Repost from the BTA Blog:

Each year at the Bike Commute Challenge awards party, the BTA recognizes a team captain who has gone above and beyond to encourage, support, and incentivize bike commuting among their coworkers.

This year the award goes to a dynamic duo nominated by their coworkers: co-captains Frank Charron and Derwyn Harris from Jama Software.

Co-captains Frank Charron and Derwyn Harris from Jama Software.

Here’s what Jama employees said in their nomination:

“Frank Charron and Derwyn Harris, our co-captains for this year’s Bike Commute Challenge, were an inspirational duo for the entire Jama Software team. Planning efforts began in August, as they started to put together a month of cycling events and activities. As a thank-you, the Jama team put our heads together and collectively came up with our top ten favorite moments that portray the incredible effort and dedication from this dynamic duo, and why they deserve to win the Co-Captains of the Year Award.”

JAMA’S TOP TEN MOMENTS OF THE BIKE COMMUTE CHALLENGE

1. Starting with a bang: first day ride in for the entire Sales team.
The Sales team ride in started the Bike Commute Challenge off in a strong way. Derwyn coordinated the route, which allowed each Sales Team member to join up where convenient. Pit stop included a pickup at Voodoo Donuts for the office. They all arrived to the office in a flying ‘V’ formation, much to the excitement to the rest of the Jama team.

Frank – Man of Mystery

2. Photo contest: building buzz for biking.
As motivation, Derwyn and Frank encouraged us to take photos during our rides and share them with the office. They asked us for photos of: “a live bird, any bridge, something that made you smile, a pet peeve, a Jama shirt being held or worn by someone else, and a bonus for a single photo with all of the items!”

3. Motivational masters that we could always count on.
Derwyn gave Jason new bike tires when he needed some. When he realized the wheel had the wrong gear settings, Derwyn told Jason to drop his bike off at his house. He replaced the gear cassette on the new wheel. Both Frank and Derwyn replaced flats, offered loaner bikes and picked up anyone who didn’t want to ride in alone.

4. Fun and friendly reminders to get on your bike.
Derwyn and Frank sent creative emails with just the right amount of poking and prodding to get even the laggards to bike commute. John, our VP of Marketing, says his favorite motivational moment was the captains explaining, “I couldn’t blog or Tweet or Facebook post about the bike challenge until I road in. Hitting a marketer where it hurts.” John got on his bike, had his kids ride in, and photo documented their trip. Derwyn also sent Jess a message, who was working from home, and said, “If you don’t ride tomorrow… stay home. ”

Derwyn – Sales Team Commute Leader

5. Derwyn & Frank’s Bike Commute Finale celebration.
The bike pub tour will conclude our bike commute month. Locations include Rontoms, Green Dragon, APEX and The Hutch for karaoke. At APEX, we will have Jama’s version of Michael Scott’s Dundee Awards, complete with handmade trophy. Derwyn spent weeks building the custom design from all recycled bike parts to be presented to the individual who most embodied the spirit of BTA BCC. Both Frank and Derwyn noted, “a few disclaimers. Nobody should pedal while intoxicated (PWI). TriMet takes bikes. Bikes can be left and cabs can be taken. Sampling beer, wine & spirits can be done sparingly. Remember your helmet. Remember your bike lights. Remember your dry verbal wit lest you disappoint your fellow pub mates.”

6. The 52-mile adventure ride.
Frank organized a 52-mile commute to Jama’s offsite team building event for anyone who was up for the challenge. He let the others draft him and navigated the entire trip. He even helped fix a flat at the start of the journey. It was a crazy ride into Forest Grove, but great team building complete with a roar of applause upon arrival.

7. Post-ride blended breakfast.
To bring us into the final stretch, Derwyn offered to make his world-class smoothies for all bike commuters on September 29th. The smoothies got Mike to ride in after a 5-year “break” from commuting by bike. Derwyn even offered smoothies to new Jama hires who hadn’t participated in order to motivate them for next year’s
challenge. Always thinking ahead!

8. Frank’s Mystery Ride
This ride down memory lane took us on a Jama Historical Society tour of Portland with the ghosts of the Jama future and past. We saw all four past and future locations of the Jama office. Frank and Derwyn each shared stories, and Frank carried everyone’s lunch for them on a trailer he towed behind his bike. And brought beer.

Pit stop on the mystery ride

9. Continuous commitment to bike commuting.
Derwyn and Frank’s commitment to bike commuting extends beyond the month of September. They’ve helped secure a custom bike rack, made of recycled bike parts, for our new office to encourage continued riding. They also worked with a local bike shop to get a deal on loaner bikes for the office. That way, riders without bikes can borrow a bike to ride to lunch or to and from home as needed.

10. All Office Ride Day
Our Co-Captains had a dream – that 50% of the office would ride in on a single day. They encouraged everyone to participate with the perfect blend of motivation and fun. On that day, over 60% of the office road in from locations as far as Vancouver, WA. Cody, who had never ridden his bike to work before this challenge, is now planning on making the 30-mile commute by bike at least 2 days a week. He says he owes it all to Derwyn and Frank.