Chris Fortune recently retired as the CEO of Saris in Madison, Wisconsin. In 1989, Chris and his wife, Sara, purchased the company formerly known as Graber Products. Chris grew the company into a multi-faceted organization manufacturing and globally distributing a wide array of products used by cyclists for pleasure and training.
These products included an extensive lineup of Saris brand hitch and trunk bicycle transportation carriers, outdoor parking racks and indoor storage; cycling infrastructure products and indoor trainers. Saris began building locally sourced products in Wisconsin in 1973 and continues under new leadership to distribute products worldwide to over 70 countries.
Chris is passionate about giving back the community and founded the Saris Bike Parks for Kids Foundation in 2020, dedicated to giving underserved youth a safe and energizing place to ride their bike! Chris has also served on the board of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin and helped fund their organization by raising over 1M through the annual Saris Gala event. He served as chair of the Governor’s Bicycle Coordinating Council for over 10 years and on the board for Dreambikes, a non-profit, used bicycle store which provides young people work experience as they refurbish used bicycles and re-cycle them into the community. Chris was President of the National coalition, People for Bikes and also dedicated to World Bicycle Relief raising money for over a thousand buffalo bikes. He traveled to Zambia to work with communities transformed by the donation of these life changing bikes. Chris also served on the national board for the Boys & Girls Club of America and is currently on the board for the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County. Chris has sat on many additional boards including Pizza Hut of Southern Wisconsin, Lucigen, and the Edgewood College Board of Trustees.
Chris and his wife, Sara, have four children, Heather, Kelly, Emma and Will and 10 grandchildren. They have been licensed through Catholic Charities and Dane County Department of Human Services to serve as foster parents for infants and took in over 20 babies who needed immediate care. Chris earned his Bachelors of Science Degree from the University of Wisconsin – Lacrosse.