Our 2020 Virtual Gala is in memory of our former board member and cycling advocate, Russell Meddin.
Read more about Russell’s outstanding advocacy for all Philadelphians here.
We’ll be honoring Stephen Del Monte, Founder & CEO of DelMoSports, with the Maguire Award and presenting Val Arkoosh, MD, Chair of Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, with the Connect the Circuit Award. And, continuing our tradition from last year, we’ll announce the Bicycle Coalition Youth Cycling Athlete of the Year.
Maguire Award Honoree Stephen Del Monte, Founder & CEO of DelMoSports
Stephen Del Monte is the founder and CEO of DelMoSports, Inc.. A former social worker, youth athletic coach and middle school math teacher, he founded the company in 2004 with his wife Jamie in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, where they live with their two children. They specialize in elite destination events along the southern New Jersey shore and Philadelphia, with challenging courses, spectacular scenery and amazing vacation opportunities for athletes and their families. Now with over 13,000 finishers annually, DelMoSports’ participants travel from around the world and compete at every level, from beginner to elite. DelMoSports has been a consistent supporter of the BCYC Triathlon team by sponsoring youth athletes to race at their Jersey Shore events each summer.
Connect the Circuit Award Honoree Val Arkoosh, Montgomery County Board of Commissioners
Dr. Valerie Arkoosh is a parent of three, physician, health policy expert, and community leader who was appointed a Montgomery County Commissioner on January 29, 2015, elected to a full four year term on November 3, 2015 and re-elected on November 5, 2019. She has served as Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners since November 2016. A practicing obstetric anesthesiologist for over two decades, most recently at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Val has always put the health and well being of her community and local families first. As Commission Chair, Val oversees a budget of $430 million and directs more than 2,500 employees. The Commission manages human services for more than 100,000 residents, Voter Services, over 130 county bridges, 75 miles of roads and other infrastructure, 7 county parks and nearly 100 miles of trails.
Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Val has a degree in Economics from Northwestern University, and attended medical school at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine. She moved to Philadelphia in 1986 for residency training at Jefferson Medical College. Val served as Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at Drexel University College of Medicine from 1999-2004 where she successfully restored her department to fiscal solvency following the Allegheny University bankruptcy. Frustrated by watching the families she cared for fall through the cracks time and time again – Val earned a Masters Degree in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy giving her the tools to increase her impact outside of the exam room. Through her many local and national leadership positions, Val has been a tireless advocate for fair and equitable treatment of all people. Val lives in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, with her husband Jeff Harbison and their three children.
The event is co-chaired by Gretchen Cooney and Lee Caparas. Thank you to our hosts and steering committee:
Host Committee
Richard Adler & Madeleine Boyer
Max and Elyse Berger
Jeff Braff & Hope Comisky
Michelle Brennan
Ed Blumenthal
Amy Branch & Jeff Benoliel
Stephen & Bina Bilenky
Phoebe Coles
Allan Domb
Pat Cunnane & Madeleine Dean
Robert Dredge
Jeffrey & Ruth Ann Dubb
Jason & Angela Duckworth
Laura & Richard Fredricks
Brady Gibney
Anne Gordon & Phil Berman
Bill Hauser
David Hilton
Paul Horvat
Jerry and Julie Jacobs
Ali Jaffar
Sandy & Gail Lipstein
Brian Lipstein
Jamie & Lisa Maguire
Ryan Oelkers
James Paterno
Joe Piscitello & Marissa Perrone
Chris Rassekh
Theresa & John Rollins
Lou Savastani
Leslye Silver
Amarjit Singh
Jay & Terry Snider
Fred Stampone
Jerry Sweeney
Lee & Nancy Tabas
Caitlin Thompson
Tom Vernon & Pat West
Bob Victor
Steering Committee
Lee Caparas, chair
Ed Chang
Phoebe Coles
Sue Goldstein
Brooke Rothman
Jerome Whitener
Pleased to have been on the Host comittee for the Virtual Gala! Keep up the amazing work.