Section Officers President Arno Pitzen Arno.pitzen@heraeus.com 512-736-5203 Vice President Norm Glorioso ncglorioso@austin.rr.com 832-922-2013 Treasurer Joyce Melugin jmelugin@suddenlink.net Secretary Beverly Darilek darilek@texas.net Membership Coordinator Rob Brown Rbrown649@gmail.com Event Coordinator Ginny Pitzen ginnypitzen@yahoo.com Historian Lee Melugin lmelugin@suddenlink.net Newsletter Coordinator Tena Pinion tena.pinion@yahoo.com Message from the President Greetings from Aschaffenburg, Germany! Summer of 2016 has come and gone! I hope you and yours enjoyed it as much as we did. I have had a busy summer as I am now working in Germany 50% of the time. So, traveling back and forth every 2 weeks, working in the Austin office and keeping up with club events has been a fun challenge. On July 3, 16 club members attended the Round Rock Express game. I was not able to attend the event, but I hear it was a fun gathering. In August, we DROVE to Uncasville, CT for the 2016 Starfest. The event was worth the drive of 4,500 miles to and from. The Minuteman Section did an outstanding job of putting this event together and we look forward to the next Starfest in Birmingham, Alabama in 2018. We also had our annual Lone Star Riverboat cruise along Lady Bird lake on August 27, with 70 attendants. The evening was very enjoyable and the music, provided by A Trace of Gold, was fantastic. In September, we had the South Central Regional Meet in Austin along with the Lone Star LeMans Race. Section hosted the off track events at Trudy s, Dick s Classic Garage and the Salt Lick BBQ. Section was well represented with 20 members in attendance, even though it was a Friday afternoon. Thank you to all of the Lone Star Section members that attended the off track events. Thank you also to Mel Kym from the North Texas Section for coordinating the car corral and lap at Circuit of the Americas. In the next month we will be transitioning from the current board to the new board, with installation of the officers at the December 3 Christmas party at Onion Creek Country Club. I would like to present the new board, President Rick Everett, Vice President Dana Skillman, Secretary Frank Irwin and Treasure - Tena Pinion. Please help me welcome them at our next meeting on October 13 at MB of Georgetown. Best Regards, Arno Pitzen 1
New Board Member Bio s Rick Everett - President Rick and Debbie moved to Georgetown (Sun City) to be closer to their daughter, son in-law and grandchildren. They moved from Bend Oregon where they were members of MBCA, Portland, OR section and Seattle Washington section. They currently have two Mercedes a ML 350 and a 1992 500 SL. Dana Skillman Vice President A native Texan, currently works for the Austin Chamber of Commerce and has two grown daughters. She purchased her first Mercedes in 2008. It is a 2006 SLK 280 named Mr. Mercedes. Frank Irwin - Secretary Texan. Aggie. 20-year Austonian. Solar array designer/installer. "Accidentally" purchased his 1994 SL600 a year ago. Tena Pinion - Treasurer Tena was born and raised in North Carolina and moved to Texas via Oregon when she was 30. She bought her first Mercedes in 2010, a 2005 Mercedes SLK 350. Tena is a bookkeeper for AISD. Come meet the new board on December 3, 2016 at the Christmas Party at Onion Creek Country Club 5:00 p.m. 2
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Horace Bledsoe Ivan Cruz John Davis John Etchieson Victor Garcia Frank Irwin Robert Lambert Ronald Nelson Mychael Ritterhoff Emran Rouf John Tully John Wester Chun Zheng Helga Ausman Ron Buettner Dean Clark Chris Eddy Stewart Finnessey Elizabeth Gregowicz Gary Grissom Richard Hartin Thomas Jacobs Mary Joseph Joseph Juchniewicz Nicholas Juried LOYAL RENEWING MEMBERS John Kershner Joseph Kish Corey Mabe Hans Mertens Carl Nall Frederik Oosterwijk Kerrie Pinkney Bruce Sasse Lidan Shen Robert Stelfox William Vonvoss 3
SEPTEMBER EVENT South Central Regional Meet The South Central Regional Meet was held during the Lone Star LeMans, 2016 from September 15-17. Members from the North Texas, Hill Country, Houston and Lone Star Sections were in attendance along with National President Terry Kiwala, Regional Director Gene Jurick, Brett Jurick, President - North Texas Section, Joe Middleton, President - Houston Section, Kathie Steele, President - Hill Country Section and Arno Pitzen, President - Lone Star Section. The off track gatherings took place at Trudy s South for the meet and greet, a tour of Dick s Classic Garage given by Lone Star Section VP, Norm Glorioso followed by a drive through the Hill Country, ending with lunch at the Salt Lick BBQ. The track events were enjoyed by MBCA members that ended with a lap around the COTA track. Thank you to Mel Kym, from the North Texas Section, for setting up the car corral and track lap with COTA. Salt Lick Barbecue, September 16, 2016 4
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Meet and Greet, Trudy s South September 15, 2016 6
Dick s Classic Garage Tour by VP Norm Glorioso 7
Mercedes Benz Car Corral at Circuit of the Americas 8
August Event Lone Star Riverboat The 2016 Lone Star Riverboat was a great success. 70 plus MBCA members and guests sailed along Lady Bird Lake on August 27. The weather, the music and the atmosphere were a great setting for the bat watch, but they did not make an appearance this year. According to the Captain, the rain is the reason that they did not show. So, we try again next year. Thank you to everyone that helped with this event. 9
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July Event Round Rock Express Members of the Lone Star Section attended the Round Rock Express game on July 3 rd. The game and the fireworks display were a great way to celebrate our country s independence. 11
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MEMBER BENEFITS THE STAR MAGAZINE Your membership to the Mercedes Benz Club of America includes a subscription to our bi-monthly magazine, The Star. Each issue is packed with in-depth information, including the latest news and vehicle previews from Mercedes Benz USA; details about local, regional and national Club events; plus articles on restorations, new-car reviews, road tests, exotic road trips and so much more. This four-color, 120-page read is delivered directly to you every other month and advertising in The Star's classified section is free to Members. In 2012, The Star was awarded 14 "best of" medals from the International Automotive Hall of Fame for excellence in writing, design, production, graphics and photography. Club members have exclusive rights to read The Star online and gain access to hundreds of historically-valued back issues at any time. If you are a member, Login to take advantage of this offer! If you are not a member and would like to cash in on the savings, Join Today! To join today, go to: https://www.mbca.org/join-today To renew your membership, login to mbca.org https://www.mbca.org/user/renew 13
LOYALTY REWARDS Loyalty Rewards Program LOYALTY (U.S.) Your REWARDS membership PROGRAM with the Mercedes Benz Club of America (MBCA) comes with special privileges, like saving $500 off the purchase or lease price of a new Mercedes Benz. To qualify, you must be a current Member of MBCA and have at least one year of uninterrupted membership with the Club, prior to your New car lease or purchase. Offer excludes Sprinter Vans, Smart, SLS AMG Coupes and SLS AMG Roadsters. Discount CAN be combined with other MBUSA incentive programs; including Guest Appreciation Certificates, European Delivery, seasonal event discounts and other (select) Dealer offers. Please check with your Dealer in advance to confirm which offers may be combined with your $500 Loyalty Reward discount. If you are a current U.S. Member of the MBCA and have been a Member for at least 12 consecutive months prior to purchasing or leasing a NEW Mercedes Benz vehicle, you are considered a "Member in Good Standing" and automatically qualify for a $500 price discount. Need an MBCA Lone Star Section Name Tag? You can order it online by selecting mbca.org/store/event items or email Pam Gleeton at pam@mbca.org. STARFEST 2018 Birmingham, Alabama May 18, 2018 14
2016 TRIP TO GERMANY Membership benefits include the exclusive opportunity to experience a first-class European vacation and VIP tours that places you at the heart of Mercedes Benz rich history. These member only trips provide direct and personal access to Mercedes Benz facilities, museums, assembly plants and the many amazing European landmarks. Many MBCA members and their guests have traveled on European trips, including the famous Stuttgart trip. Take MBCA s guided trip through the Stuttgart Region and experience the rich heritage of Mercedes Benz first-hand. Enjoy VIP destinations, accommodations and five-star cuisine. No worries, just WOW! on this commandperformance excursion for Members, families and friends. To see why members have taken these trips more than once, read a satisfied Member s Germany 2015 tour diary here. View this year s 2016 European trips for more information or to book your trip. Space is filling up quickly for 2016 European Trips. https://www.mbca.org/benefit/2016-club-trips-germany 15