Tulio Bertorini, President, Memphis Hightailers Club & Foundation
Member Since: 2009
First Bike: Metallic Blue Schwinn Scrambler
My Biking Story: I spend most of my time riding the road bike, but drop it as soon as cyclocross season kicks in locally.
Most all of us started riding bicycles as children. So I will not bore you with my entire History. My main passion for cycling started in 1992 where I started mountain biking with a nice entry level bicycle. As I rode more I began to become more involved with cycling. I did this by joining a local mountain bike race team called the River City Wheelmen. There I was part of the board and helped organize the Down and Dirty Mountain Bike Race. Years later the road bug hit and I joined the Marx-Bensdorf Team. After I realized Road Racing was not for me and Cyclocross was my game I worked with a group to organize the Amphitheater of Pain Cyclocross Series along with a few mountain bike races and Run/Bike/Runs. Then there was a big gap in my cycling history, but the passion could not stay away long. I was talked into riding with the IP Cycling Team in 2008 to ride in the 2010 Fed Ex Rock N Roll MS150 and it started again from there. I joined the Hightailers board in 2009 and have been more involved in cycling every year since.I have help various position on the board from Ride director, Marketing Director, to Education Director. I have a great passion for cycling and would love to see every one riding a bike. Not only do I want to see them riding a bike, but I want to see them do it safely.
Frank Pitts, Jr., Treasurer
First Bike: Purple Schwinn Sting Ray with a Banana Seat (it was so cool!)
My Biking Story: Twelve (or so) years ago I decided to get off the couch and get some exercise. I went to Walmart and bought the best bike I could find.
I did not want to spend a lot of money in case this was just a phase. That did not work so well.
I tried again. My son had gotten a hybrid bike from the Peddler to take to college. It looked pretty good and I bought one and rode around the neighborhood.
I had heard of this group called the Hightailers. They were having a ride out in Rossville (Wolf River Cafe ride) and I decided to try it out. Who doesn’t want catfish after a ride. I drove out there - met Mike Lewis (the President at the time) - gave him some money. He opened his trunk, gave me a MHBC hat and I was a member. We all started off - me on my hybrid - everyone else on their road bikes - on an unmarked route with an outdated cue sheet. After about a mile I was alone (nothing has really changed today). I do remember stopping somewhere on Hwy 194, asking a homeowner for some water and sitting under a tree for awhile. Seven (or eight) hours later I came back - I was so tired I did not care about catfish.
I finally got a road bike - joined the MHBC board and the rest is history.
My initial riding experiences set my goals - to help make the ride experience good for all members with things like marked routes and SAGs,
I have handled the ride SAGs for the last few years and I am now the club treasurer.
Thomas Sutton,Grant Writer
Member Since: 2019
My Biking Story: Mr. Sutton recently moved to Tennessee after retiring and selling his IT Consultancy in the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to his 26 years of consulting, he served as a project manager for a software company specializing in accounting and distribution software. His background also includes twenty years of distribution management. He has a history of serving as well. He has been a Rotarian since 2003 and has been his club’s president and served on its board for ten years. He was also Flotilla Commander for his Coast Guard Auxiliary unit. He is an avid cyclist.
Leo Old, Director of Advocacy
Member Since: 2012
My First Bike: 1978 Huffy (with the bread loaf-shaped seat) (My first road bike with a 2001 LeMond
Tourmalet)
My Biking Story: My cycling passion started around 1992 when I was attending Christian Brothers
University. I started riding the mountain bike trails at Shelby Farms and have been hooked ever since.
These days, I ride roads, mountain bike trails, and gravel paths. I am an avid cyclist - usually riding 6 or 7 days per week. Needless to say, I am passionate about cycling. Some of my best cycling memories have involved riding bikes on family vacations and business trips, including these biking adventures: San Francisco (Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf), Vancouver (Stanley Park), Chicago (Downtown Lake
Trail), Park City, Utah (Olympic Park), Charleston, South Carolina (Ravenel Bridge), and Bentonville,
Arkansas (Slaughter Pen Trail)! I believe that cycling can provide so many benefits (e.g., health, cleaner air with fewer cars, engagement with outdoors, and fellowship with other riders, to name a few). I am impressed with the
improvements that Memphis and the surrounding communities have made in recent years to make it a
bike-friendlier community. I would like to do more to promote cycling in our community and feel that
serving on the MHBC board could help.
I work full time for a local environmental consulting firm (EnSafe); however, I make time to serve in
several volunteer roles. Most notably, I have been an active leader in the Boy Scouts of America since
2009. I have also volunteered my time with the Pink Palace Museum, Wolf River Conservancy, and
several professional environmental associations/organizations.