Our Story.
Built on legacy. Driven by conviction. Rooted in community.
A pioneer who built
the right way.
Richard Thams was a man who saw opportunity where others saw risk, and who built everything he touched with integrity at the center. In an industry most people had never heard of — nondestructive testing — he had the clarity and courage to go all in.
In 1968, he purchased X-Ray Industries and relocated his family to Detroit, pioneering technology that would support the development of nuclear power infrastructure across the country. When Picker X-Ray exited the market in 1971, Richard didn't step back — he stepped forward.
He founded Test Equipment Distributors (TED), and with relentless effort, family support, and an unshakeable belief in doing business the right way, built it into a nationwide leader in NDT equipment and supplies. By 2021, TED celebrated its 50th anniversary — a testament to consistency, resilience, and the kind of leadership that creates something bigger than yourself.
Built in his
honor.
When Evan reconnected with his grandfather's story, something crystallized. Here was a blueprint — not for a specific industry, but for how to build. With conviction. With community at the center. With a refusal to cut corners even when no one was watching.
He looked at the shared scooter industry and saw exactly what Richard would have seen: a market that had scaled fast, cut corners, and left communities to deal with the mess. Dead batteries. Sidewalk clutter. No accountability. Cities pushing back. Operators walking away.
Scooter Your Way was founded as the answer to that failure — a docked, community-first micromobility network built to start locally and scale globally, that eliminates scooter waste, gives back to local communities, and operates with the kind of transparency and integrity that builds something meant to last. Not just a scooter company. A legacy in motion.
Rides that give back.
The people building it.
Tap any founder to learn their story.
Evan built his foundation in the automotive industry, working with General Motors and third-party operations focused on vehicle inspections, parts verification, and repair quality — giving him a deep understanding of safety standards, engineering discipline, and operational precision. Two years in, his grandfather shared the story of Evan's great-uncle: a founder who built his own nuclear power plant company from the ground up. That legacy of entrepreneurship became the spark that pushed Evan to pursue his own path as a builder.
Evan leads Scooter Your Way with a mission shaped by a problem he discovered firsthand: the micromobility industry was failing communities. Scooters were unreliable, service was inconsistent, and companies prioritized profit over people. His philosophy is simple — do everything possible for the people you serve. Today, Evan is building the team, developing the company's platform, and working alongside his co-founders to create a culture rooted in creativity, discipline, and long-term vision. He is committed to making SYW the most trusted mobility company in the world.
Before becoming COO of Scooter Your Way, Michael Thomas spent more than 20 years leading operations, customer experience, field services, and technology deployments across the telecommunications and hospitality industries. Throughout his career, Michael built a reputation for improving operational performance, scaling teams, and delivering exceptional customer experiences. His leadership philosophy is rooted in accountability, continuous improvement, and a commitment to putting customers first. His experience building high-performing organizations and solving complex operational challenges made him a natural fit for a company focused on transforming mobility through reliability and service.
As Chief Operating Officer, Michael is responsible for turning strategy into execution — overseeing operations, customer experience, business processes, technology initiatives, and organizational growth. Working alongside Evan Thams, he is building the systems and culture that will support Scooter Your Way's long-term success, ensuring the company delivers safe, dependable, and customer-focused mobility solutions while maintaining the operational excellence needed to scale. Michael is committed to helping SYW become one of the most trusted names in micromobility — a company known for reliability, service, and community impact.
Brandon Tompkins spent 15 years launching technology products across industries ranging from law enforcement and sports tech to healthcare and financial technology. As CPO at LeadsOnline, a law enforcement technology company, he led product strategy end to end; as founder of Syntra, a product management consulting firm, he has helped companies embed AI into their products and adopt it across their organizations, supported private equity portfolio companies in sharpening strategy and scaling, and led payments implementations within SaaS platforms. Across every engagement, Brandon is known for taking products from concept to launch, building partnerships that unlock new capabilities, and solving hard problems with a sharp, analytical, execution-first mindset.
As CPO, Brandon leads product strategy and the consumer experience at Scooter Your Way — translating the company's vision into the platform, app, and rider journey that bring it to life. He bridges technical reality and market opportunity, building the product infrastructure that lets SYW scale without losing its community-first soul.
Justin brings nearly two decades of senior finance leadership across the gaming, hospitality, and multi-site services industries, at companies ranging from $25M to $25B in revenue. He has served as Chief Financial Officer and led finance organizations through significant growth, capital raises, M&A and the integration of more than twenty acquisitions, ERP transformations, and the use of analytics and AI to strengthen financial decision-making.
As Chief Financial Officer, Justin leads finance for Scooter Your Way and is building the company's financial foundation as it grows. He brings institutional finance discipline to reporting, capital strategy, and controls — and as a member of the executive team helps guide the business toward its next stages of growth and investment.
Paul brings over 20 years of progressive leadership driving financial strategy, IT oversight, and operational effectiveness for budgets up to $250M. After eight years at KPMG directing compliance and audit services, he attended an international graduate program at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, concentrating on US national security and international development — then spent years applying that expertise through USAID and the US State Department.
Paul applies his deep financial and strategic experience to Scooter Your Way's growth. As a Michigan native, he joined eager to support local business — believing that small business success directly drives community cohesiveness and economic strength. He continues supporting international development through global contracts while helping build SYW's financial foundation.
Let's ride
it out.
What started as an idea has become a foundation, a culture, and a future. We're still building — and we'd love for you to be part of it.