2021 Board of Directors

JASON WARD, CHAIRMAN/PRESIDENT

Jason is an active rider and serves the needs of riders through education, participation, and advocacy.  Since he began his journey in 2013 to cycling fitness he has participated in a multitude MTC3 rides and events.  Jason’s goals are to share the sport of cycling with everyone and more generally to support others to attain a healthy lifestyle by their definition.

Jason brings more than 11 years of advisory experience on corporate management, risk management, strategic planning, leadership and organizational development to Major Taylor Cycling Club Chicago’s Board of Directors. Jason is the Chief Operating Officer for Carousel Checks Inc., a privately held entity that prints secure documents for financial institutions. Jason firmly believes that passionate people choosing to collaborate and serve for the common good can make the changes in our society that are beneficial and long-lasting.

His position on the Major Taylor Cycling Club Chicago is his second official board assignment. In 2016-2017 her served as the club Secretary. Jason has also assisted the club with board development and strategic planning support. Jason is looking forward to engaging members of the cycling community to ensure MTC3 meets their sporting needs.  He aims to assist members and friends of the club with the opportunity to strengthen their minds, bodies and character through the sport of cycling to build healthy, active cycling lifestyles and relationships that will last a lifetime.

SHAWN CONLEY, CLUB CAPTAIN

Shawn A. Conley is a Chicago native who is a graduate of Holy Angels Elementary School, St. Ignatius College Preparatory High School, and Louisiana State University. Shawn began cycling in 2009 in an effort to get back in shape on his 1988 Schwinn Sprint. He was asked by his neighbor to ride with Smokin’ Spokes, a local cycling club on the southside of Chicago. On that 50 mile ride, Shawn was dropped on a climb, and vowed that it would never happen again. So, Shawn purchased a 2010 Trek Madone, and began riding. Shawn claims that he has never been dropped on a climb on a Smokin’ Spokes ride since. After riding with Smokin’ Spokes exclusively for a couple of seasons, Shawn began to ride with other clubs in the area. He was introduced to MTC3 on the Victory Ride in 2011. Shawn officially became a member of the club soon after, and even began leading rides.

In 2013, Shawn was asked to consider becoming leader of MTC3 because the then-chairman had moved to Texas. Shawn accepted the challenge and began leading our fine club as of January 1, 2014. As chairman of the club, Shawn focused on growing the club, establishing and nurturing relationships with our cycling partners, and oversaw the design of our current logo.

Now, Shawn functions as our Club Captain. He is passionate about riding and loves the camaraderie of group cycling. Additionally, he travels several times per year to cycling events around the country. And, he looks forward to continuing to serve the members of our great club!

MICHAEL WIGGINS, SECRETARY

Coming Soon!

DR. ED DIXON, TREASURER

Long ago, Dr. eD Dixon was “Member #1” for the Major Taylor Cycling Club of Chicago. Back in 2005-2007 Keith Holt, the south side advocate for The Bike Federation of Chicago (now the Active Trans Alliance-ATA) was haranguing eD and several others to take the plunge and organize a Major Taylor Club to carry on the tradition and memory of this premier athlete and to advocate for cycling on Chicago’s south side. The club’s purpose was to serve as biking exemplars, advocates, recruiters into more active lifestyles, and giving back to the community. In October of 2007 eD and seven others each donated $100 as charter members of the new club. After establishing Tax ID and 501-(c) 7 status, the club began meeting around a 6 foot picnic table in an upper room at Blackstone Bicycle works. Among the club’s first expenses was membership in the Major Taylor Association in Worcester MA.

eD served as the initial Chair of the club for two years and has since held several offices, always in support of the club’s growth, health, and mission of service.

In eD’s other life he is a full professor of Management at Robert Morris University where he teaches management, computer science and college-to-career courses. eD is the freshmen mentor for incoming CPS students and the faculty adviser for the Morris Men/Women groups at the university. eD’s personal experiences in entrepreneurship, grant-writing, and non-profit management have informed his teaching philosophy and the careers of thousands of students over the past 14 years of college instruction. eD is happiest when he is facing an auditorium of graduating seniors or 100 miles of bike trails.

KEITUMETSE TSOTETSI, MEMBERSHIP MANAGER

I am originally from Soweto, a township in Johannesburg, South Africa. I came to the USA as an AFS exchange student after my high school education in SA. I attended Roosevelt University and completed my Undergraduate and Graduate degrees there. I am the mother of four children that keep me on my toes. I have been a member of the MTC3 since 2015 under the leadership of Shawn Conley. I have grown immensely in my cycling journey. I have traveled and cycled in half a dozen states. I have also established meaningful relationships via cycling and I have had the pleasure of being a co-leader of the ice cream/family ride. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, dancing, reading, cooking, listening to NPR and fine tuning my athletic skills. I am also a triathlete. Most of all I look forward to serving the MTC3’s membership in 2019

DARIUS LAWRENCE, EVENTS MANAGER

Bio coming soon…

DR. BRENDA DIXON, ADVOCACY

Brenda was born and raised on the south side of Chicago and is a graduate of Lindblom Tech HS. She started cycling in 2013 because she hated running but needed to lose weight. Brenda started riding her son’s old mountain bike and could not stop. Brenda now reminisces about the days when she was excited about riding six miles at a pace of only 5-10 mph as if it were a part of of her distant past as she now glides through a 50 mile ride with ease.

Within two years she purchased her first Trek carbon cyclocross road bike (named Pepper) and finished her first metric century. The next year she purchased her second road bike and named her Spice. Brenda completed her first century ride during the 2016 season in Maryland at the Salisbury Century ride.

Dr. Brenda M. Dixon is the founder and Chief Executive Officer for the CNIP. Dixon, who is passionate about health, fitness, and cycling, launched the non-profit in 2017 to help create artistic, fun, healthy, and safe places and environments for the neighborhoods and community she grew up in and loves.

Dixon has worked in education as a classroom teacher, building administrator, district administrator and educational consultant for more than 20 years. She serves on several boards and committees in the community including a cycling advocacy committee, as vice president of Friends of the Major Taylor Trail and she is a member of the leadership team for Women RUN the World.

An avid cyclist, Dixon is an active member and ride leader of the Major Taylor Cycling Club Chicago and still continues to ride leisurely whenever her busy schedule allows her to indulge in her favorite pastime of cycling. Brenda started and lead for many years one of the club’s most popular standing weekly rid fondly titled Monday Night Malarkey. This Monday night ride is a great ride for the advanced rider as well the novice rider. She would personally will stay with and ride with any beginner rider that comes out for for the first time on her Monday night no matter how slow their pace. Many of our current club members started out on our Monday Night Malarkey ride before joining our club.

Dixon has played a significant role in several community projects including writing a grant to create a mural on a graffiti-filled bridge over the Little Calumet River that connects the MTT to Cook County Forest Preserves’ Whistler Woods.

Her position on the Major Taylor Cycling Club Chicago is her second official board assignment. Dixon previously served a our club’s Membership and Events manager. In the past, she has served as the chair for the Cycling Advocacy committee and as chair of the Membership and events Committee. Brenda is looking forward to helping advance club membership and plan engaging activities that meet the vast variety of riders in our club membership. Brenda continues to be committed to promoting cycling advocacy throughout the city of Chicago and the neighboring suburbs.

In addition to cycling, Dr. Dixon enjoys walking, exercising, cooking, volunteering in the community and healthy eating.