President’s Article July 2014

Most clubs, which membership is based on mutual appreciation for a common theme, have seen a decline in membership in recent years. The BMW Car Club of America has seen steady or slight growth in membership recently following a brief period of decline.

Recently, a meeting of chapter leaders was held at the National Office, to address our club’s future and the changes that may need to occur in order to keep our car club viable.  As the demographic of the BMW driver changes, the future of the club may need to change to reflect the changing interests of the new BMW driver. In order for the club to remain relevant, we must reflect the activities our members wish to participate. I believe, the Iowa BMW CCA has been on the cutting edge of this philosophical shift, as we have lead most other chapters with our annual planning meeting, and attempting to create events in which members help plan, organize and participate. We have made a concerted effort to be inclusive of members’ spouses and children, creating events in which they can attend, as well as keeping our core members interest in driving and technical events at a high level.

We are continually looking for new or current members wishing to become more involved in planning and organizing events. If you have a great idea for an event, or would like to become more involved with the future of our club, please contact one of our Board members for more information.