Planview Teams Up with Tech Companies from Austin and Houston for BP MS 150

With 9,000 cyclists, 3,500 volunteers, and countless spectators along the 150-mile route between Houston and Austin, the BP MS 150 ride is the largest fund-raising event for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The event aims to raise $14 million for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in order to support the 2.2 million people living with multiple sclerosis.

The Houston-to-Austin event is historically dominated by Houston-based companies in the energy sector with less than 7 percent of the riders coming from Austin. Six tech companies joined forces for the 2018 event, taking on a grueling ride and great cause together.

For the more than 70 riders from Facebook, Planview, Protiviti, PROS, SailPoint, and Wells Fargo, planning began months ago with daily conditioning and weekly training rides to build strength and endurance for the 150-mile trek.

The two-day ride requires an overnight stopover. This year, six companies with roots in the tech industry decided to pool resources for their tent in La Grange, Texas. Cyclists begin the ride in Houston, only to overnight in La Grange before striking out for the remaining miles, and the hilliest portion of the ride, into Austin.

“It’s great to see companies from the tech sector coming together for a great ride for a great cause,” said Vic Chynoweth, CFO of Austin-based Planview and second-year BP MS 150 rider. “It’s a beautiful, if grueling ride, that brings out the best in people, from the cyclists to the volunteers, to the sponsors and supporters. The best part of the weekend is the finish line. It marks the end of an incredible experience, but it is also the milestone in an ongoing journey for the hundreds of people living with MS who attend.”

“It’s about camaraderie and community as much as the necessities for these riders,” said Ray Inn, six-year rider for Protiviti and the coordinator for the “High Tech Tent.” “This event takes a lot out of the riders. The overnight in La Grange gives them a chance to replace the calories burned on day one … as many as 10,000 … recharge mentally and share stories of the experience with other riders. With the great cause, motivation is surprisingly easy to come by, despite the grind.”

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 2.3 million worldwide. The National MS Society mobilizes people and resources so that everyone affected by multiple sclerosis can live their best lives. Last year, the Society invested $40 million in MS research with more than 360 active projects around the world. Through its comprehensive nationwide network of services, the Society devoted $100 million to help more than 1 million people affected by. Learn more at nationalMSsociety.org.

About Planview
As the global leader in work and resource management, Planview makes it easier for all organizations to achieve their business goals. We provide the industry’s most comprehensive solutions designed for strategic planning, portfolio and resource management, product innovation, capability and technology management, Lean and Agile delivery, and collaborative work management. Our solutions span every class of work, resource, and organization to address the varying needs of diverse and distributed teams, departments, and enterprises. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Planview’s more than 700 employees serve 5,000 customers worldwide through a culture of innovative technology leadership, deep market expertise, and highly engaged communities. For more information, visit: Planview.com