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On February 6th, 2019, your Massachusetts Motorcycle Association Board of Directors met to review and discuss organizational changes to your MMA following a months-long discussion which began at the Annual Meeting on October 3rd, 2018. Based on numerous factors, including a more web-enabled membership and more Statewide activities than when originally founded, and the retirement of several longstanding Board Members, it seemed that the time was right for some structural changes to help enable your MMA for future generations.
Several members of your MMA Board chose to retire from their positions after years of faithful and dedicated service; these included John Pecora (District 1 Manager who retired earlier and was named Ex Officio), Dave Kristal (Treasurer), Rick Gleason (Legislative Director), Bill Cheetham (Safety & Education Director), Kevin Raiche (District 1 Manager and prior Membership Services Director), Vasco Nunez (District 2 Manager), Rachael Ingham (District 3 Manager), and Jim Sherman (Off-Road Director & Liaison to NETRA). Although some are continuing to serve your MMA in some capacity, the remaining Board recognized their individual contributions and thanks them all for their years of tireless service to the riders of the Commonwealth.
Needing to recognize that our riders are now more web-enabled than ever before and get their information online rather than through meetings, that many of our riders attend events and activities across the Commonwealth, and that business can be at least partially conducted electronically, the remaining Board elected to re-institute an earlier structure which would allow for a more integrated membership participation model. The changes simplify the structure of the MMA Board while creating opportunities for more empowerment and coordination by the Membership.
Re-elected to a new term as Chairman is Dave Condon, who has served the organization for 2 decades and has led your MMA through numerous changes and greater transparency to our membership. First elected as Chairman in 2008, Dave’s term had expired, but becomes effective with the February Board Meeting. Dave’s role will also include acting as Chairman of the Legislative Committee and will drive the Legislative activities of our Association.
Re-elected to a new term as Vice Chairman is Doc D’Errico, who has been a member since 1995, and has served the organization in a variety of roles since 2008 including Legislative Director, Safety & Education Director, and most recently as Business Manager and Vice Chairman, as well as acting as our State Representative to the Motorcycle Riders Foundation in Washington D.C., on whose Board he also serves as the Director of the State Representatives Program. Doc will begin a new term as Vice Chairman and will continue to serve as the Business Manager and MRF State Representative.
Re-elected to a new term as Secretary is Diane Alba, who has served in that role for several years after demonstrating her commitment to the organization at numerous Statewide and National events and at our State House as a spokesperson, liaison, and champion. Diane will also remain as an Assistant State Representative to the MRF.
Newly elected to the position of Treasurer is Ron Baldwin, who previously served your MMA as Middlesex County Representative, and more recently as District 1 Representative. Ron has already transitioned the finances from Dave Kristal who served with distinction and has reformed many of the processes we use to assure fiscal responsibility to our membership and operational efficiency. Ron brings new energy to the role and continues to support us at numerous events around the Commonwealth.
Newly elected to the position of State Director is Rocco Libertine, who previously served your MMA as District 4 Representative, and more recently as District 4 Manager. Rocco has consistently been seen as far west as Berkshire County and as far east as the State House in Boston, volunteering and representing our riders at numerous events.
Also appointed as Special Assistant to the Board is Laurie Horn, who has been serving as our Merchandise Officer for many years and took the reigns as our annual Bike Raffle Coordinator for the 2018 Bike Raffle from Martha Sherman, who set a very high bar for her services over the prior 10 years. Laurie has been assisting on numerous committees for several years and welcomes the challenge.
In the coming months we will strengthen the operation of your MMA by implementing new positions around the Commonwealth to enable more volunteers to step into roles as Legislative Champions and Area Representatives. More on these programs as we begin recruiting for them, but if you’re interested in knowing more about these positions or how you can help, contact StateDirector@MassMotorcycle.org for more info.
For more information, see www.MassMotorcycle.org or contact Chairman@MassMotorcycle.org.
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