First, It Was the Cars
When most of us joined the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, our shared focus might have been on our Mercedes-Benz vehicle(s) and joining an organization that supported the brand we admired.
MBCA offered many areas of interest, but the real bonus (which we may not have realized then) was the people we would meet and the friends – many of whom would become our closest – we would make at local, regional, and national events. This summer, my wife Colleen and I had the opportunity to meet and spend time with hundreds of club members from across the country. We so enjoyed their hospitality and enthusiasm that I wanted to share our unique experiences with them here.
As executive director of the Kemp Auto Museum with its many rare Mercedes-Benz vehicles, each year I submit invitation forms, pictures of cars to display, and information on their histories to various concours d’elegance events. This year the response to requests to show cars was outstanding, so the story of our summer begins with meeting members.
The first event we attended is the oldest concours, the Ault Park, held in Cincinnati, Ohio. Before arriving, I made contact with Steve Rosenzweig, president of the club’s Cincinnati Section. Steve, along with many local members, attended the event. Their ideas and suggestions about the club were exciting to hear; it was indeed a pleasure to spend time with this energized group of enthusiasts.
Then it was off to June Jamboree at MBUSA’s headquarters in Montvale, New Jersey. Werner Fehlauer, Regional Director of our Mid-Atlantic Region, and Joe Grattan, Northern New Jersey Section president, led the activities, which included a concours featuring more than 100 MBCA members’ Mercedes-Benz autos. Doug Truitt, our executive director, and I had a wonderful time meeting members and hearing about their cars. The great thing about a Mercedes-Benz is not just its unmatched rarity or value, but how each owner is equally proud of his or her car. We saw a wide range of vintage and newer-model cars there.
In addition to meeting members, we spent time with our MBUSA hosts, Adam Paige and Christine Chase. Doug and I had a wonderful surprise when Mr. Ernst Lieb, MBUSA CEO, stopped by to chat with us. During the course of our conversation, I invited Mr. Lieb to be our guest speaker at the Fall Board Meeting, but because he is going to be out of the country, we will have the privilege of listening to and learning from Mr. Stephen Cannon, MBUSA vice president of marketing, as our speaker. During our conversation, Mr. Lieb left no doubt that MBUSA strongly supports our Club.
The next concours was the Art of the Car, held on the beautiful grounds of the Art Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas City Section President John Ryan, accompanied by a large group of members, stopped by our Mercedes-Benz on display. The leadership and enthusiasm of all was most enjoyable. This is a very active section, with a wide range of events for its members. Great job, Kansas City.
We then traveled to Auburn Hills, Michigan, to display at the Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance. While there, Club leaders Frank and Mary Alice Cozza, International Stars Section President Pete Williams, and a group of section members gathered to visit. For my wife and me, the icing on the cake was being able to join the group for dinner following a Great Lakes Regional event hosted by the Cozzas. Future club events and activities were discussed by the members. It was an especially enjoyable gathering.
The next leg of our summer travel took us to the great concours d’elegance at Pebble Beach in California. What a fantastic display of some of the world’s rarest motorcars! The day before the concours, we joined a group in Carmel Valley for the German marque car event, Legends of the Autobahn. This was the first year that Mercedes-Benz was a part of the show, thanks to the impressive organization and leadership efforts of Laura Simonds, MBCA national treasurer and director at large. The show featured Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Porsche automobiles. There were more than 200 cars on display, from elegant collector cars to more contemporary classes. The November 2010 issue of Sports Car Market features a story on Legends. Great job, Laura.
We then traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to display at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours – a magnificent event held along the lake beneath the city’s skyline – which boasts a great selection of vintage motorcars. On Saturday on the same grounds, they held the car clubs’ event, where we had the pleasure of admiring more than 30 MBCA members’ cars and meeting with Jerry Zajicek, president of the Wisconsin Section. The pleasure was all ours to meet and view the members’ Mercedes-Benz vehicles and visit with the owners. Great people and great cars.
The final event we attended this year is the MBCA crown jewel, StarFest® 2010, headed by Bill Hopper, president of the Greater Washington Section, and supported by scores of volunteers who create such a memorable event. The setting and history of Winchester, Virginia, combined to highlight the many MBCA members and the special cars they displayed and drove throughout the five-day event. For those who did not attend, Gary Anderson, editor of The Star, promises post-event coverage that will make you wish you had.
These stories represent just a sampling of the many Club events that take place every year. As the saying goes, “First, it was the car, then it becomes the people we meet and the friends we continue to make.”
A quick note: In the October issue of The Star, the President’s Message included talk of expanding the Club by creating additional sections. By the time you read this, three new sections will be in the midst of forming, if not already active. Look for a feature on each of them, and their vibrant new leaders, in future issues of The Star.
I wish you and your family the happiest of holidays and good health for the upcoming season. Best regards, and have fun!