AMA: Robert Rasor named new AMA president
28 October 2000
PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The Board of Trustees of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) announced today that Robert Rasor has been named the Association's new president, effective Nov. 1. The announcement, made at a meeting of the AMA Board at the Association's headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio, follows the retirement of J. Scott Thornton, who had served as AMA president since November 1999. Rasor has been a member of the AMA staff for nearly 28 years, starting in January 1973 as a legislative analyst. In the early '80s, he became director of the AMA's Government Relations Department, a post subsequently titled vice president for government relations. Rasor's tenure at the AMA has included several landmark legislative victories, from the battle to stop the federal government from blackmailing states over the issue of helmet laws to AMA victories against bike bans in St. Louis; Springfield, Illinois; Brockton, Massachusetts; Chicago; and other communities nationwide. He also oversaw the AMA's effort to impose a federal ban halting health-care discrimination against motorcyclists on the part of companies and unions that provide insurance to workers. And he led the fight to protect the rights of off-highway motorcyclists to ride in appropriate areas of public lands. In addition to his efforts in this country, Rasor holds two important positions with the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), the international organization representing motorcyclists. He is the president of the FIM's Road Safety Commission and is a member of the Management Council, which guides the FIM's actions in all areas. "In choosing Robert Rasor as the AMA's president, we can draw on nearly three decades of background in dealing with the issues that confront motorcyclists," said Rick Gray, chairman of the AMA Board. "Rob brings a wealth of experience to the job of running the largest organization of motorcyclists in the world." Rasor takes over as president during a period when the AMA has experienced the most rapid growth in its 76-year history. In the past year alone, the Association has grown more than 12 percent, from 240,772 members in October 1999 to more than 270,000 members today. "My main goal as AMA president will be to continue that growth curve," Rasor said. "A bigger, more organized AMA means a stronger voice for all of America's motorcyclists. "In addition," Rasor said, "I will work to continue the growth in Association benefits, making AMA membership an even-better value than it is today."