Erik Saltvold: Preserving Green Space
Erik Saltvold and his wife Jane are leaving a portion of their estate to The Minneapolis Foundation to keep their passion for cycling and parks alive long after they
pass away.
Through their estate planning, the couple hopes to build on Minnesota’s rich history of promoting safe outdoor spaces.
Respect for those who came before
“Every time I ride around those areas I always marvel at the foresight of Theodore Wirth and others who set aside land around the lakes and created great places for us to recreate,” Erik said.
Bikes are Erik’s business, passion, and play. And Erik’s warehouse is a “bicycle nirvana,” a candyland for bike enthusiasts with rows of shiny new bikes for cyclists of all ages. It’s hardly the “just-in-time” inventory Erik had in 1977 when he established the business in his parent’s home in Richfield.
Erik’s business has since grown from a modest backyard operation into a successful enterprise. Today, he has 18 stores and 250 employees throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin.
But biking is more than a business for Erik and Jane. They believe that cycling is at the core of many community issues including accessible transportation, health, urban planning, and the environment.
“I love seeing people of all abilities on bikes. I love seeing people flying by and seeing people you can tell are just getting started. Over the years, I’ve met many people in the store who have said that cycling changed their life – it’s made them a healthier person, it’s made them more alive,” he said.
Erik the Bike Man supports regional beauty
Erik and Jane are intentional about making their mark on our community. They chose the Foundation because they believe it’s a great steward of our community’s resources.
The couple appreciate the nonprofits and causes the Foundation supports. Erik in particular appreciates the charities and events his donor services advisor, Mary Ellis Peterson keeps him informed about.
There’s a strong focus on Minnesota and Wisconsin in Erik and Jane’s estate plan that includes organizations like Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation, Minnesota Bike Coalition, and Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota.
“My feeling is that if we have done business and earned our living in these markets, that’s where the emphasis should be when giving back,” Erik said.
“It would be really cool if people could look and say that trail is Erik and Jane’s trail. And that Erik’s company was a thriving entity that is still giving back,” he added.