AMA Board of Directors elects new officers

Russ Ehnes elected chair, replacing longtime director Maggie McNally-Bradshaw

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association Board of Directors held its annual election of officers on Feb. 7. The board elected as chair Russ Ehnes, the member representative on the board from the Northwest Region.

The board elected as vice chair Gary Pontius, the member representative from the North Central Region; as assistant treasurer Ken Ford, the member representative from the Southeast Region; and as executive committee members Jerry Abboud, an at-large director from Thornton, Colo., and Paul Vitrano, business member representative from Indian Motorcycle.

Ehnes, from Great Falls, Mont., has advocated for off-highway access rights for decades. An avid trail rider and former off-road racer, Ehnes was most recently the executive director of the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council. He also has led the Montana Trail Vehicle Riders Association and the Great Falls Trail Bike Riders Association. He has chaired the Montana OHV Grant Advisory Committee and has served on the Federal Advisory Committee for the U.S. Forest Service Planning Rule.

“I’m honored for the opportunity to serve as chair of the AMA Board of Directors,” Ehnes said. “I will work to make the board as productive as it can be so together we can propel the AMA forward. I also want to help tell our story about the many ways the AMA supports motorcycling nationwide and to draw more attention to the importance of government relations to all motorcyclists.”

Ehnes replaced outgoing chair Maggie McNally-Bradshaw, former member representative from the Northeast Region. McNally-Bradshaw had been AMA board chair since 2013. She had served on the board since 2009. She exited her position due to term limits.

AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman thanked McNally-Bradshaw for her years of service to the association.

“A consummate volunteer and a dedicated motorcyclist, Maggie has stepped up in immeasurable ways in the past decade in service to the AMA,” Dingman said. “It’s my pleasure to thank Maggie personally, and on behalf of all AMA members, for her work. She has been a tireless supporter and a respected leader at the AMA, and we anticipate Maggie will continue to volunteer in other ways going forward.”

Attending their first board meeting as members were Hub Brennan, who filled McNally-Bradshaw’s seat from the Northeast Region, and Byron Snider, who filled the member representative seat previously held by Roger Pattison from the Southwest Region.

The AMA Board includes 12 directors. Six are elected from the individual membership and four are elected from the business membership. The elected members appoint two at-large directors, who are ratified by AMA membership at the annual member meeting.

About the American Motorcyclist Association

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.

Not a member? Join the AMA today: www.americanmotorcyclist.com