ABOUT THE BMW MOA FOUNDATION
ADVANCING RIDER SAFETY, EDUCATION AND TRAINING
The Foundation’s History
On September 7, 2000, a new non-profit educational foundation named the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Foundation was approved as a tax-exempt organization by the Internal Revenue Service. This is the story of the vision, dedication, and hard work that created this organization.
After a meeting of BMW club presidents at the International Rally in Fredericksburg, Texas, in 1997, BMW MOA Ambassador Clark Luster approached BMW MOA President Jeff Dean about the possibility of creating a tax-exempt foundation for motorcycle enthusiasts. Luster, who was the executive director for Presley Ridge Schools, a non-profit foundation for underprivileged children, imagined that motorcyclists might appreciate the opportunity to make tax-deductible gifts to an organization dedicated to the advancement of safety and education in motorcycling. Dean agreed.
Meet the MOA Foundation Directors

Tom Gary
MOA Foundation President
Tom currently serves as the MOA Foundation President, with overall responsibility for the operations and strategic direction of the organization. Retired from Norfolk Southern Corporation, a major railroad and logistic company, Tom has held several management positions over his 38-year career, ending with corporate responsibility for automotive operations and damage prevention. He has also served in many volunteer leadership roles notably as President of a credit union in Roanoke Va. Tom currently serves his local community as Planning Commissioner for York Township Michigan where he resides.
Tom believes the MOA Foundation is a rare opportunity to serve in a volunteer capacity that directly serves the members of an organization in a way the literally can save lives. Tom uses his business skills to raise money to further the mission of the foundation of advancing rider safety, education, and training. “I believe skill development and safety are totally fundamental to riding a motorcycle. It gives me great joy that as a Foundation we are impacting riders in a positive way. Guiding the Foundation future has been an honor.”
Tom became a Life Member in 2000 when he was encouraged to join the MOA by a fellow member soon after purchase of his first BMW. He has three BMW’s, the most recent a 2019 R 1250 RT.

Dan Finazzo
MOA Foundation Treasurer
Dan serves as the Treasurer for the BMW MOA Foundation and says he was happy to be recruited for the assignment. As a practicing engineer for over five decades, Dan’s focus has always been on the numbers — just the facts! Whether performing calculations for life safety, system and equipment performance requirements or balancing the project budgets the numbers are always in the background making sure things are done correctly.
Being part of a team of like-minded volunteers is very satisfying for Dan – just like the project teams he worked with his past. Dan is proud to support the Foundation as part of a focused team that has a desire to provide funds to motorcycle riders who want to improve their skills. Dan explains that the Foundation is a conduit to solicit and obtain funds and to disperse those funds in a responsible manner. Ensuring that the funds are managed properly and accounted for takes the efforts of several individuals both within the Foundation and the MOA. Dan says he enjoys working with the MOAF Board of Directors as they continue to grow the Foundation and at the same time raise the skill levels of beginners to more experienced riders.
Dan became a member of MOA in 2005 a few years after purchasing a 2002 K1200LT. Needless to say, Dan has owned many BMWs, but currently his garage contains two sidecar rigs, along with a R1250RT that can fall over – unless he puts his foot down!
Tami Bakke
MOA Foundation Director
I love an adventure. There’s a special thrill that comes from selecting the goal, making a plan, and taking the first step. There’s also a sense of accomplishment that comes from reaching the destination, but it’s the journey that thrills me. In the family of motorcycle enthusiasts, I know that I am not alone in this respect.
On my journey so far, I have traveled many different roads. I have been a soldier (US Army Reserves), a military spouse (21 years), the mother of two boys and the bonus mom of two girls, an art teacher, a marketing manager and community coordinator for an incredible school for young children, a content creator, and a digital marketing manager.

David Dunn
MOA Foundation Director
David and his wife Vikki have three grown children, one granddaughter and another grandchild on the way. David has been riding motorcycles since college except for a 15-year break while raising his kids. He came back to riding in 2004, while living in Vermont, when he purchased a 2002 R 1150 RT and joined the MOA.
David has served on many non-profit boards and was elected multiple times to chair a large school board. He has donated his time toward helping many charities from United Way to Habitat for Humanity and Rotary. He is also a Paramedic (18 years) and now teaches EMS in the Lehigh Valley.
David came onto the MOAF Board because of his EMS experiences. While responding to motorcycle accidents, he saw riders who failed to wear proper gear, failed to negotiate corners or avoid obstacles, and who had over-run their abilities. He realized that skills training could help all riders – from beginners to long-term enthusiasts. He believes that assisting the MOAF in raising money for skills development grants will help reduce motorcycle accident statistics.
David currently rides a 2020 R 1250 GS about 10K/year. He loves long distance touring, motorcycle camping and splitting his time between riding and working EMS at rallies. David says, “I look forward to growing the Foundation into a self-sustaining organization that supports rider safety, education and training. One day, I hope every rider participates in annual training events, no matter their skill level.”
Jim Nyfeller
MOA Foundation Director
Jim serves on the Legacy Committee. He is driven by a desire to raise awareness about the benefits of ongoing motorcycle training.
As he entered retirement, Jim’s interest in volunteering for the foundation was sparked during a conversation with the late Chuck Manley, a former director on both the BMW MOA and the BMW MOA Foundation boards. Chuck’s passion was an inspiration, so Jim stepped forward as a volunteer and was later invited to serve on the board of directors.
An endorsed motorcyclist since 1993, Jim’s first bike was a Honda Pacific Coast. He currently rides a 2017 R1200RT and a G310GS and has owned several bikes over the years, including an R1150GS, F650 Dakar, F800GS, and R1150R. He is a member of the Knights of the Roundel #333.
Jim encourages every rider to seek additional skills development at least annually and is honored to help hundreds of riders to utilize the Paul Bachorz Individual Training Grant and the Clark Luster Group Training Grant to obtain professional rider training at a reduced cost.

Marshall “Marty” Martin
MOA Foundation Director
Marty’s real life role as Development and Operations Officer at the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation allows him to support the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. There, he focuses on exhibit design and improving the visitor experience. Marty’s experience in this role is invaluable to the BMW MOA Foundation because he is helping to develop the dream of building a Museum and Historical Archive that will document the unique story of MOA members, the organization, as well as inspiring a new generation of riders to be a part of motorcycling and hopefully the MOA.
Service is what drives Marty’s passion to serve MOA members. Marty says his work at the Foundation is most rewarding when we can provide training to riders that seek to perfect their craft of riding a motorcycle safely and responsibly. “While we are all able to ride a motorcycle, I enjoy the challenge of riding better each time I go out and taking a reflective look at how well I am doing. Taking a motorcycle training course has always been rewarding for me as it is vector check on how well I am doing and where I can improve.”
Marty has been a member of the MOA since 2015. He currently rides a 2012 R 1200 RT and a 2016 K 1600 GTL.

Steve Martin
MOA Foundation Director
Steve lives in northwest Iowa with his wife, Jo, and their two furry kids. They have two adult children and nine crazy grandchildren. Steve’s family has always embraced motorcycling. With his father and three brothers riding, it was natural for him to follow in their footsteps. He has ridden and owned motorcycles since 1970. He purchased his first BMW in 1995 and enjoys motorcycle travel worldwide. His current touring ride is an R 1200 RT with over 100,000 miles. He also has a love of Italian motorcycles and currently rides a Ducati Monster.

Walton Rogers
MOA Foundation Director
As a Foundation Director and Fundraising Chair, Walton has been tasked with telling the Foundation’s story and suggesting ways donors can help. To do that, Walton is looking for experienced riders who promote safety and training for all, especially for the new rider who wants to experience the fun in motorcycling without the crashes.
Each spring when he begins riding after several months of very few rides, he is reminded that his riding skills are both perishable AND renewable. While saddle time can be one of his teachers, Walton believes a well-organized training class can create more muscle memory in one day than a month of riding can accomplish. Walton has spent more than 40 years as a financial professional and every year is required to renew his knowledge and skills with classes, drills and situations to resolve. He believes in continually getting better at what he does whether it be with his woodworking hobby, motorcycling, or financial skills.
Walton has been a member of the MOA since 2014, when he attended his first nationally rally in St Paul, Minnesota with a desire to learn from more experienced riders. His current ride is a 2017 R 1200 RT which he says fits his riding interest perfectly-hot and sassy!