Puget Sound Chapter I am a candidate for the Pacific Regional Vice President position. I have been a member of BMW CCA since 1998, getting my start in chapter activities in the Tarheel Chapter. Since moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2003, I have been involved in the Puget Sound Chapter as a two-term president, Co-Chief Driving Instructor, assistant editor of the Zündfolge (our chapter newsletter), and now a contributing editor for the chapter website. The BMW CCA National’s responsibility is to serve the membership. The Chapter leadership is responsible for organizing BMW related functions and events: tours, social events, and track events. The chapters face many challenges, including an aging membership, appealing to younger BMW enthusiasts, transition to electronic communication, diminished funds due to the new dues arrangement, and demonstrating that having a BMW CCA membership is valuable. What can an RVP do to help chapters? I believe that the RVP should be a silent partner in Chapter operations, but vocal and visible when needed. The RVP needs to help chapters share best practices, figure out what works for the members of their chapter, and facilitate outreach to social media-based organizations that younger people tend to join. Most of all, the RVP is the advocate of the chapters at the national board level. Meeting these goals requires cooperation with Chapter leadership. My plan would be to have regular meetings with all Pacific Region chapters by attending board meetings in person or electronically. Those chapters that need help organizing events or are having operational difficulty will be prioritized. My goals may sound ambitious, and they are, but it is important to tackle these issues. We owe it to the membership to provide value for their membership. I would greatly appreciate your vote and the opportunity to serve at the Regional Vice President for the Pacific Region.
