Air Force Cycling Team Leadership
| Executive Director | Lt Col Ron Phipps, DSN 777-3765. This will be Ron's ninth straight RAGBRAI as a member of the Air Force team and first year as the Team Executive Director. He currently works in the Ogden Air Logistics Center as the System Support Manager for the Ground Tactical Air Control System - just a fancy name for a mobile radar with a bunch of radios. In his eight years with the team, he has served as a team captain for four of those years and served as the deputy team director last year. A dedicated "roadie," Ron averages approximately 3000 miles a year on his bike. The annual pilgrimage to Iowa is always the highlight of the year since it's the only place you can find Mr Pork Chop, Tom Turkey, and the Mr Waffle along the route. With eight years of training under his belt (or has he had to switch to suspenders?), this is the year where Ron hopes he finally earns his membership pin for the elite Team Eatalot squad. |
| Deputy Director | LtCol Joseph “Mad Max” Robinson, This will be his 5th consecutive RAGBRAI first year as the Team Deputy Director. He currently works at HQ Air Combat Command A4 fighter branch Langley AFB, VA. As a member of the Air Force team Mad Max has gone form support to rider to team captain to his current position. He put's about 2500 miles plus on his rig each year in preparation for RAGBRAI and several other cycling events. He began riding as a tri-athlete in the late 80's at the Olympic class distance. He has roots in central Iowa which makes RAGBRAI a homecoming event each year. He looks forward to riding with as many team mates and fellow RAGBRAIers as possible. |
| Director Emeritus | Stu Carter, Lt Col, USAF (Retired), is the founder and father of today's Air Force Cycling Team. Stu was a member of the inaugural 28-rider AF Cycling Team, called “Team Aim High” in 1995, started by the Air Force recruiters, in Bellevue, NE. After the RAGBRAI in 1997, the USAF recruiters withdrew management and financial support of the team--in effect they killed the team. Stu stepped in, created a management team and a Tax Free Organization with the IRS, and garnered official AF sanctioning and sponsorship by then Air Force Secretary, The Honorable Dr. Sheila E. Widnall, and later by the next SECAF, the Honorable F. Whitten Peters. Both SECAF Widnall and SECAF Peters were AFCT riders. Stu institutionalized the AF Team, built it to what it is today (nearing 150 riders annually), and was its Executive Director for 5-years. He still pulls the strings and leads the AFCT today. He is a serious rider and is a USCF licensed Master's Class Road Racer and a former Military Cycling Champion. 2008 will be his 13th AFCT ride across Iowa. “No One Comes Close” to that record. For more on Stu and Air Force Cycling Team History, see History link |
| Director of Operations | Colonel (Ret.) Bob Lindner will be riding his eighth consecutive RAGBRAI in 2008, having started with the Team in 2001. As a member of the governing board along with Stu Carter, Bob participates in Team Director selection, logistics planning, overall policy, and is the liaison to T. J. Juskiewicz, Director of RAGBRAI for the Des Moines Register. He graduated from the United Bicycle Institute courses in bicycle mechanics, hydraulics, suspension, wheel building, and advanced mechanics in December 2006. Bob hails from sunny San Antonio where the weather encourages year-round cycling! |