lacked a recreational bike club. His answer to that question was to start COWs in 2016. When Sam was 11 years old, he began riding with his mother and uncle in the Los Angeles Wheelman club. When he was 19, he rode across the US on a J.C. Penney sponsored ride. He now gravel, mountain or road rides with whoever is willing, including his wife Barb, who is often riding with Sam on their Co-Motion road tandem.