The BMW CCA has changed a lot in the 23 years that I’ve been involved—and that evolution is far from finished. From Internet forums to Facebook and Twitter, various social media have changed the way people communicate and stay in touch with friends and family; for many, these media have replaced the need to meet and gather in person to share ideas and experiences, which has always been the backbone of our BMW CCA chapters. Add the changing views of younger drivers, who don’t necessarily see getting their driver’s license as a rite of passage—many teens are more interested in getting the latest iPhone than in getting a car!—and you begin to get a sense of the long-term challenges facing the Club. My goal as a member of the National Board has been—and will continue to be—to find a way to shape the Club to remain relevant with these changing views, while still meeting the needs of the true enthusiasts. After all, the Club was built on the needs and desires of BMW enthusiasts to meet and share information, to share ideas—and to get together and actually drive the cars we all love so much. We simply cannot lose sight of the fact that the core of the Club is still the enthusiast—but we also need to find a way to bring new members, with their new enthusiasms and ideas, into the BMW CCA fold. I am committed to finding a way to make this Club an organization that people want to join—one that meets the needs of all its members, whether you prefer to turn a steering wheel or just turn the page on your favorite website. I would like to ask for your vote for South Central Regional VP. Dan Baker
