Tim Buche, the near 25-year veteran CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), is to step down from his position to take up an institutional memory-preserving consultancy role effective November 1st.
In a succession plan that has been 18 months in the making, he will be replaced by Erik Pritchard, currently President of two of the resource-share associations that are co-located with the MIC at Irvine, California - the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA), the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), and the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association of America (ROHVA).
"Even though I have the same passion for the success of all our respective association members as I did when I assumed this role nearly 25 years ago, this succession has been planned for several years to ensure an orderly transition. I'm excited to continue serving the associations in a new way as a consultant," Buche said. "Erik has proven to be an effective leader since he joined us in 2014 and assumed the presidency of SVIA and ROHVA two years ago. With exciting new initiatives under way at the associations, Erik is the right leader to work with staff to continually improve to achieve strategic plans and priorities."
Since joining the MIC, MSF and SVIA as President in September 1996 and for the newly formed ROHVA in 2008, Buche has worked with the respective boards to set a course of improved services to their respective members to help them grow and manage their businesses, including enhanced market research and government relations and market development initiatives.
Some of these efforts include the acquisition by the MIC of AIMExpo, "the premier and only trade and consumer powersports trade show in the United States"; the annual 'Capitol Fly-In', the premier legislative advocacy event of the year for members; and the annual Communications Symposium, now entering its 21st year and always filled to capacity with members who hear and learn from elite financial, brand and research experts.
Buche spearheaded the renowned MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Research study with Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, and he has been a frequent advocate and speaker on behalf of on- and off-highway enthusiasts.
"Tim has worked tirelessly since his very first day to make each of the associations the pillar of their respective industries, and on behalf of the MIC board we will be forever grateful for his commitment to excellence," said Paul Vitrano, MIC board chair and senior assistant general counsel at Indian Motorcycle and Polaris Industries.
"He has been sharply focused on advancing the needs of our members and fellow riders to the highest levels of government and with blue ribbon research institutions, and all our members have greatly benefited from his leadership and dedication."
AMD would like to congratulate Tim Buche on his years of dedicated service to the motorcycle industry and acknowledge the excellent contribution he has made to defending and promoting the interests of our industry. We here at AMD have had the pleasure of seeing Tim representing the interests of the United States motorcycle industry domestically and on the wider international stage where he has garnered considerable prestige and effective influence for the MIC and the other associations. He has been a model of professionalism, and always shown an instinctive understanding and grasp of the issues with an integrity that has allowed him to produce results. He has always listened carefully to perspectives and shown great patience and courtesy with many irascible individuals at times of pressure - not least with this author!