Ex-Item reporter MassBike director

BOSTON – Richard Fries, a former reporter at The Item, has been named executive director of the Massachusetts Bicycle Co?alition (MassBike).His appointment comes as new investments in infrastructure and education have encouraged more people than ever to explore bicycling as a safe, healthy, accessible transportation option.”I’ve never been so excited about a professional opportunity before,” said Fries, who worked at The Item in the 1990s as both a reporter and lifestyle editor.”From its compact urban centers and world-class transit system to its beautiful countryside, Massachusetts has all the ingredients we need to build a truly first-rate bicycle culture.”Whether you’re starting a new bike business, riding for the first time, or logging your thousandth mile, we can all work together to build a state where everyone has access to a safe, smooth ride.”For the past eight years Fries has served as marketing director and cycling experience director for Best Buddies International, where he helped promote as many as four charity cycling events per year.Fries co-founded The Ride Magazine, a regional cycling publication that focused on all facets of bike culture in the Northeast.He also developed a reputation as both a live announcer and a television commentator.Fries has called countless national championships and several UCI World Cups and the UCI World Championships in both road and cyclo-cross. He has been an event consultant for the past five years.”I am honored to be joining MassBike at such a critical time,” said Fries.A native of Pittsburgh, Fries lives alongside the Min?uteman Commuter Bike?way in Lexington. He and his wife, Deborah, have three children.