Serotta has pioneered almost every custom bicycle frame innovation over the past forty years. They have always set the bar for accuracy, build quality and finish for all others to compare. In May this year Serotta made a big shift as interim CEO Howard Berkowitz stepped in for founder Ben Serotta. Ben continues with the company focusing on their creative vision and innovation, and now that Berkowitz has taken the helm, we wanted to learn more about him and the direction he’s looking to take Serotta.

At 47 years old with 25 successful years in corporate sales and management, Berkowitz considers himself the black sheep of the family. He comes from a family of teachers, doctors and nurses, so moving up the ranks working with Fortune 500’s wasn’t exactly the track he was expected to follow. It turns out that ultimately the work he found most exciting had something to do with making a difference for others anyway. At his previous position with Zimmer, a medical device distributer, he found himself consulting with physicians, observing hi-tech surgeries and even meeting patients.

“It hit me one day when I was in Springfield, MA and I was walking into the biggest orthopedic practice there. I held the door for a patient who looked like a sweet grandma. She was walking with a cane. 2 weeks later that same lady was on the operating room table when I came in to observe a surgery. 4 weeks later I came back to the office and held the door for her again to find her walking fine…without her cane. I thought – wow, I love this job! What really turned me on was that there wasn’t a loser in this equation. If I was really good at my job the physician would be better off, the patient would be better off, and the hospital delivering the care would be better off. With a lot of the other business endeavors I was exposed to after college I knew I could be successful and make a lot of money, but it usually meant there was a loser. Here I got to work my butt off and be super successful but it wasn’t at the detriment of those I was interacting with. I was contributing.”

Berkowitz spent 20 years with Zimmer, but about 3 years ago decided to take a look at his career and the 100 nights a year it was requiring him to spend away from his growing family. He also saw an opportunity in Serotta to be part of a company with a strong history of mutual commitment between employees and management, as well as a clear focus on US produced products.

“What I think has changed in the world of business today is that there used to be a reciprocity in the relationship between the worker and the company. If you committed to the company, they would commit to you. You felt like you were on a team and there was a shared mission with a long term benefit for everyone. I don’t think that’s there anymore for most companies. I want to make sure we continue to have that at Serotta.”

Berkowitz says that idea extends even when they need something done like artwork or photography. The first thing they do is look internally to their current staff. Their graphic artist is one of their bike production guys on the floor. “I would much rather give Nick a shot at it at night and on weekends then pay some big graphic arts company out of New York City. When you embrace that mindset and put it into practice we see the results in our bike products – it comes out in the highest level of quality and efficiency our team can give.”

When it comes to production, Berkowitz is very clear about Serotta’s commitment keeping it in-house. “We absolutely, unequivocally refuse to produce any product outside of the US. It will not happen. 95% of the parts that go into the manufacturing of our bicycle frames and forks are produced in our New York and California factories. We don’t buy much from other vendors, but what we do buy is all produced in the US.”

Signature’s Paul Levine has a long history with Serotta, from starting their first fit school in 1998 to featuring their lines in his studios today. It’s a partnership that Berkowitz says is based not just on offering the best in handcrafted custom bikes, but also on common values. “Paul is without a doubt the top high-end bike retailer in the country, but he also understands his role in the customer experience. In sales there are 2 kinds of people: people who are out for themselves and people who are out to participate in a process and benefit through that. Paul is the latter. He is always willing to give his time, share his perspective, and he really cares about his clients.”

Berkowitz is also an avid cyclist himself. “I like everything about going fast on 2 wheels and training is something I need daily for my own mental and physical stability.” He rides often with his family and set up a bike shop in his garage where the neighborhood kids stop by regularly to get a tune up or fix a flat. He also leads bike expeditions and helmet safety courses with his son’s boy scout troupe. “My kids know when it’s Father’s day or my birthday – anytime it’s my day – they have to ride bikes somewhere with dad and go out to lunch.”

As far as new directions at Serotta, Berkowitz says he’s most interested in contributing to cycling innovation and real people’s enjoyment of the ride. “We didn’t embrace the trend of bigger bottom brackets and bigger head tubes, but at this point that’s not really contributing. Now Ben can really focus on new advancements in cycling. We want to create the next great innovation. We want to be a leader and at the same time be focused on the rider experience. We would love to make bikes that every rider in the Tour de France wants, but guys like me won’t actually ride those bikes. They’re too stiff and uncomfortable. We want to make bikes for people who live a normal life but want to ride like a champion.”

See Signature’s gallery of Serotta bikes HERE