President’s Message
Steve Dierks
The MBCA Story
Participation in the Mercedes-Benz Club of America (MBCA) begins with an enthusiasm for the marque and is the life-blood of the club. The most easily identifiable reason for member gatherings is enthusiasm. Sectional, regional and national events bring people together for friendship and fun. When I participate in MBCA activities, I am among friends. I look forward to each successive opportunity.
Every organization has a story that begins with why the organization exists. According to the current MBCA Procedures Manual, the organization has six defined purposes: To serve the interests of active members through official contacts with Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz USA, assemble members and guests in social settings, provide opportunities to enhance members’ enjoyment of their M-B vehicles, facilitate procurement of technical and engineering information about Mercedes-Benz vehicles, participate in events that highlight these magnificent cars, and to represent the marque in contemporary motoring circles (page 3).
We tell the MBCA story by what we say and by what we do. Club events are the core elements that bring members together for friendship and fun. They illustrate the MBCA story. Section newsletters are filled with accounts of locally organized defensive-driving programs, autocross challenges, tours, tech sessions, holiday celebrations, car shows and other events. At the National level, the club hosts events such as StarFest®, StarTech, Tri-O-Rama, Gemütlichkeit, Western Caravan, Southern Treffen and StarTrack. The national events are venues that attract participation from club members across the country, and the MBCA subsidizes these events to offset some of the costs. Because the MBCA’s subsidized national events are vitally important, the Board of Directors has initiated an in-depth evaluation of the national-event structure.
An independent organization, AMCI Global, has been engaged to study the club’s national events menu, assess events’ meaningfulness to MBCA members and to develop specific recommendations about the content, duration, location and implementation subsidized national events for the future. The company’s purpose is to gain a fresh perspective of MBCA events and enable the club to craft a menu of events that facilitates members having fun with friends while sharing their enthusiasm and common interests.
The process is a multi-faceted one that includes direct contact with similar automotive enthusiast organizations and an analysis of their respective event menus. AMCI representatives have surveyed a cross-section of MBCA members about their participation in sectional, regional and national events, and conducted one-on-one interviews with multiple MBCA members and previous event organizers. Member feedback already has provided volumes of useful information, including valuable insights into providing meaningful opportunities for member participation. The entire process is actionable because we plan to do something with the results. Regional Directors will share the specifics of the national events review process and the recommendations proposed for future national events very soon. We will have a summary in the next issue of The Star.
Your MBCA is a vibrant, growing, forward thinking and relevant 21st-century member organization. That’s my MBCA story.
Steve Dierks
The MBCA Story
Participation in the Mercedes-Benz Club of America (MBCA) begins with an enthusiasm for the marque and is the life-blood of the club. The most easily identifiable reason for member gatherings is enthusiasm. Sectional, regional and national events bring people together for friendship and fun. When I participate in MBCA activities, I am among friends. I look forward to each successive opportunity.
Every organization has a story that begins with why the organization exists. According to the current MBCA Procedures Manual, the organization has six defined purposes: To serve the interests of active members through official contacts with Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz USA, assemble members and guests in social settings, provide opportunities to enhance members’ enjoyment of their M-B vehicles, facilitate procurement of technical and engineering information about Mercedes-Benz vehicles, participate in events that highlight these magnificent cars, and to represent the marque in contemporary motoring circles (page 3).
We tell the MBCA story by what we say and by what we do. Club events are the core elements that bring members together for friendship and fun. They illustrate the MBCA story. Section newsletters are filled with accounts of locally organized defensive-driving programs, autocross challenges, tours, tech sessions, holiday celebrations, car shows and other events. At the National level, the club hosts events such as StarFest®, StarTech, Tri-O-Rama, Gemütlichkeit, Western Caravan, Southern Treffen and StarTrack. The national events are venues that attract participation from club members across the country, and the MBCA subsidizes these events to offset some of the costs. Because the MBCA’s subsidized national events are vitally important, the Board of Directors has initiated an in-depth evaluation of the national-event structure.
An independent organization, AMCI Global, has been engaged to study the club’s national events menu, assess events’ meaningfulness to MBCA members and to develop specific recommendations about the content, duration, location and implementation subsidized national events for the future. The company’s purpose is to gain a fresh perspective of MBCA events and enable the club to craft a menu of events that facilitates members having fun with friends while sharing their enthusiasm and common interests.
The process is a multi-faceted one that includes direct contact with similar automotive enthusiast organizations and an analysis of their respective event menus. AMCI representatives have surveyed a cross-section of MBCA members about their participation in sectional, regional and national events, and conducted one-on-one interviews with multiple MBCA members and previous event organizers. Member feedback already has provided volumes of useful information, including valuable insights into providing meaningful opportunities for member participation. The entire process is actionable because we plan to do something with the results. Regional Directors will share the specifics of the national events review process and the recommendations proposed for future national events very soon. We will have a summary in the next issue of The Star.
Your MBCA is a vibrant, growing, forward thinking and relevant 21st-century member organization. That’s my MBCA story.