Voting is now open!

As we reach the end of 2024, it is time to select the members of the 2025 San Diego Chapter Board of Directors. This year’s election will be held online using a new platform hosted by BMW Car Club of America. Here is the information for nominations and voting:

Oct 1 – Nov 7: Nominations

If you are interested in running for office, send your name, member number, the office you want to run for, a brief description of why you’d like to run, and a photo of yourself to info@sdbmwcca.com. All offices are open for this election. See below for descriptions of each office.

Nov 18 - Dec 2: Open Voting

When the voting period opens, you’ll be able to cast your votes online. You’ll be prompted to log in with your BMW CCA account where your active membership can be verified.

Dec 10: Election Winners Announced at Board Meeting

If you have any questions about the election, please send them to info@sdbmwcca.com.

The current 2024 office holders are listed here.

Nominees

Matt Gage - I am running for President

I’ve been an active club member since I purchased my first BMW in 2016 and been a member of the Board first as Social Director (2018-20), then as Vice President (2020-22), and finally as President (since 2023).

I also organize the quarterly club tours, promote generating content for the website, and organized the move to virtual meetings. I am a previous winner of the Volunteer of the Year and Outstanding Chapter Officer awards.

The last two years have been very successful for the chapter as we rebound from the pandemic. We have been continuing to see a steady uprise in membership and have been holding a high bar for the number of events we’ve been putting on each year. I want us to continue our momentum of hosting autocrosses, tours, open houses, tech demos, Bimmers by the Bay, and driving schools. I’m also hoping that we can come up with ideas of more unique events.

In my two terms as President, I’ve enjoyed the organization aspect of organizing the board and trying to bring out the passions in our volunteers to help organize events while simultaneously not trying to burn everyone out.

For 2025, I would like to lean in to the idea of a “Local Outreach Program” reimagined by our Wachsmeister, Neil Daly. Going back to basics, making regular trips to our partners and other local businesses will keep them engaged with our chapter with the hopes that this will also increase visibility of our chapter to their customers. Ensuring that as many people know about our chapter as possible will help increase participation in our events.

Greg Uhler - I am running for Vice President and Autocross Director

I’ve been a San Diego BMW CCA member since 1997, and served on the board as Newsletter Editor for a few years and most recently as chapter President for a few years. I’m enthusiastic about all BMW’s (and MINI) and enjoy being part of the team that plans, organizes, and runs events for our chapter. I realized my vision of re-establishing our autocross program in 2023 at a new venue and went on to run five events! You can read an interview I did describing the autocross program. For 2025, I hope to continue to provide the best experience for our members. Thank you!

Catalina Uhler - I am running for Social Events Director

I have been a BMW CCA member since 1998, riding as co-pilot/navigator on many driving adventures with my husband, Greg. I have also participated in many autocrosses, Performance Center events, backroad drives, O’Fests, and social events. Though I can’t always discuss specific BMW models and parts, I can appreciate beautiful cars and love talking with other BMW enthusiasts.

I have served on the board for two years as one of the Directors at Large and two years as the Social Events Director. This year I helped plan the usual Cars & Coffee meet ups, as well as some unique events, such as the Women’s Wine Tasting event in Temecula and a private kart racing event at K1 Circuit in Winchester, CA. If re-elected, I would like to continue welcoming new members and planning more family friendly events to engage our fantastic SD BMW CCA family.

Paul Silver - I am running for Secretary

I’ve been an active member of the club since 2010, serving as your Chapter Secretary 2014-2015 and from 2018 to the present. My favorite part of being a member of the BMW CCA has been the people I’ve met and the friendships I’ve made. Through our club, I’ve had some amazing experiences, including attending my first Oktoberfest, participating in a group European Delivery experience, and participating in some awesome auto crosses, backroad driving tours, social events, and even a few rallies. I enjoy volunteering to help put on events such as our annual Bimmers by the Bay car show and our autocross program. It would be my honor to continue serving as our Chapter Secretary.

Rudy Bañuelos - I am running for Webmeister

Member since 2021 and a post pandemic join! It has been a pleasure to serve as Webmeister for SD BMW CCA for the last 2 years. The club has taken me down a rabbit hole that has opened and created connections with Z3, E46, and Touring enthusiasts.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve within my wheelhouse. It would be most excellent to continue serving as Webmeister!

Matt Baratz - I am running for Equipment Meister

I moved from New Jersey to San Diego in 2017 and have really enjoyed participating in a number of great San Diego Chapter events. Before moving west, I was Business Manager for the NJ Chapter where I helped support and grow the Club.

I have been meaning to become more active once again with Club. Working with both San Diego Chapter members and my old friends from the NJ Chapter at Octoberfest was great fun and the trigger to throw my hat in the ring and help where needed. After running as Director at Large Assistant Equipment Meister this past year, I am now running for Equipment Meister.

Steve Dais - I am running for Treasurer

I joined the San Diego Chapter of the BMW CCA in 2003 after purchasing my first BMW. Shortly thereafter I attended my first autocross, followed by my first driving school. And that was when it all started…my eyes were opened to a world that I would never have thought I would be able to participate in: BMW CLUB RACING. But I found that I could, which really left me no choice but to jump in with both feet! Twenty years later and I am so thankful for the friendships and experiences that I have been afforded by my participation in the BMW CCA. It’s also where I met my wife, Kim!

I enjoyed my time as Treasurer for the chapter this past year. My qualifications for this position include: CPA license, 5 years of experience in public accounting, and 20+ years of experience in accounting, budgeting, and financial planning. Though my days in public accounting were many years ago, my clients at that time included several not-for-profit organizations.

I appreciate your consideration for the Treasurer position of the San Diego Chapter of the BMW CCA!

Neil Daly - I am running for Wachsmeister

I started my journey with BMW CCA 20 years ago when I joined my first autocross. Looking back it’s crazy to see how much of my life has been affected by the events and friendships made through the club. I can credit the club with some of my best friends and I even got my first job as a mechanic through the club when I was 18 years old. I’m a huge fan of the Bimmers by the Bay and organized a hugely successful first one this past year. I want to continue to be more active with the club.

Steve Hovland - I am running for Communications Director

I joined San Diego BMW CCA in 2009. I have been the Communications Director since 2023 and I look forward to another year of serving this great organization. I fell in love with all things BMW growing up near Riverside Raceway and watching Sam Posey, Brian Redman and Hans Stuck in their classic white 3.0 CSL. The best thing about being Communications Director is you always know what is going on with BMW CCA both locally and Nationally. I also love the driving events and enjoying helping out at Autocross. I hope to continue in my role in 2025 and look forward to another year serving with our amazing board of directors.

Lisa Goehring - I am running for Driving School Director

As a club member since 2006, I’ve served on our Chapter board in various positions for the past 17 years. I’ve served multiple terms as Secretary, Newsletter Editor, Communications Director, President from 2018-2020, and since as Driving School Director.

I’ve served as a member of the driving team for a number of years, assisting with graphics, promotion, swag, sponsorship acquisition, and helping out at registration. We held our first return to the track in a successful visit back to Buttonwillow. I hope to continue to provide the fun, safe, and instructional events our members know and love. You can read an interview I did about our track days.

The Club has provided so many fantastic experiences and friends to me over the years, and I look forward to continuing to give back and help grow our club in the years ahead.

Brett Litoff - I am running for Director at Large

I have been a BMW CCA member since 1994 and have been involved with the San Diego Chapter for about 16 years in many Board and unofficial positions. As your former Wachsmeister I am very proud that our car show, Bimmers by the Bay, was a huge success for both our members and the community-at-large. I plan on helping organize the event along with the new Wachsmeister. My number one goal is making sure we are meeting our members' needs/showing the value of the club to current and future members.

Bryan Gaier - I am running for Director at Large

I’ve been an active member with the San Diego Chapter since 2011 and a BMW enthusiast for over fifteen years. I’ve enjoyed attending many club events including driving tours, tech seminars, and the BMW Performance Center, to name a few. I often have my camera with me and love capturing and sharing these awesome moments with the club by contributing photos to the newsletter.

2023 was my first year serving as a Director at Large. I helped launch our new season of autocross working on the timing team and course setup. Additionally, I organized an open house event with Ceramic Pro Carlsbad to partner with our club which included a cars and coffee and tech demo.

It would be my honor to serve as a Director at Large in 2025 to continue to make the best autocross experience to members and to support the chapter for continuing growth and success in the future!

Ron Wisniewski - I am running for Director at Large

I have been a member of San Diego Chapter of BMW CCA for approximately 20 years. I bought my first BMW around 2003 and have owned various models consistently for the last 20 years. Though I love the BMWs I drive now, I am even more proud of the fact that my adult daughter recently bought her first BMW, an X3 (perfect for the 2 kids and pets). Hopefully, I can instill the same love of cars and our favorite marque in my other children. Post-COVID, with the greater use of Teams and virtual meetings, I find myself on the road less and would like to become more active in the Club.

This past year, I served as Director at Large and one area I am able and willing to help is with the financial affairs of the Club. I am a practicing CPA and tax partner with PwC. I have both undergraduate and graduate degrees in accounting/tax and approximately 30 years of public/private accounting experience. I believe I can use this experience to help with the Club’s business and finances. I appreciate your consideration for re-appointment to the Board.

Ryan Moore - I am running for Director at Large

I've spent 5 years as Treasurer for the club and helped transition to a new Treasurer. My passion is driving events so I plan on concentrating on our High Performance Driving Events and Autocross to help make sure those events run smoothly. I have ideas on how we might be able to make those events better and I plan on working with our other board members to help make that happen.

Board of Directors Position Descriptions

PRESIDENT

Acquire venue and conduct monthly board meetings.
Represent the chapter at club and non-club functions.
Respond to email and telephone inquiries regarding the chapter.
Oversee the activities of the board of directors.
Ensure safety protocols at events are in place and followed.
Review financial reports and ensure that the chapter is in good financial condition.
Check the chapter website regularly to ensure it is up to date.
Contribute content for the chapter website, social media, e-news, and BimmerLife magazine.
Schedule the yearly election meeting in December using National’s election protocol.
Coordinate with other chapter presidents and the BMW CCA regional Vice President on regional issues.
Within two weeks of the chapter election, submit the Chapter Officer Questionnaire form to National.
Holding voting for the yearly Chapter Volunteer of the Year award.
Provide positive motivation to all board members and chapter members.

VICE PRESIDENT

Attend board meetings and vote on issues as required.
Support the chapter president as required.
Conduct board meetings in the absence of the chapter president.
Act as Membership Chair by sending welcome letters to all new members. Answer numerous email inquiries concerning membership.
Track membership statistics for the chapter.

TREASURER

Attend board meetings and vote on issues as required.
Reconcile accounts payable and receivable on a monthly basis.
Present chapter financial status at board meetings.
Perform financial analysis for cash flow, income, and expenses.
Verify expenses and write reimbursement checks.
Oversee the preparation of the annual tax return for the IRS.
Prepare the Chapter Financial Report to National by March 31 of each calendar year.

SECRETARY

Keep accurate minutes of each Board Meeting.
Present the previous month’s minutes to the Board for approval.
Submit monthly minutes for publication on the website.

DIRECTOR/AUTOCROSS

Attend board meetings and vote on issues as required.
Negotiate for sites and dates with site officials and other car clubs.
Arrange liability insurance for the events by submitting the insurance certificate request.
Create MSR event and email members about upcoming events.
Manage online registration, including timely up dates to the registration website.
Ensure event is promoted through Chapter's communication channels.
Ensure that payment and insurance certificates are delivered to the site manager.
Arrange lunch, drink, and comfort facilities for the event.
Coordinate volunteers for course design, set-up, tech inspection, timing, registration, lunch, and clean-up.
Coordinate with the Chief Instructor to ensure there are enough instructors for the event.
Manage event: ensure it is on schedule and supervise throughout the event.
Report to the Board of Directors on the financial results and needs of the autocross program.

DIRECTOR/DRIVING SCHOOL

Attend board meetings and vote on issues as required.
Plan all aspects of the driving school.
Coordinate volunteer staff for annual driving school.
Arrange liability insurance for the school by submitting the insurance certificate request.
Coordinate with the motel to ensure rooms are reserved for instructors and students.
Coordinate with the Chief Instructor to ensure there are enough instructors for the school.
Coordinate with the Chief Steward for track supervision.
Coordinate with the track officials for dates, track rental fees, corner workers, emergency medical vehicle, and all necessary equipment.
Oversee logistics for the chapter’s equipment transport.
Submit the Driving Events Reporting Form within 30 days of the driving school.

DIRECTOR/EQUIPMENTMEISTER

Attend board meetings and vote on issues as required.
Maintain all aspects of Club truck, including arranging service/maintenance, insurance, registration, service records, storage location, washing, exercising and fueling.
Maintain Club trailer, lights, brakes, tires, hitch, and cover in good working order.
Arrange suitable, secure trailer storage location.
Maintain current inventory and value of trailer equipment, contents, and supplies.
Maintain electronic equipment batteries, generator, trailer PA system, radios, timing display, fire extinguishers, helmets, canopies, flags, vests, and other related autocross equipment.
Organize trailer equipment and loading plan.
Transport club truck and trailer to and from each autocross event.
Assist with set-up and teardown of equipment, helmet rentals/returns, packing/unpacking trailer at autocross events.
Coordinate use of truck and trailer with Driving School Director for annual driving school.
Transfer items not currently in use from trailer to club storage unit to open up space in trailer.

DIRECTOR/COMMUNICATIONS

Attend board meetings and vote on issues as required.
Develop, coordinate, and distribute information and content for Chapter’s various media channels to inform members and the public of the club’s activities, news, and benefits.
Lead the Communications Team and ensure management of social media channels.
Produce and distribute regular E-News email blast.
Coordinate content for submission to regional BimmerLife Magazine.
Update Chapter Membership Guide as needed and coordinate its printing and distribution.

DIRECTOR/SOCIAL EVENTS

Attend board meetings and vote on issues as required.
Arrange social gatherings, such as Meet & Greets, or suggest local events/activities for Board consideration.
Recruit volunteers for events as needed.
Provide event information for promotion in Chapter newsletter, website, and social media.

DIRECTOR/WACHSMEISTER

Attend board meetings and vote on issues as required.
Responsible for the annual Bimmers by the Bay.
Negotiate with the city to the schedule and date of the annual clean car contest.
Coordinate with BMW dealers and sponsors to obtain support and auction items for the clean car contest and charity auction.
Coordinate volunteers needed to support the annual clean car contest including all judges.
Procure event awards.
Obtain event insurance.
Arrange for catered lunch for the event.
Supervise set-up and clean-up of the clean car event.
Run the charity auction portion of event.
Provide event information to newsletter editor and web master (LA & SD chapters) for publication.
Provide event information to other chapters, local dealerships, and the general public.
Submit the event report to the board.

DIRECTOR/WEBMEISTER

Attend board meetings and vote on issues as required.
Maintain the chapter’s website including adding/removing events, posting announcements, posting autocross and other event results, post articles, photos, and other content.
Administer and maintain the Chapter’s e-mail list and e-mail service.
Administer and maintain the Chapter’s domain names and web hosting account.
Assist with maintenance of Chapter’s social media accounts.

DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE (ASST. EQUIPMENT MEISTER)

Attend board meetings and vote on issues as required.
Bring new ideas to the chapter.
Coordinate use of club equipment in support of various club events (Clean Car Show, HPDE, SoCal Euro, etc.).
Assist the EQUIPMENT MEISTER in the maintenance/organization of the club equipment.

DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE (three positions)

Attend board meetings and vote on issues as required.
Bring new ideas to the chapter.
Plan and run technical/social events or driving tours.
Assist other directors in running their events.

Stories

2025 Board of Directors Election