periods very risky to an organization. Some people don’t like to hear that the MOA has a business side, but it does, and the process we followed is standard practice for organi- zations in our situation. No one should take this as a negative reflection on affected staff – absolutely not. There are just other con- siderations. However, although the details are a confidential personal matter, I can assure you that we did all we could to take all
these concerns into account from all
perspectives and to show the club’s appre- ciation for their years of dedication. – Director Greg Feeler
Q: A: Q:
I’ve heard it said many times that, “The MOA ain’t like it was
back in ’82” (or fill in any year anyone considers the “good old days”). Change is inevitable, but what attributes of the “good old days” of the organization is the leader- ship trying to preserve and what is the strategy of balancing the new guard and the old guard?
My membership number is 2241, so I think I have a pretty good idea
of the “good old days” in 1973, and how the club has evolved over four and a half decades. First, the good old days were sel- dom as good as we remember. At the 1977 Colorado Springs Rally we camped on cac- tus and showered in cold water plywood stalls! It was a lot more informal, with less structure and lower expectations. For example, many of the members who remember those times fondly were camp- ing on the ground then but are staying in hotels now. However, probably the biggest change
over the years is that whereas BMW made only one type of bike when the club was founded in 1972, they now make 23 widely different models. Those different bikes are made for different kinds of riding and therefore appeal to riders with very differ- ent interests. The club was created to reflect the needs of our members, so this change in member interests over the years has
inevitably changed the “feel” of the club. Also, as has been said before, the world has changed in 44 years, and very little else is as it was in ’72 or ’82. It’s hard to keep the inti- macy of an 8,000-member club at four times that number, but we are doing all we can to keep the traditional values of the club, while accommodating change and appealing to a much more diverse membership.
– Director Greg Feeler
leadership looked into this possibility in the past or in our future as a cost/benefit recruitment tool?
A:
Along those same lines, I’ve noticed in Owners News a desire
and effort to highlight more diversity in the people that are MOA members and BMW riders. BMW riders
seem to be
tagged as stuck-up, old, rich, white guys, and both Owners News and our social media platforms are working hard to debunk that image. As Bill Wiegand pointed out at the BoD meeting, BMW has 23 different models each with a loyal and different demographic. What is the leadership’s strategy to include the many varying demographics riding BMWs without ostracizing or polarizing other groups?
A:
Continued social media contact is one area we believe will allow
more BMW brand riders to learn of the MOA, our benefits and activities. More nontraditional riding activities are other areas we're working on. We believe anytime you provide riders a reason to ride, good things happen. More varied riding oppor- tunities will result in membership growth. – President Chuck Manley
Q:
Yes, we began discussing this idea several years ago. Seeing an excit-
ing video the first time you visit the MOA website would be an excellent marketing tool. Unfortunately producing a profes- sional video is expensive and not in our present budget. We may be a year or two away from this becoming reality. – President Chuck Manley
Q:
While the MOA clearly has a business aspect of its existence,
motorcycle riding is, at its most basic, a visceral passion that brings riders of all walks of life together like a close knit tribe. I encourage and am encouraged when I see the leadership on bikes, in tents, and fully participating in the riding lifestyle. Strategically speaking, how does the BoD address the need to run a Not for Profit, international organization and still remain relevant and in touch with the membership?
A:
I’ve always believed that the point of any motorcycle club is to make
owning and riding your bike more enjoy- able. However, as you said, we are also a business, and in today’s world it requires sharp business management to ensure that we can continue to fulfil our primary mis- sion of having fun. Every Board’s challenge is to keep that business side as much in the background as possible, but sometimes it pokes through. A large part of our long-term success and
What led me to BMW motorcy- cles began with an eight-minute
YouTube video promo commercial, “BMW Motorrad Films R 1200 RT Ride through Norway.” Can we as members ever expect to see an MOA video extolling the virtues of our organization? Has the
“family” feel is a result of that passion you mentioned, and of the volunteer spirit. A couple of ways we are encouraging member involvement so folks can “own a piece of the club” is through programs like the Regional Coordinators, and the MOA Getaways. – Director Greg Feeler
March 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
21
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124