December

Luke Chen - Microsoft
Luke Chen has always been a strong advocate for alternative commuting choices.  Within five months of joining Microsoft, Luke had joined a vanpool.  He soon began actively recruiting colleagues and friends in his neighborhood to form a new group.  Luke drives the van 5 days a week, with a reputation for reliability, safety, and keeping tabs on weather forecasts.  Recently Luke's commitment and success have motivated other coworkers to start their own vanpool as well.  By unanimous acclaim from his vanpool, Luke Chen has earned the title "Commute Champion"!

November

Claudio Mosquera - AT&T
Claudio Mosquera, Business Manager for Information Technology at AT&T, has more than a few reasons to promote vanpooling as a commute choice.  In addition to saving money on gas, shortening commute times, and all the expected benefits, you can add romance to that list.  Yes, Claudio found romance riding a vanpool, and last September he and his vanpool romance were married!  With understandable enthusiasm, he has become a vanpool driver as well as regular rider. Last summer, Claudio bought his first bicycle since he was a teenager and now includes that in his commute options along the Burke-Gilman Trail.  We agree with his nominator, Debra Fifer, Claudio is definitely a Commute Champion!

October

David Longmuir - Microsoft
David Longmuir, Sr. Technical Editor at Microsoft, is a year-round bicyclist who constantly encourages his fellow workers to follow suit.  He start Microsoft's mult-award-winning bike team, MSFIT ("My Sore Fanny in Transit") five years ago, and the team has grown each year.  David's goal with the team is to "leave the car keys at home and maximize the number of total trips." This year, MSFIT expanded to five 10-member teams, and won the overall number of trips category for Tour de Redmond for the second straight year!  David's nominator, Matt Evans, says David inspired him to start biking to work in 2007 and he hasn't stopped.  With his enthusiastic leadership, there's no question that David is a Commute Champion!

September

Randall Angell - Aerojet
Randall Angell, a Manufacturing Engineer at Aerojet, practices a special form of togetherness with his wife Barbara:  tandem bicycling!  Even when Barbara (herself a 2009 Commute Champion) isn't available, Randall bikes alone.  Randall's nominator, Gary Kenyon says:  "He is an avid spokesman promoting the advantages of the bicycle commute.  I've seen Randall depart work late on many dark, rainy evenings on his trusy bike -- rather than give in and drive."  Randall also contributes his time giving tandem rides to the blind in King County, and encouraging their participation in biking with a sighted partner.  Randall's inspirational leadership make him a terrific Commute Champion!

August

Max Czapanskiy - Microsoft
Max Czapanskiy is such a huge advocate of taking public transit to get to work, he doesn't even own a car.  Max is eager to help and encourage fellow commuters who are new to bus riding.  His nominator, Paul Berruti, says, "When I moved to Seattle from the eastside, a large part of my decision was influenced by Max's eagerness to help me learn how to take the bus.  We looked at maps, talked about bus routes and which are the key ones to know."  We agree with Paul that Max is the "gold standard" for alternative commuters.

July

Pat Abdo - AT&T
Pat Abdo has been vanpooling for the last decade--as a rider, driver, and bookkeeper.  He generally rides four days of the week in his vanpool, then telecommutes from home the 5th day.  As a driver he is flexible with arrival and departure times to accomodate other passengers, remaining in a good mood and ready with a joke.  Pat puts extra effort into keeping the van filled with fuel and in good repair, as well as recruiting new riders.  Pat was nominated by Dave Brewer who says, "Riding in a vanpool with him is a treat."

June

Gabriel Kliot - Microsoft
Gabriel Kliot commutes by carpool every morning to his job as Software Development Engineer at Microsoft.  His carpool is relatively short--only 8 miles--so he goes home on foot. But instead of walking, he runs the 8 miles home. Gabriel actively encourages and mentors others he works with to follow his lead. His nominator, Li-Ta Mashiach, felt compelled to nominate Gabriel because of his dedication, saying, "Gabriel is a role model for his co-workers."

May

Maggie Lovell - City of Redmond
Maggie Lovell started bicycling to her Administrative Assistant job at the City of Redmond in 2000.  Last year she and her husband sold their second car to become a one-car, multi-bicycle family.  In 2010, Maggie bicycled to work 108 days and carpooled 64 times.  Kim Keeling, Maggie's nominator says, "Not only is Maggie very passionate about bicycling for herself, she is also an advocate for it at her office. She organizes group rides and has participated in her office's Tour de Redmond team for several years."

April

Wes Wahlin - Microsoft
Wes Wahlin avoids driving alone every single day.  He bicycles or runs the 13 miles each way from Issaquah to his job as Program Manager at Microsoft.  On rare occasions, when it is too cold or dark, he has taken the Microsoft Connector into work. Wes says he has only driven his car into work maybe 4 or 5 times in the last five years, and you can tell by his smile that this method of commuting is stress-free and healthy!  His nominator, Gina Giuliani, says of Wes, "Most people can't even run 13 miles--after all that's a half a marathon each way!"

March

Jeanne Morrissey - Aerojet
Jeanne Morrissey, an Engineering Support Supervisor at Aerojet, has been the primary driver of a vanpool for a year-and-a-half.  Jeanne regularly recruits new employees to join the vanpool -- her bubbly outgoing personality adds to her persuasiveness. Jeanne's vanpool riders speak highly of her flexibility and willingness to accommodate them. Her primary nominator, Norman Ives, said, "One morning my truck wouldn't start, so I wasn't able to get to the Park & Ride. I gave her a call, and she came by my house to get me. Jeanne was also nominated by the rest of her vanpool. They agree that she is a true Commute Champion.

February

Gene Obie - Microsoft
Gene Obie, a Hardware Developer at Microsoft, drives a vanpool from Whidbey Island to Microsoft in Redmond every day and has for three and a half years.  As vanpool driver he has made a commitment to keep the van going and make it work for all his passengers.  Gene does the paper work, keeps the van clean and serviced, and coordinates a big planning calendar to make sure everyone has a ride and/or shares driving as needed.  He even helps his passengers get rides with other vanpools if another van fits the passenger’s schedule better.  His nominator, Kate Hauck, says:  “He’s a good guy.  He puts the van, the vanpool and the riders first.”

January

Russ Wiecking - Physio-Control
January’s Commute Champion is Russ Wiecking, an Engineering Specialist at Physio-Control.  Russ’ commute from downtown Bellevue to Redmond each day rain or shine is remarkable enough until we learn that Russ also has a pacemaker.  During the darkest days of winter, employees at Physio-Control have noticed that Russ’ bike is the only one on the bike rack.  Russ just smiles and says, “I’m trying to toughen up.”