About
Frederick (F.K.) Day is a long time Chicago businessman, entrepreneur and humanitarian. In 1987, Day, his brother Stan and some friends founded leading bicycle component supplier, SRAM Corporation. SRAM produces high-end bicycle components including drive-trains, brakes, suspension and wheels; brands include RockShox, Avid, Truvative, Zipp and Quark. Today, SRAM operates 20 facilities in the US, Europe and Asia and employs over 3,000 people. Driving annual revenues in excess of $600 million, SRAM is the largest bicycle component supplier in the US and the second largest in the world.
In 2005, immediately following the Indian Ocean Tsunami, Day and his wife Leah, with support from SRAM Corp and the Bicycle Industry, founded international non-profit World Bicycle Relief. Their first program delivered over 24,000 new bicycles to men, women and children in to Tsunami impacted Sri Lanka.
Day leverages his and SRAM Corp’s bicycle experience and that of the Global Bicycle Industry to deliver large-scale, comprehensive bicycle programs in developing countries. Working in partnership with NGOs, Corporations and Government Agencies; World Bicycle Relief executes bicycle programs that empower recipients to overcome the barriers of distance to access healthcare, education and economic development.
Today, World Bicycle Relief employs over 100+ people in the US, Asia and Africa, and runs or supports 4 bicycle assembly facilities in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. To date, over 400,000 specially designed, locally assembled bicycles have been distributed and over 1,900 field mechanics have been trained. In 2010, Day and World Bicycle Relief were named #12 on Barron’s list of the World‘s Top 25 Most Effective Givers. In 2015,
Fast Company named World Bicycle Relief among its’ Most Innovative Companies for organizations working on the continent of Africa. In addition to his work in the bicycle industry, Day is actively involved with education and environmental issues. Day is a long-standing board member of his alma mater, in Western Connecticut, The South Kent School. Day studied Economics at Wayne State University and attended Tulane University majoring in Economics and Latin American Studies. Day was awarded an honorary degree from Tulane in 2014.
Day is married to photographer, and World Bicycle Relief co-founder Leah Missbach Day. They live together in Chicago with their ten-year- old son Lincoln Ray Day.
Videos (1)
Co-Founder FK Day: Making Mistakes Can Lead To Better Listening
