The Winds of Change

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Published: 19 July 2019

The summer has brought rain, winds, and heat in abundance.  It's a time of change.

As the Chapter moves forward in its 28th year, we recently have seen how BMW technology and its cars are evolving.  So has CCA evolved as a whole.  BMWCCA will mark its 50th anniversary in October at its new site in Greer, South Carolina.  There will be retrospective presentation on its past and talk about its future.

With the talk of the next 50 years ongoing within the organization, there are a number of changes to expect in the future from National which will impact our local Chapter.

Although formal information from National will be presented later in the year, there will be a dues increase in 2020.  Current members will be given an opportunity to renew prior to that increase date at the current rate.

National also has decided to create a semi-annual glossy regional magazine to be distributed with the Roundel to inform you of key events or focuses in the North Central Region; each Chapter will be allocated 2 pages.  This action will eliminate the requirement of a quarterly Chapter newsletter.  So, prior to our Board meeting on 11 August we need to know how you feel about this.  Still want a local electronic newsletter?  Willing to use just the web site for information?  We need to know so we can allocate our efforts and resources accordingly.

Chapter records are being processed over this summer and should be accepted by the archives in the fall.

While we have had access to the new web site template, the learning curve with this application as well as time constraints on all of those involved in the transfer of information has delayed its rollout.  I hope to address this in the fall as well.

These transitions ask that you as members let us know what you want from your local Chapter.  Are you interested or willing to take some time to be part of the Board to help shape our future?  Please contact any Board member with your thoughts so we can experience a smooth drive into the fall of 2019 and beyond.

Origins of Northern Ohio Chapter

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Published: 09 October 2016

When early BMW Car Club of America members joined the national organization in the mid-1970s, they became members of a local entity which was rather unique at the time. While most chapters were located around metropolitan areas, Ohio had one of the first—if not the first—statewide chapter, Buckeye.

After attending meetings and events in the Columbus area for a time, our lifetime member John Franklin contacted members in Cleveland, Akron, and other northeastern Ohio areas and created the Cleveland/Akron Area to have more localized events and management. At approximately the same time, members in the Cincinnati region also organized regionally as an Area within Buckeye.

Cleveland/Akron monthly meetings initially were held at the Franklin home and later in area restaurants. To pull members from Cleveland’s western suburbs, later meetings were held at the Elegant Hog—the current location of the Windham Hotel.

In the early 1980s, the Columbus Area turned over management of Buckeye Chapter to the Cleveland/Akron Area.  In the late 1980s-early 1990s, the Cincinnati Area became the managing force for Buckeye.

After Buckeye Chapter hosted their first BMWCCA OktoberFest, members of the Cleveland/Akron Area requested secession from Buckeye Chapter. The intention was to concentrate activities and governance in a more localized area, believing this would better serve local members. This request for secession was one of the first of its type for the national organization.

In late fall 1991 with agreement from the remaining Areas of Buckeye Chapter, Northern Ohio Chapter was formed, encompassing Ohio postal zip codes from 44000 to 44999, which corresponds to the northeastern quadrant of the state. The general territorial area covers from Castalia-Sandusky to Galion-Mansfield to Dover-New Philadelphia over to the Pennsylvania border and northward to the shores of Lake Erie.