Pedego, an award-winning brand and the largest chain of electric bike stores in North America, announced the appointment of Brian Stech as its new Chief Executive Officer. Stech joins the company with over 20 years of leadership experience in the consumer electronics, mobile, gaming and consumer packaged goods industries with successful global consumer companies such as Vinci Brands, Incipio Group, ZAGG Inc, SteelSeries, Motorola, Mobility Electronics and Ralston Purina Company.
Most recently, Stech served as CEO of Vinci Brands, a global leader in consumer tech protection, carry and power solutions, where he led the transformation of the business while growing distribution, share of voice, sell-through and market share. Prior to Vinci Brands, Stech served as CEO of Incipio Group, President of ZAGG Inc, and President of SteelSeries, a pioneer in esports and leading manufacturer of gaming peripherals and accessories.
“Growth in the electric bike and micromobility space has been remarkable, and I am thrilled to be joining a pioneer of the industry,” said Stech. “I’m inspired by Pedego’s loyal following and deep relationships with consumers and local communities, made possible by providing differentiated products with an exceptional brand and service experience through their impressive footprint of locally owned stores. I am ecstatic to join Pedego during this exciting time to work with our incredibly talented team, partners, and board to maximize the massive opportunity in front of us,” said Stech.
Stech is taking over the company’s leadership from Pedego’s co-founder, Don DiCostanzo, who decided to retire from day-to-day responsibilities after 15 years as CEO. “I have spent more than 15 years building Pedego from the ground up and it is time for me to take a step back and make way for the brand to flourish in the next step in its journey. I believe Brian is the perfect person for the job, with his decades of leadership experience across various consumer businesses, and I’m delighted to hand the baton to him. I am grateful for my partners at Verlinvest and the outstanding Board we have assembled. While I’m looking forward to spending time on other projects, I will continue to serve on the Board and support Brian in our collective mission to be the best e-bike brand in the world.”
Verlinvest Senior Advisor, and member of Pedego’s Board of Directors, Marc-David Bismuth added: “we want to thank Don for all he has done to build Pedego into the outstanding business that it is today, and we’re thrilled that our partnership will continue at the Board level. Brian is a strategic, results-oriented leader with an excellent track record in assembling high-performing teams, growing sales, and scaling brands, and we couldn’t be more excited about what he will bring to Pedego during this next phase of growth.”