Harry Meyer Tarheel Chapter I am Harry Meyer and I am running for the office of Treasurer for the BMW Car Club of America. Driving Background I’ve been a car guy my whole life, and I’ve had more cars than I can remember. I ordered my first BMW in 2015, a 2016 M235i. I took delivery at the Performance Driving Center. The opportunity to drive one of their M235i fleet was an incredible experience and ignited my desire to become a better driver and join the BMW family. My first real track experience was in my M235i at Virginia International Raceway in June 2016. The M235i power, brakes and handling are so good, I decided I needed a car that would teach me how to drive and bought a 1990 e30 325is. I progressed from D group to A and successfully completed race school, reaching A+ level. I began helping with our chapter club races, including driving the pace/safety car for race school and races. Eventually, I worked with a chapter leader to acquire and build a Spec e36 racecar, beginning my racing career with BMW CCA. I am currently a member of the Tarheel Chapter Driving Event Committee as the Tire Rack Street Survival Organizer. I was able to secure a facility to run two, full weekend schools of 30 students per day after years of the chapter not being able to offer the program. Professional Financial Background I earned a B.S. in Business Administration-Finance from Virginia Tech in 1976. In 1978 I began my career in the Examination Division of the Internal Revenue Service. I subsequently completed additional course work in accounting. I completed my 30-year career as an Internal Revenue Agent in the Large and Mid-Size Business Division. In my professional career, I had the opportunity see the operations of hundreds of successful and unsuccessful organizations. BMW CCA Perspective BMW CCA faces significant challenges that impact the financial health of the organization. These include: 1) to generate and retain dues-paying members, 2) to ensure all programs are relevant and add value to members, 3) to take full advantage of available partnerships and financial support, and 4) to put club assets to best use. Ensuring the financial health of CCA requires tough decisions, and I am committed to identifying solutions to challenges ahead.
To all of my fellow BMW CCA members, Over the past few years, I have nominated a couple of great people for positions in our National Leadership. First Simone Harrison for the Southeast Region VP, and then Jeff Caldwell for our President. Simone has done an amazing job in the Southeast Region, forming alliances and cooperation among the chapters, and growing membership. Simone is now serving her second term, and I hope she continues for a good while. She has started something great, and we need to keep going. Jeff became our President this year. He has spent the last few months getting the lay of the land, and has already made an impact. For next year, he has found a way to gain the cooperation of a local chapter to host O’Fest, and more amazing, it will be centered around a track that I believe is on everyone’s bucket list, Road America. This is the way O’Fests were originally held. A local chapter as the host, and the National office as support. Financially and logistically, this makes much more sense. This year, I am nominating Harry Meyer for the National Board Treasurer. Harry is a 30 year veteran of the Internal Revenue Service, where he ended up holding leadership and instructing positions. I am nominating Harry to help the Board to review past finances, as well as providing guidance on planning. Harry’s experience in forensic accounting and financial analytics makes him one of the most qualified candidates to be found. Harry’s club participation is outstanding. Harry is a Club Racer, provider of gourmet meals at the track and maybe best of all, runs the Street Survival program for the Tarheel Chapter. Harry is a friend to everyone, and is very enthusiastic about getting to serve on the National Board Sincerely, Jack Sugameli #441937
Jack, thanks for your engagement in the Club's well-being and future, and for all you do for your Chapter and the CCA. As a volunteer-run organization, we need the help of as many members as we can get to make sure that everyone has a great membership experience. I'd like to clarify a couple of points in your post: -Simone Harrison recently stepped down as RVP for the South Atlantic Region. I will miss her insight, business acumen, and voice on the Board terribly, but know she will continue to do great things for her Chapter and region. The Board is currently working on someone to fill her shoes. -As Executive Vice President, National Events are part of my portfolio. Speaking specifically to O'Fest, while we have enjoyed Jeff's general support as well as that of the rest of the Board when we meet to discuss as part of our regular agenda, it is primarily Frank Patek, the Club's Executive Director, and other Office staff who have been coordinating with Badger Bimmers on the event at Road America. I am helping from an oversight perspective. This is normal - the President generally is more concerned with governance and strategy than event planning. As the former Club Treasurer from 2016-2023, I am curious about your comment re: Club finances. If I can provide information or clarify anything, I am happy to do so. Harry, thanks for your service to Tarheel, Tire Rack Street Survival, the CCA, and your interest in being part on the Board. I hope that you are keeping an eye on this message Board. If so, I'd like to ask a couple of questions to help the members as they think about the upcoming election: -What previous Board service experience do you have? -What previous experience working with non-profit organizations do you have? -Can you share any experience from your time in the IRS, or elsewhere, working with 501(c)(7) organizations? -What kind of issues did you see, and how did you address them? Thanks again for your interest and best of luck, Brian Thomason Member# 283624 BMW CCA Executive Vice President
Jack, I must echo what Brian said above. The fact that Ofest returns in 2025 is the result of a long and ongoing conversation with Badger Bimmers. The chapter decided that that time was right and as an organization we had the privilege of saying "yes". All driving programs will be run by and underwritten by Badger Bimmers - except for Car Control Clinic and Club Racing. BMW CCA national will underwrite those events and cover any and all losses that they generate. National Events fall under the title of the Executive Vice-President and will be executed under that authority. Fortunately, for the members of BMW CCA our board and staff operates cohesively and will continue to do so. Thank you, Frank Patek
Thanks for the questions Brian, I agree it is important for our fellow members to be able to make an informed decision when voting. I have served in many capacities on Boards and Committees through the years. I have been an active member of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). During the later years of my employment, I was selected to be a steward for my chapter of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). Subsequently, I was elected as Eastern Vice President for the chapter. NTEU is a 501(c)(5) under the Internal Revenue Code. I was an invited participant on a national IRS Committee to refine the application software course that all of the agents in the Large and Mid-Size Business Division (LMSB) were required to attend. I also served as an invited member of the LMSB Case Quality Improvement Council, a national group of managers and employees. The council was tasked with simplifying and bringing greater consistency to the work flow. In addition to my professional contributions to the Council’s work, I took responsibility for coordinating meeting locations to minimize cost with participants attending from across the country. There are numerous classifications of tax-exempt organizations under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c). The various subsections describe the nature of that particular exempt organization. In my time with the IRS we had dealings with many of them. In short, and generally: 501(c)(3) is for religious, charitable, or educational organizations. 501(c)(5) is for labor, agricultural or horticultural organizations. 501(c)(7) is for clubs for pleasure, recreational or other nonprofitable purposes. BMW CCA is a 501(c)(7). There have been 29 categories of exempt organizations. Some are no longer listed or relevant. A significant assignment during my career was to a Coordinated Examination Program case for which the Tax Exempt-Employee Plans Division was the lead on the case. Under the Internal Revenue Code and Privacy Act, I can’t discuss that matter in any greater detail. My work as the Raleigh Organizer for the Street Survival program of the BMW CCA Foundation is a significant front line leadership position in furtherance of a 501(c)(3). I was able to secure a facility after years of our chapter not being able to do so. We hosted 30 students per day on Saturday and Sunday, for two years. I adapted the plan in order to continue the program during Covid, taking best practice precautions to prevent transmission. I was responsible for all facets of the events and assuring that the various leads had the resources necessary to successfully execute their areas of responsibility. Our BMW CCA is facing a constantly changing demographic, we need to closely examine where we have been, and what is our best fiscal plan for what’s to come. We experienced a dramatic drop in membership in the early 2020’s. We really need to turn that around. Harry Meyer
We ask anyone who posts on the candidate statement threads to add their first and last name to any post they make to identify themselves for other members reading. Thank you. Edward Tamsberg Director of IT
Thank you for leaning forward and volunteering to serve our membership in a role on the National Board. I can personally attest that it will be both challenging and rewarding for whomever wins the election. In hopes of further understanding your inspiration and motivation, can you please answer a couple of questions? As Treasurer, what do you think are the most important near-term opportunities to secure and sustain the financial future of the club? Conversely, what do you think are the top three financial challenges facing the club and how do you propose to overcome them? Very Respectfully, Mark Hall Member #74754 BMW CCA Secretary
Thank you for the question. I’ve been doing my best for the last six months or so to learn as much as I can about the operations and financial condition of the organization. I have reviewed all of the Federal Tax Returns (Form 990) since 2016. Additionally, I have researched the purchase of the land and buildings, and read the board minutes to discover topics of consideration and concern. Unfortunately, the most recent financial report available with any detail is for the period of January to October, 2023. I have reviewed the 2023 Federal Income Tax Return, which was filed in November 2024 and have used that as a basis of analysis. Based on the 2023 partial year detailed information and the full year tax return, it appears that publications are costing over $1 million a year in excess of advertising revenue. This shortfall is responsible for a loss in 2023 of $462,000. It would be interesting to know what the recent changes in the publication schedule has done to improve this situation. Postage and printing are the major contributors to the expense of publication and they are not going down. I would like to see a three to five year strategic plan for the publications that takes into consideration staffing, page count, format and frequency. Since the land and building are the most significant assets of the club, I would like to make certain that those assets are working to benefit the members to the greatest degree possible. I understand that one building on the property is vacant and the other, only partially occupied. Unused space should be offered for rent. Approximately half of the member’s prepaid dues are tied up in the cost of the property. After digging into the event numbers, I was pleasantly surprised that with the exception of Club Racing, they are essentially breaking even. Club Racing is contributing over $150,000 to the bottom line. The financial results for events can change with the weather. Without sponsorships, all but one of the events would have lost money. Registrations provide the bulk of the revenue and incentives for early registration should be communicated to the membership and lock in that revenue. The greatest challenge is obviously decreasing membership. The club needs to find new attractions for a younger demographic. The club also needs to do a better job of communicating the benefits it currently offers, and definitely research what will draw younger members into the club. Harry Meyer
Harry, thanks again for the thoughtful and complete response to Mark's question. I would like to clarify two things you mentioned: -There are no vacant buildings, or vacant space. One building is rented to the MOA and most of the flex space in the building occupied by the CCA, including the garage, is rented from time to to time by BMW, or other groups. We generated approximately $68,000 in rental income in 2024. -With regard to renting additional space, we have to be careful. Having worked for the Service, I'm sure you're aware that as a 501(c)(7) we are limited by the IRS and Department of the Treasury in the amount of non-member income we can generate. The safe harbor is 5% with some flexibility. Given that we generated roughly $640k in 2024 between sponsorships and rents, which are non-member sources, we are OK at this level but don't have much more room to generate non-member income. I hope this helps clarify. Brian Thomason Executive Vice President CCA Member # 283624
Harry, Appreciate those insights, most of which you may be pleased to know have come up at one time or another at recent board meetings. With the exception of those that fall within Brian’s cautions about the bounds of what we can do as a non-profit, they are worth further consideration. Very Respectfully, Mark Hall Member #74754 BMW CCA Secretary
