Petty Elected to USA Cycling Board of Directors

Former USA Cycling Chief Operating Officer Sean Petty was recently appointed by the USA Cycling Pro Committee as an At-Large member to take the position vacated by outgoing committee member and board Chairman Bill Peterson. Subsequently, Petty was elected by the Pro Committee to also serve on the USA Cycling board of directors.

 “Sean brings an incredible depth and breadth of knowledge and experience to the USA Cycling Board of Directors,” said Steve Johnson, President and CEO of USA Cycling. “His many years of experience and important relationships, both at home and abroad, will be extremely helpful as we continue to develop professional cycling in the U.S.”

With several decades of experience in the cycling industry, Sean Petty joins the board of directors after 20 years of employment with USA Cycling, including nearly seven years as its chief operating officer. During his time as the managing director of athlete performance, Petty was responsible for implementing USA Cycling’s fledgling European development program, hiring its first European director, and opening the program’s Belgian base of operations.

Petty has been a member of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Road Commission, which oversees elite, U23 and junior road racing for the international federation, since 2005 and is the only member of the UCI Road Commission from outside of Europe.

His experience in cycling dates back to 1985 when he joined The Southland Corporation, the parent company of 7-Eleven, where he managed the 7-Eleven Cycling Team program, which was the first American team to compete in the Tour de France and earn the yellow race leader’s jersey. He also managed 7-Eleven’s sponsorship of a national road race series and a national track cycling race series as well as their involvement with the 1986 World Cycling Championships.

“I am honored to represent the Professional Committee on the USA Cycling board of directors," said Petty. "In a way, I've come full circle as I joined the USA Cycling staff 20 years ago as managing director of USPRO and now moved to the governance side on behalf of the Pro Committee."

Petty has attended five Summer Olympic Games, 44 world championships, and one Pan American Games in various capacities. He was the team leader for the 2000 U.S. Olympic cycling delegation in Sydney, Australia, which included 27 athletes and 16 staff members, and won three Olympic medals. Petty, a proud, native Texan, earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas A&M University in 1980. He is married and has four children (three girls and one boy).

About USA Cycling: Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization, USA Cycling comprises 64,000 members; 2,700+ clubs and teams; and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions over 3,100 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year and is responsible for the identification, development, and support of American cyclists. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit usacycling.org.