Founded in 1983 by Canadian Road Cycling Olympian Louis Garneau, the namesake company has reached a major generational milestone with the appointment of William Garneau, the founder’s elder son, as the company’s new General Manager effective immediately.
As a former national level racer, William has competed for Canada at the Junior World Road Championships in South Africa in 2008 and is a true fan of cycling in all its facets. College-educated in the United States, William has already handled various roles at the company, from managing and supervising all aspects of the company’s DreamFactory’s personalized bike program to, most recently, leading the Hard Goods Division as well as overseeing the Procurement and Sourcing Department.
Garneau is more than a company, it’ a family,” says William. “I’m grateful to my father and my brother Edouard, for entrusting me with this tremendous responsibility. I will do everything I can to support and inspire the team to ensure the company’s growth over the coming years. My father started a great company 34 years ago; it’s now up to us to take it into its next prosperous era. ”
Louis Garneau will remain the President Designer, influencing seasonal collections, nurturing new talent, and leaving his imprint on the creative direction of the brand. “It’s a proud day for me. I’ve always wanted to see my children take an active role at the company and felt that the time was right to finish my pull and let them take the lead,” says Louis. “William is a passionate, dedicated and open leader. His youth is an asset as it brings new perspective and life to the company. Of course, I am still here to give him a lead-out every now and then.”
A family company, Garneau counts on the talents of other siblings in this generational change. Son, Edouard, who is Director of Sales – IBD USA, and daughter, Victoria, who is currently completing her college studies in Fashion Design and will soon join her brothers, factor deeply in the brand’s advancement and further development.
