First Woman Elected as AMA Board of Directors Chair

Maggie McNally was unanimously elected chair of the AMA Board of Directors at its meeting in Indianapolis on Feb. 16. She was elected vice chair in December 2011 and has been a member of the board since 2009, representing individual AMA members in the Northeast region. With her election, she becomes the first woman to lead the AMA board in the association's 89-year history.

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that Maggie McNally was unanimously elected chair of the AMA Board of Directors at its meeting in Indianapolis on Feb. 16.

McNally, of Albany, N.Y., was elected vice chair in December 2011 and has been a member of the board since 2009, representing individual AMA members in the Northeast region. With her election, she becomes the first woman to lead the AMA board in the association’s 89-year history.

"I’m honored that my fellow AMA board members have chosen me as chair, and I’m humbled by the historical significance of a woman taking this office," McNally said. "At the end of the day, however, the important thing is not the gender of the board’s chair. Rather, it is the united commitment by the board and the AMA staff to carry out our mission to better protect and promote motorcycling. Doing so enables us to nimbly and ably meet the needs of our existing and future members."

McNally succeeds South Central Region Board Member Stan Simpson, who did not seek re-election as chair. Simpson, who remains on the board, was elected to the AMA Board of Directors in 2005 and served as its chair since 2007. In 2008, he was recognized as the AMA Motorcyclist of the Year.

Also at the meeting, AMA Business Member Russel Brenan of Kawasaki was elected vice chair, and Ken Ford of the Southeast region was elected assistant treasurer. Members elected at large to serve on the executive committee were Perry King of the Northwest region and business member John Ulrich of Roadracing World.

At the AMA Business Member meeting earlier that same day, Scott Miller of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Brenan were re-elected to the AMA board.

"The AMA Board of Directors represents a wide-ranging pool of experience, expertise and passion for motorcycling," McNally said. "We draw from the motorcycling industry, AMA clubs, our membership and the entire motorcycling community. I’m confident that we are in an excellent position to build upon the momentum we’ve created to continue the AMA’s mission of promoting the motorcycle lifestyle and protecting the future of motorcycling."

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.