- Spring and Summer Camps Are LIVE!
Scott has been led by his passion for all things bikes since he was 4 years old when the training wheels first came off. After graduating from University of Vermont with a business degree, the mountains called and he put down roots in Jackson Hole, WY where he opened a one-man repair shop that turned into a Top 50 US bike shop. A stint as Mayor of Victor, ID, Executive Director of a local entrepreneur supporting non-profit, and a member of the faculty at Thaden School in Bentonville, AR are among the experiences that enrich his entrepreneur DNA and passion for change making. Just like a well adjusted headset, Scott keeps the Pedal Kids team steering in the right direction.
Originally a chef from Dundee, Scotland, Simon relocated to the States in 2011 to start a new
adventure with his American wife. Working his way through the South before relocating to
Bentonville in 2019, he opened BlakeSt as the Executive Chef. Simon has worked in kitchens for
the past 20 years, gaining invaluable experience and knowledge.
With his other two passions in life being family (two young kids keeping him on his toes) and
the great outdoors, Simon decided it was time to hang up his apron and follow another career
path. NWA re-ignited his passion for mountain biking which began in youth in the rugged
Scottish terrain. He has joined the Pedal Kids team as the HQ Manager and is bringing his
management, leadership and systems experience to keep the team rolling.
Jannine has been in the bike industry since the turn of the century but don’t let that fool you. Her stoke on and off the bike is higher than ever! Although her experience in bicycle shop inventory management is legendary, day to day Jannine helps coordinate and synchronize all the Pedal Kids moving pieces across both the programming and product aspects of the business. We call her the Crank because her energy really helps power the team!
Sean’s STOKE plays into both his biking and computer world! His love for biking grew as he rode through Bella Vista as a young teen while watching Bentonville grow into the mountain biking capital of the World! We call Sean the Gear Shifter, because you can often find him helping in each part of the Pedal Kids world. When you come into the store, Sean is dedicated to helping your kiddo grow as a biker!
Kyle is a seasoned bicycle mechanic and rider who cares deeply about passing along his knowledge to help raise up others and support their cycling journey. If your bike needs repaired, come see Kyle. Kyle is the lube because without him, your bike won’t run smooth! You’ll ride away with a freshly tuned bike and a whole lot of knowledge.
Mickey is pretty new to the world of biking, but she absolutely loves the rush of adrenaline and endorphins after a good ride! Originally from Atlanta, GA, Mickey moved to NWA shortly after completing her education there. After graduating with both her B.A. and M.A. in Sociology from Oglethorpe University and Emory University, respectively, Mickey knew she wanted to use her knowledge and understanding of culture and inequality to be connected with the community to create real positive change. We call Mickey The Hub because she keeps the wheels of Pedal Kids’ programming moving smoothly, and is always working hard with coaches, community partners, and kids & parents to provide our community an opportunity to find a love for biking.
Originally from Sedalia, MO, and previously living in the DFW area, Andy has lived in Kansas City for almost three years now. Andy has been right at the intersection of biking, athletics, and education for most of his life! After finishing his undergrad and graduate work at Missouri Western State College & Middle Tennessee State University, respectively, Andy spent time as a Strength and Conditioning coach at both the college and professional sports level. Andy loves biking because it has helped him in so many ways; physically and emotionally. “Every time I throw a leg over my bike, I feel like a kid again!”-Andy. We call Andy The Hub because similar to Mickey in NWA, Andy keeps Pedal Kids rolling smoothly in our newest region, Kansas City!
Ben was born and raised in Northwest New Jersey, but has lived in Northwest Arkansas now since he was in High School. He has a strong passion for being on two wheels- both bikes and motorcycles- and has been riding since he was four years old. After nearly a decade of food service and working his way through his B.A. in Communication and Sociology as a first-generation student, he attended graduate school in Communication at the University of Arkansas. Having experience in communications, Ben is well-equipped to tell the incredible stories of accomplishment and STOKE we see every day at here Pedal Kids! We call Ben the Geometry because he’s largely responsible for crafting the look, feel and design of much of our communication.
Our Founders, Scott and Jannine Fitzgerald, have a passion for steep adventure. Their adventures started on bikes, skis, and snowboards, but these days their ‘steep adventure’ is found in parenting and making the world a better place through cycling.
Steep adventure is all about trying something new, pushing beyond your comfort zone, and realizing the rewards of taking reasonable risks in life. It’s also about having positive impact.
2002: Scott and Jannine started a one-man bicycle repair shop in Jackson Hole, WY, and grew it into a Top 50 US bicycle retailer. While running Fitzgerald’s Bicycles, they saw the positive impacts bicycles have on people of all ages, and communities as a whole.
2014: Scott and Jannine write their first children’s book called B is for Bicycles which was successfully funded on Kickstarter. Buddy Pegs was born! From that launch pad, Scott and Jannine began creating a world of original story telling podcasts for kids from their personal experiences running a local bike shop and raising a family. Have you heard the World of Buddy Pegs?
2015: They sold their bicycle shop to embark on a new steep adventure to inspire families across the country to adopt cycling as their favorite family activity and focus on Buddy Pegs full-time!
2017: Scott and Jannine write their second picture book Taking The Lead, also successfully funded on Kickstarter. By creating adventurous stories and experiences for kids, and their parents, Scott and Jannine introduce families to how the bicycle really can be a simple solution to the world’s most complex problems. And a lot of fun!
Out of the stories came something even bigger – insight into what else parents need to help their kids fall in love with bicycles. After meeting thousands of parents at book shows, bike races, and children’s festivals, it became clear that bicycling was lacking what every other sport has: a framework of coaching.
Why can preschool kids join a baseball team but not a bike team? Why is it so easy for parents to sign their kids up for soccer but not for bike riding? The truth is, the way we teach kids how to ride a bike has not evolved and the steady decline in participation proves it.
2018-2019: Scott, Jannine, and their 8 year old son, move into a 24′ RV and travel the country pulling a trailer full of kids bikes, ramps, cones, and stuffed animals. The goal: develop the first comprehensive model for youth cycling education starting at 2 years old. The couple worked diretly with hundreds of families across the country.
2019: The Fitzgerald family relocates to Bentonville, AR to contribute to incredible effort being put forth to create the world’s first model cycling community. Buddy Pegs launches year round programming for Preschool and Elementary age kids across NW Arkansas.
2022: Buddy Pegs expands into Kansas City as the first expansion market.
2023: Buddy Pegs continues to expand programming in Arkansas and Kansas City while laying the ground work for online classes and the next market, Dallas-Ft Worth, TX.
2024: Buddy Pegs has evolved into Pedal Kids USA, a name better suited to contain all the incredible momentum the entire Buddy Pegs team has generated over the last many year. Onward!
