Kevin Hardman, the executive director of Bublr Bikes, is resigning as the executive director of the nonprofit bike-sharing organization in Milwaukee.
The organization announced this week that Hardman is “moving on to embark on his long-held ambition of starting his own business.”
Hardman said he plans to start a leadership coaching and urban development consultancy firm. He said he is working on details for the business plan.
From 2004-08 Hardman was vice president of Kimball Hill Urban Centers, a division of Kimball Hill Homes. From 2001-04 he was vice president of The Renaissance Companies.
James Davies, the operations director and general counsel for Bublr Bikes, has been named the interim executive director of the organization.
Hardman was the first executive director for Bublr Bikes, which was launched in 2014, and built its bike-sharing network to 40 stations, most in or near downtown Milwaukee. Each station holds about 10 bikes.
Bublr plans to expand more into the suburbs and plans to have a total of 55 stations by the end of the year. Most of those new stations will be in Wauwatosa, Shorewood and West Allis, funded through a federal Transportation Alternatives Program grant that contributed $500,000 to each city.
Bublr has raised $5.6 million from 60 entities to help fund its operations and expansion.
As of Sept. 9, 52,613 Bublr rides had been taken in 2016, far surpassing all of 2015, when 22,694 rides were taken.
Hardman said it was “an absolute honor” to be involved with Bublr Bikes and was proud to have “shepherded” the growth of the organization, with the help of many others.
Prior to leading Bublr, Hardman was the executive director of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin from 2009 to 2013.
