Chad Brown-Trek Bicycles

 A UW alum Chad Brown is the current CFO for Trek Bicycle. He started out of school at GE Healthcare and worked there for ~9 years before moving on to Trek Bicycle in 2011. Brown has been the CFO since 2015 as well as the VP of Retail since 2017. 

-Trek was founded in a red barn in Waterloo, Wisconsin in 1976. About 27 miles from downtown Madison. 

-Trek is a $1 Billion+ company with over 3,000 employees. 

-Trek is privately held by family and employees.

-Trek takes pride in their research and development making the best products available for competitors. 

-Trek is also invested in increasing the amount of people competing in high school mountain biking.

-Trek is also behind the B-Cycles you can find around Madison.

- Trek is now an owner of their own professional cycling teams in Europe. They have successfully influenced the organizing committee to have equal pay across mens and women's disciplines. 

What advice to you have for students?
CB: Don't be afraid to make mistakes especially in college because no one will remember it when you graduate.  Also read Jim Collins' books to prepare for the workplace.