RIVERSIDE-BROOKFIELD Who’s coming to Brookfield Shops?
$1.00
Vol. 41, No. 2
Pages 4,5, and 6
January 14, 2026
Cycle Brookfield has a bike-load in store for 2026
Making candy and building a business Doug Taylor of Taylor’s Candy is a guest on Jack Pitts’ ‘The Making Of’
President Chris Valadez says this year will be his last at the group’s helm
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Doug Taylor, a Brookfield resident and senior employee at his family business Taylor’s Candy, was recently featured on ‘The Making Of,’ a new podcast by Jack Pitts, who grew up in the area. “I love listening to podcasts. One of my favorites and why I was interested in [starting my own] is How I Built This, which is an NPR podcast. This guy named Guy Raz interviews entrepreneurs, and I really like how they’re telling their stories. You hear the overnight success, but you don’t know, actually know, of the, ‘Hey, we almost failed,’ or, ‘I was 55 when I started this business,’” Pitts said. “I work in finance, private equity, so I deal with business owners all the time. I was like, ‘Hey, why not do a podcast where I get to tell their stories?’” See PODCAST on page 12
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
PROVIDED BY JACK PITTS
Brookfield resident Doug Taylor is featured on ‘The Making Of’ podcast, hosted by Jack Pitts.
Chris Valadez, the president of Cycle Brookfield, said the transportation advocacy and biking community group has a lot planned for 2026, but the year will be his last leading the organization. “It’s been my honor, and I get emotional, if not choked up, most of the time thinking about how this community has embraced the [Cycle Brookfield Criterium] and the idea of bikes,” he told the Landmark. “Bringing the race took a lot of trust from the residents, from the village, from the community, and leaving it in a really positive, healthy spot — I can’t think of a better way to step away.” Valadez said he plans to step down at the end of the year, with other members of the group taking his place once the calendar rolls over to 2027. In the meantime, Valadez said he has a lot planned for the group before he departs, including long and short events. Cycle Brookfield is well known for its role in See CYCLE on page 11
Follow us on Instagram! @riversidebrookfield_landmark Top stories, local government, features, events, dining, art, and sports right at your fingertips!