Kudzu recently attended the Southeast Building Conference in Orlando, FL and hosted the Kudzu BrewFest and Karaoke happy hour leading up to a concert by the Charlie Daniels Band. With the help of the “Hat Man” we got the party started and had some great performances. Check out the photos and see you at the next Kudzu event!

As a part of the Kudzu,com Breakfast Break with WSB 750AM Radio in Atlanta, Paige (who is one of our Atlanta account executives) joined Scott Slade and Heidi Mason to bring breakfast to the Kennesaw State University HR department. Every week we highlight a local business who “deserves a break” and we bring breakfast and Kudzu.com goodies for all…

You can hear the winning announcement right here: kudzu-biscuit-break-winner-080108.mp3

We will update the blog on a regular basis with additional visits to local businesses and highlighting our Kudzu.com Breakfast Break with WSB 750AM!

Here was the submission from KSU HR department to win the Breakfast Break…

Kennesaw State University is the 3rd largest and fastest growing institution in the University System of GA. Human Resources works so hard to keep up with the fast paced demands of our growing number of staff and faculty. As our school year winds down and faculty and students are leaving for the summer break, we’re ramping up for the craziness of summer and the new school year. It would be great to reward our department with a pick me up breakfast from Mickey D’s and WSB News Talk 750!

While many cycling enthusiasts tuned in to the beginning stages of the Tour de France over the July 4th weekend, the elite U23 cycling team (all riders are under 23 years of age) sponsored by Kudzu.com headed to New England to contest one of the longest running races in the USA, the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic (it’s actually the second longest running race.) The team is comprised of Jafer Beizer, Thomas Brown, Oscar Clark and Joey Rosskopf all residents of metro Atlanta, GA. The event consists of 4 races ranging from: an individual time trial, where racers test themselves against the clock; a 92 mile road race that finishes atop a small New England ski slope; a 48 mile circuit race where racers complete 16 laps around a 3 mile course each lap with a short steep hill past the start/finish line; and finally the last race is an action packed downtown criterium race which is cycling’s version of a short track NASCAR where racers complete 28 laps around the city’s downtown area as spectators line the streets to watch the action.

The Kudzu.com boys put on a performance that would make anyone proud! Rather than keep you in suspense, let’s begin with the punch line; they won the final two stages with a tremendous demonstration of teamwork and ability. To win a single stage is a great accomplishment, but to win two races back to back demonstrated that the Kudzu.com team meant business!! Although the weekend will be remembered for its successes, it was not without its share of bumps along the way. The team of four was reduced to three as Joey and the whole team suffered from a very subjective decision on the part of the race organizers and Joey was forced to sit out the rest of the race. This was a huge disappointment as Joey put in a solid effort for the time trial and was a key element of the team’s strategy. Joey in typical fashion, rolled with the punches and pitched in however he could, whether it was providing water bottles for his teammates or making pancakes for breakfast!

The team entered the road race with Oscar sitting only 12 seconds out of a top 5 overall position and the team worked to make sure he could inch his way closer to a podium spot for the overall. Everyone put in a solid effort in the grueling 92 mile road race and Oscar hung tough up the finishing climb to keep himself within striking distance for the next day’s circuit race. The circuit race began and the team was firing on all cylinders…well, until Jafer’s bike had a mechanical leaving him with no choice but to pull over and get service from the neutral support vehicle, resulting in him being a lap down. No sooner than Jafer rejoined the group did Oscar suffer a flat tire ending his chances for an overall position. He too would be forced to get neutral support and end up a lap down. And yet again, in true team spirit there was no time to dwell on the losses suffered and the team quickly switched gears to focus on gaining a stage win with their ace in the hole Thomas! And the team did not disappoint. With one lap to go Thomas was still towards the back of the field of racers, not to worry Jafer dropped back and towed Thomas to the front of the race passing the entire field in the remaining 1/2 lap and left Thomas off at the last corner where he handily finished off the task winning the uphill sprint finish by a sizable margin!

The last day’s criterium was a race where the boys executed in textbook fashion. The entire race Oscar and Jafer patrolled the front of the race, ensuring that the team was never in danger, while Thomas rode comfortably at the back of the field. When the race came down to the business end of the deal, the closing laps, Oscar single handedly reeled in the remnants of several riders who made an attempt at a race winning move, while Jafer dropped back to bring Thomas to the front of the race. Once Oscar brought the race back together there were two laps left on the mile long course. Jafer took over the front of the race with Thomas neatly tucked in behind him in his draft. Jeremy (the team director) called over the radio to Jafer to remind him he had to save enough for the last half lap. On the last lap Jafer kept the pace very high discouraging anyone to try and pass and providing a perfect position for Thomas. Jafer again dropped Thomas off at the last corner (which is still 400 meters from the finish line), where Thomas kicked it into high gear, put his head down and closed the deal with another win!
A job well done by the entire Kudzu.com U23 Cycling Team! You can follow the team’s adventures at teamkudzu.blogspot.com .