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Cascade Bicycle Club Executive Director Chuck Ayers says he’ll will leave his position April 12 to pursue other, unspecified opportunities. (Jon Lok/The Seattle Times)

A national search for the next executive director of the Cascade Bicycle Club has begun after Chuck Ayers announced he has decided to leave the organization.

Ayers was once ousted by the club’s board in 2010 amid internal disagreements over lobbying methods, but he was then brought back.

Ayers, who has been with the organization for 16 years, said his decision to leave now, at what he considers a high-point in the club’s history, is a completely personal decision.

“Though this may be a surprise to you, I have been thinking about this transition for a while,” Ayers said in a post on the club’s website. “It is important to me to leave the organization in a position of strength. That time has come.”

Ayers said the club now has 15,000 members, has obvious sway with local politicians, and is selling out its events earlier every year.

He says in his post that watching his children go to college and pursue new opportunities has tempted him to pursue new opportunities of his own. He’s not specific, though, about what those might be.

Ayers’ last day will be April 12, but he’ll still be around Seattle biking and supporting the organization.