In Commemoration of John Cheever
WHEREAS, In recognition of Brain Cancer Month in the month of May, we honor John Cheever for his relationships and contributions to the bicycle industry and community.
WHEREAS, John passed away on March 9, 2014, at age 51, after a three year battle with brain cancer. His wife, Janice, was at his side at their home in Florida when he passed away.
WHEREAS, John Cheever is known for his major contributions for 25 years at SRAM, a Chicago-based global leader in bicycle manufacturing and components. John joined SRAM as an engineer in 1989 after the introduction of their first Grip Shift that uses indexing technology to shift bicycle gears. John was 25 years old, a natural entrepreneur and a perfect fit to the up and coming company.
WHEREAS, SRAM was established in 1987 and headquartered in Chicago and continues to operate here as well as in the Netherlands and Taiwan. SRAM is known around the world, not only for their quality bike parts, but also for their social contributions. These programs include providing over 100,000 bicycles to empower students, healthcare workers, and entrepreneurs in areas of need as well as raising funds to improve cycling infrastructure.
WHEREAS, John was an inventor and design engineer, and responsible for many ofthe technologies that drove the advancement and growth of Grip Shift technology in the bicycle industry. He co-developed the first ESP derailleurs featuring 1:1 cable pull technology. He introduced computer aided design to SRAM and was responsible for launching the first seat of Pro-Engineering in 1993. John was either directly responsible for or has contributed significantly to a long list of SRAM patents throughout his time with the company.
WHEREAS, John ultimately became SRAM's first Director of Engineering and later became the Director of Advanced Component Design, leading that group for five years before becoming Director of Patents and Technology 2004. One of John's most notable attributes...
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