Q: A:
How is the new Regional Coordinator
program
working out, and would it be possi- ble to list them and their contact information, or direct the member- ship as to where we could find them?
The Regional Coordinators are tasked with visiting
BMW dealers monthly and contact- ing Chartered Clubs quarterly. In addition, each RC will be responsible for hosting a one-day event in their region annually. This is a new effort that is only about six months old. The RCs continue to build their team of volunteers to assist them in their mis- sion. RC names and contact info will be announced soon, if not already by the time this article appears. – President Chuck Manley
Q: Q:
I don’t think all of our members fully appreciate the sacrifice and
dedication that goes with serving as a BoD member or MOA volunteer. While we are effective at recognizing the contributions of our volunteers, please describe what it takes to be a Board member. I’m not really talking about a standard position descrip- tion here, but more of the personal side of what it takes. This is your chance to let the membership know just how much work is going
into
During the BoD open ses- sion, Chuck described the
major points of our strategic five- year plan. One that caught my attention was the “increased value of belonging.” Also mentioned were several new projects like the new digital anonymous book and the possibility of MOA members receiv- ing discounts through BMW on new bike purchases. Could you further explain your vision for increased value of belonging, both the tangible and non-tangible aspects of that strategic value?
A:
In addition to the new proj- ects you mentioned, in early
2015 we introduced the Platinum Roadside Assistance and Tire Protec- tion Program as a membership upgrade. In the past two years we've created a MOA Business Partner net- work of over 50 companies that pro- vide discounts on products and services members use every day. This
22 BMW OWNERS NEWS March 2016 A: running this organization. Don’t be humble. They need to know.
Since you asked, it does take a lot of time – and patience. There are
three physical two-day meetings (each with two full or partial days of travel), one at the rally, and occasional special meetings. The three standing committees have a confer- ence call each month, as does the full Board. Many Board members help with rally site selection, work on the MOA Getaways, or chair a key committee at the rally. There is often “homework” outside of calls or meet- ings and many emails to read and send. Doing the math, the typical Board member spends a minimum of 15 to 20 hours a month on MOA business, and often more. The officers have heavier workloads. When I was President there were situations which came up requiring several times as many hours in a month. One month, Jackie Hughes and I spent 36 hours on phone interviews with candidates to fill a Board vacancy. Also, you usually have little or no choice about when these are scheduled, so many personal interests have to take a back seat. But, more than the time, the nature of the
far exceeds benefits being offered by the Harley Owners Group, Gold Wing Road Riders Association, and AMA. You can read about the new free MOA Hotline ser- vice elsewhere in this issue. All of these value added benefits for $40 year. – President Chuck Manley
work is often difficult and stressful. It’s no secret that the club (like all clubs and asso- ciations) has been facing important chal- lenges over the past several years, and we’ve had to make some very difficult decisions. Every topic is well discussed and options considered, and in the end you make your decision knowing that whatever you do, not everyone will support you or try to under- stand your reasons. On the positive side, at the end of the day,
every Board member I’ve served with has always put the club first, and there is a great deal of personal satisfaction when you feel that you’ve help move it a bit further ahead. – Director Greg Feeler
Q:
I think industry, and specifically BMW, is figuring out that Top
Down engineering and marketing has its limits. In the last eight years of riding BMWs I’ve noticed a trend where after- market or customization is finding its way into the OEM market. As the largest orga- nization of BMW motorcycle riders in the world, how is the MOA leveraging our purchasing power to steer or drive the engineers at BMW? Is there a magic membership number that gives us a place at the table when it comes to steering, or at least affecting the future of the product we all love so much?
A:
That question comes up in one form or another frequently. First,
it’s not a matter of a “magic” numeric size. BMW makes products for the entire world and has to figure out how to meet the needs of highly diverse markets with a relative handful of models (by today’s standards). North America is just one of those markets. They spend a lot of money on research, part of which is watching the aftermarket as you noted. One of the best ways the MOA can “influence” BMW’s products is to do our best job of providing good venues for our members to enjoy their different styles of bikes. The rapid growth in dual-sport
the club
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