Our Member Spotlight for January is our new chapter president, Bob Ziegler.

“Greeting to All our Sunshine BMW CCA members. I  have been asked to be January’s member spotlight. So here goes first a little BMW history!

I purchased my first BMW in 1980, since then I have purchased 26 more BMW’s. Presently I have 4 BMW’s, a 1984 Burgundy 633CSi, 1987 Euro 730i, 1998 328i and finally a 2004 330CIC. All run and all drive! Does anyone really have only 1 Bimmer?

I have been in a total of 4 different BMW CCA Chapters; the first was in New York, then Everglades, then Suncoast where I was the President for 6 years and presently the last 3 years in Sunshine where I am currently the President.

I consider myself to be not just a BMW car lover but a true “Car Guy”. I love all cars and have owned many American cars including Muscle Cars. Besides my love of Bimmers I also have a passion for British Sports cars. I am the past President of a British Sports Car Club. I have owned several Italian and Japanese sport and regular cars as well.

I no longer do much in the way of driving event but rather spend my time traveling to car shows. Amelia Island and Euro fest in South Carolina have been some of my recently attended trips.

BUT my favorite event for the past several years has been The Vintage now being held in Hot Springs NC. This is not really a car show but rather a huge gathering (about 650 cars) of classic BMW owners. The venue is great and the people are the best. If you love BMW’s, even if you do not own a classic BMW, you should try to attend this event.

I look forward to attending many Sunshine BMW CCA events and events put on by other groups as I can and meeting as many Sunshine members as possible.

My thoughts have never wavered when it comes to club members, it’s never about the CARS it is all about the PEOPLE!”

Our November Member Spotlight is Sunshine Bimmers Club Member, Michael Calkins who is 72 years young. Mike has been married to his partner of almost 20 years, Keith Proud since July 2014, when same sex marriage finally became legal. He has 2 children, 6 grandchildren and is soon to have his first great granddaughter.

Mike retired in 2011, but he has been quite the Entrepreneur. He owned a chimney sweep business, 2 restaurants & a catering business. Most of his career was in the trucking industry as Director of Transportation for two different food service distributors. His last position was at the Council of Aging running the Meals on Wheels in Daytona Beach & Ormond Beach.

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and moved to Florida 1982.

His first BMW was a 1999 Z3 Roadster, but he has owned ten in total. He currently has a 2007 M Roadster with 23K miles (shown below) as well as a 2014 535d with the M Sport Package. Vroom! Vroom!

Mike joined Sunshine Bimmers in 1999 and attended M driving school at the BMW Performance Driving School in Greer, South Carolina and is an avid clock collector with over over 80 total in his vast collection which includes a pre-Civil War, 30 hour OG.