MBCA Los Angeles Newsletter 2016 4

MBCA Los Angeles Section Officers, Board Members, & Chairs Paul Bergstrom President Paul.Bergstrom@la-mbca.com Kevin Wright Treasurer Kevin.Wright@la-mbca.com Roz Bergstrom Roz.Bergstrom@la-mbca.com Fran Schoenfeld Fran.Schoenfeld@la-mbca.com Tina Wright Tina.Wright@la-mbca.com Lana Tbilisi Lana.Tbilisi@la-mbca.com Arica Ohanisian Arica.Ohanisian@la-mbca.com Amir Rudyan Amir.Rudyan@la-mbca.com Mindy Rudyan Mindy.Rudyan@la-mbca.com Brian Parker Brian.Parker@la-mbca.com Chase Kaufman Chase.Kaufman@la-mbca.com Our general e-mail: info@mbca.org website: www.mbca.org Southwest Regional Director Bud Cloninger scottsdale3@mac.com National Headquarters Mercedes-Benz Club of America 1907 Lelaray Street Colorado Springs, CO 80909-2872 (800) 637-2360 & (719) 633-6427 fax (719) 633-9283

A great honor has recently been bestowed on me. Effective November 1st, 2016 I became the new president of the Mercedes Benz Club – Los Angeles Section. Growing up on a farm in Israel (on a Kibbutz), our 7th -12th grades educational program included a special school and work schedule to prepare us for farming careers. (Study in the mornings and work in the fields in the afternoons) My first job was in the Avocado Orchards Where I started driving small tractors and cherry pickers from the age of 12 and in the

process

discovered

my

passion

for

motorized

machinery early on in my life. At age 16 I received my tractor’s driving license (yes, Israel has such a thing) and switched jobs to work in the cotton fields. Why? They had bigger tractors, huge cotton picking machines and other cool toys! While working in the cotton fields, I also got to drive cars and Jeeps which ignited my passion for cars. I quickly memorized most makes and models available in Israel at that time, and in particularly liked the Mercedes Benz cars. There were two kinds of Mercedes Benz cars on the road at that time. Most were Taxi’s (220 and 240D Sedans) and a few were S-Class sedans that belonged to “rich” people or dignitary’s. I vividly remember saying to myself that one day…. I too will own/drive a Mercedes Benz. Fast forward several years, and here I am, living in Los Angeles, married with two children and the owner of two family businesses. My passion for Mercedes Benz still

burning strong, I took the plunge and purchased my first Mercedes Benz sedan. A lightly used 1998 S600!

That was it for me.

From that point on, I was hooked!

Shortly

thereafter, I joined the Mercedes Benz Club. While I’ve have had the privilege of owning several Mercedes Benz vehicles since, what raised my passion for the brand even further, was sharing my passion with other Mercedes enthusiasts. To further my own experiences with the brand, I joined the Club’s board. And now, I am your new president.

I am passionate about Mercedes Benz cars, enjoy politics, traveling, driving, and visiting museums.

On occasion, I’ll enjoy a

good cigar and a good glass of wine.

My goals are simple. member’s

experiences

Mercedes

Benz

Improve our

brand

with

the

through

interesting and exciting activities, meet and make friends with other Mercedes enthusiasts, expand our membership, in particular with the younger generation and streamline the club’s reach and operations through better use of technology.

Please visit our website to learn more about our new board members. Please make sure to introduce yourself and say hello to us at future events.

On behalf of myself and the entire new board, we look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at our events.

Amir Rudyan President, MBCA-LAS

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

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Magic Castle Holiday Party Reminder/Update JUST ADDED: Magic Castle Tour.

If you are interested, please come an hour early and join us for a private tour of the Magic Castle with our own dedicated private tour guide. The tour will start at 11:00 am sharp.

Depending on the number of people attending the tour, we will either have one large group (up to 20 people) or split it into two groups (if over 20 people). Therefore, please rsvp to Mindy Rudyan, our event coordinator as soon as possible if you plan to attend the tour.

mindy@ashronbilling.com (Please note that if two tours are required, one will start at 11:00 am and the other at 11:30 am.

While waiting, members can hang out at the bar and enjoy each other’s company)

Private Show:

Our host offered us a private show starting at 2:15 for those who

want MORE magic. Please let our event coordinator, Mindy Rudyan know if you are interested in staying for the Private Show.

Magic Castle Event Information Organizer: Mindy Rudyan:

Mindy’s Cell:

818-424-0083

Date:

Sunday, December 4th, 2016

Arrival Time:

We recommend members to arrive between 11:30 and 11:45 so we may all be seated on time at 12:00 noon.

Brunch:

Brunch will be served starting at 12:00 noon and ends by 1:30 PM. See details on following pages.

Show:

Shows start at 1:30 PM sharp! There are multiple shows to choose from. Each person may attend any of the available shows.

Parking:

Valet is $13.00 per vehicle. Cash or credit. Parking is not included. Each member will be responsible to pay for their own parking.

Costs:

$60.00 per person

Dress Attire:

Gentlemen: “Dressy Casual” Khakis or slacks – Dress or casual Button-Down or Polo Shirts – Jacket & Tie Optional Ladies: Summer Dress or Skirt/Slacks & Dressy Top. Capris and Sleeveless Blouses are OK.

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No Denim, T-Shirts, Shorts, Sandals, Flip-Flops or Inappropriate Attire.

For questions: Email Mindy at: mindy@ashronbilling.com Call Mindy at:

To RSVP & Pay

818-424-0083 (Cell)

Please RSVP no later than November 18th, 2016.

Please send in your check with the form below BY November 24th, 2016.

Please include; How many people are in your party? Also, please provide a contact name, email address and cell phone number so you may be contacted with any changes.

$60 per person, Payable to: MBCA-LAS Mail your check to:

Kevin Wright, 444 South California Street, Burbank,

CA 91505.

Please note: Please mail your checks no later than 11/1/2016! We need to finalize the total number of attendees with the Magic Castle at least two weeks in advance. RSVPs and Payments received after 11/15/2016 will not be guaranteed a spot!

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

RSVP Form for:

MBZ Club – Magic Castle

No. of People in your party?

Contact Person’s Name: Cell Number: Email Address Agenda: 10:45

If you are attending the tour, Meet at the Magic Castle Lobby

11:45 AM

If you are not attending the tour, Meet at the Magic Castle Lobby Address:

7001 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Phone:

(323) 851-3313

Parking:

Valet Parking is at your own expense.

12:00

Group Brunch.

Our group will be seated together for a group brunch.

1:30 PM

Magic Shows:

Each person may attend any of the available shows.

2:15 PM

Private Show:

Our host will do a private show for our club.

(If enough people rsvp’d) Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

pg. 4

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

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1st Event for 2017 - Annual Planning Meeting on Sunday, January 8, 2016 at 9:30 AM

Your Los Angeles Section is sponsoring a member’s only brunch at Lenny's Deli. Lenny's Deli is located at 2379 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064. Parking is available in the restaurant's parking lot and will involve a nominal cost to those attending. Otherwise there is also street parking available. We will be in a private room and there will be limited space available. With that in mind, please make sure you reserve a spot by sending in your RSVP with contact information to Fran Schoenfeld @ 6913 Hannum Avenue, Culver City, CA 90230. Please reply ASAP to guarantee your spot!

At this meeting, we look forward to hearing your input on the types of events you would like to see scheduled for your club in 2017. If possible, please be prepared to provide specific information regarding your suggestions. We had several members host or take charge in planning different and exciting events in 2016, and we hope to have similar participation in the upcoming year. Your elected board is ready and willing to assist you in doing this. In addition, your fellow club members are anxious to experience new venues and to enjoy new adventures. If you've longed for a club trip to a specific place but were reluctant to mention it, now is your chance. We can probably make it happen!

If you are unable to attend this event, please, don't let that stop you. If you can tell us your ideas before the meeting, we can discuss them with those who do attend this brain-storming session.

Please send your suggestions to info@la-mbca.com or by US mail to Fran at the address below.

To RSVP, please email Fran at Fran.Schoenfeld@la-mbca.com or send this via postal carrier:

Member’s name:

____________________________________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________________

City & Zip: ___________________________________ Phone: _________________________

Please mail this info to Fran Schoenfeld @ 6913 Hannum Avenue, Culver City, CA 90230

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

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Mercedes-Benz Enthusiasts Dinner with the Desert Stars Section (Phoenix) SUNDAY January 22, 2017

We are again celebrating auction week in the valley by coming together for the MB Enthusiast dinner at Maggiano’s Little Italy; and we are planning to build on the success of last several years’ venue and program.

Maggiano’s.

We will again have a beautiful private dining “room with a view” at

In addition, Schumacher European, Ltd. will bring new Mercedes Benz for us to

explore and have representatives on hand to answer members’ questions. We will also feature an expanded display of member’s exemplar cars and will award a “People’s Choice” prize at dinner.

Again this year we will be reaching out to other MBCA regions to include other members who are here for the auctions and the fun!

This year our Mercedes-Benz Enthusiasts Dinner will be on SUNDAY, Jan 22, 2017. The event at Maggiano’s Little Italy, 16405 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ features a family style dinner, and after awarding the winner of the People’s Choice exemplar car contest we will provide informative industry speakers. We are planning visits to several of the auctions during the week as well, with a recap of the excitement at the MB Enthusiasts dinner. There will again be a contest for members to predict final prices achieved by select Mercedes cars at auction. Moving the fun to Sunday evening allows us to review the auctions in their entirety, and provides for participants to attend the last auctions of the week. Please use the attached form to register and pay for the event. Be sure to indicate the “exemplar car” you want to show on the registration form.

MBCA members from other regions who are planning to be in town for the auctions, or just visiting at this beautiful time of year, are encouraged to participate in the events we have planned during the week and on Sunday evening. Please make hotel reservations soon, as the auctions draw an international crowd and accommodations are best reserved early. If you want information on hotel choices in the area, or for any other questions please call John or Roberta Phin at 480-2728851 or email at jgphin@cox.net.

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MB Enthusiasts Dinner Jan 22, 2017: Registration Form Contact Information: Name(s) registering _______________________________________________________Number Attending: ______ Address: _____________________________________________________________________________ City, State/Prov., Zip: _____________________________________________________________________________ Phone No.: _____________________________________________________________________________ Day/Night Email Address: _____________________________________________________________________________ “Exemplar Car� You Would Like to Show at the Dinner: _____________________________________________________________________________ Cost is $55 per person. Registrations should be paid by January 12h, after that date or for questions call John or Roberta Phin at 480-272-8851. Make you check payable to: MBCA Desert Stars and mail to: MBCA Desert Stars, c/o Debbie Ichiyama, 6502 Evans Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85254. Or for Credit Card payment, contact Debbie Ichiyama at 480-268-9535.

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

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by Arica Ohanisian

Thank you all for attending our dealer event. We had a great time.

I would like to thank Evonne Ghoul, Public Relations Manager, Ron Robertson, Master Certified AMG Expert, and Phil Fox, Service Manager for doing such an amazing job for us today.

Everyone had a great time.

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

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he Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Orange County Sections all gathered together at The Phoenix Club to celebrate Oktoberfest. The Phoenix Club in Anaheim has been celebrating Oktoberfest for over 50 years and there were hundreds of people in attendance. The Phoenix Club had delicious German food, German beer on tap, live music, dancing and many other special events. The live music included performances by the Phoenix Club Choir, traditional Oom Pah Pah bands and the Express band direct from Bavaria. As an added bonus, MBCA members were paid to park their Mercedes on the grass. Yes, we were paid to attend! We all had a great time and look forward to more joint events.

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

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T

he following are photos and bio’s of your newly elected board.

Our

president’s photo and bio can be seen on pages 1 & 2 of the newsletter

Chase Kaufman - Vice President

Dear Fellow Club Members, My passion for Mercedes-Benz vehicles goes back to my early love of automobiles, and I remember that very clear moment in a new (at the time) 126 S-Class, when I knew it was “the one.”

It immediately

became clear to me that I must drive a Mercedes-Benz, and furthermore, that I must have that car.

The rest, as they say, was history.

Convincing my parents that my first car should be a Mercedes-Benz was no small task, especially since neither of them had ever owned one. Countless hours were spent on researching the engineering and safety prowess of Daimler, with my findings convincingly packaged into presentations to my parents. My work resulted in a 1982 300D that I lovingly cared for and worked on myself for many years. Owning such a finely engineered and built car gave me an incredible appreciation for these machines, much more so than any amount of information could hope to inspire.

This passion has also impacted my career, and I am honored to have been a part of the unfortunately short-lived Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy. This was a noble, and successful effort from Daimler to combat the #1 threat on the road, the driver.

As the first, and still only,

manufacturer to offer a full driver education and driver training school, Mercedes-Benz took responsibility not just for developing cars, but drivers as well.

I very much enjoy being part of MBCA, and over the last year I have been happy to be part of the board to be part of the Los Angeles section’s growth and evolution. There are several opportunities that I would like to explore as your Vice-President, particularly in gaining greater recognition and benefits from our local dealers, providing more opportunities for our membership to be more active, and building bonds with neighboring MBCA sections as well as other MB and auto enthusiast groups. Most importantly, I shall always value the input of our members, and hope that you will place your confidence in me.

Oh, and I did get a 126, twenty years later.

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

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Kevin Wright - Treasurer My interest in Mercedes-Benz began when I was 10 years old.

I was riding my bike in my neighborhood (Reseda, CA) when I came upon a brand new 1968 280SL.

I hit the brakes,

screeching to a halt next to the rear fender. I was stunned, possibly even mesmerized by the pagoda roof. I’d never seen a roof that dipped in the middle. I was hooked!

It took almost 30 years before I had my own 1968 280SL – white with a red interior and oh so sweet! When my boys came along we traded in the 280SL for a 280 sedan. That car was just a little too tame so we traded her in for a 190e 2.3-16. I owned that car longer than any other – 17 years. We’ve settled down from the “Banker’s Hot rod” and we are soon to be the proud parents of a newly delivered E300.

I’ve been the Treasurer of the Mercedes-Benz Club of Los Angeles nearly from the time that I joined in 1993. It will be my distinct pleasure to serve with Amir and rest of the board. Your new board is an energetic and talented bunch who are dedicated to ushering in fresh ideas and perspective as an overlay to our existing traditions.

Tina Wright - Secretary I joined the Mercedes club when I married Kevin Wright, our treasurer.

My love for cars goes back to my childhood when my

Grandfather was a minority owner of the Hanford Race Track. My family would attend all the festivities at the track and I loved hearing the engine sound of the different cars. In Junior high school, I remember this fast, sleek Porsche with a whale tail passing me while I waited for the school bus and to this day I remember thinking…I’m going to have one of those cars some day! (And yes I do). I now have a Mercedes Benz 2014 E350 as my daily driver and look forward to trading it in for the new 2017 E 300 4matic. I enjoy spending time with “car people” and while I may not be able to converse about engine performance or specifics about each and every model, I certainly enjoy looking at beautiful cars and spending time together with likeminded people.

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

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Arica Ohanisian – Board Member My very first car at 18 was a Mercedes Benz. I still remember how excited I was driving out of the dealer.

I am a Financial Advisor with New York Life.

I work with

successful business owners and individuals in helping them earn more interest on business assets while paying less in taxes. I help individuals accumulate wealth. I am passionate about my job and about Mercedes Benz cars. I joined the Mercedes club about a year ago. I am very excited to be working with our new board.

I have a son who is 24 years old, and is attending Medical School to become a Neurosurgeon.

I enjoy watching football, coordinating events at my night club in Hollywood, traveling to exotic destinations and relaxing on my Island in Costa Rica!

Fran Schoenfeld – Board Member As a youngster growing up in Brooklyn, New York, I shadowed my father as his hobby of caring for his cars mechanically and esthetically intrigued and influenced me. I was his right-hand girl, literally, as I would often get the small parts into not so easy to reach places. I attribute this early education in car terminology, parts and function as a godsend to acquiring a basic foundation for preparing me to becoming a female driver with enough knowledge to be dangerous regarding maintenance and repairs. I developed a love and appreciation for cars then and continue to love the feel of being behind the wheel with a world of experiences awaiting me.

In 1991, my personal introduction into the world of Mercedes Benz came about with two dreams coming to fruition. First, was my oldest daughter's birth and second was purchasing a car, a Mercedes Benz station wagon, that would accommodate all that it takes to travel with an infant's necessities - stroller, portable play pen and the like. I instantly became a full-fledged MBZ Car Pool mommy, as it's a 7 passenger vehicle, and loved it's versatility. When COSTCO came to be, my eager car would auto-pilot its way right into their parking lot. My first E320 wagon was getting tired and was most happily replaced by my current 1999 version which to date has 209,000 miles.

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

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My twenty five years of ownership have been accompanied by my 25 years of active membership and participation with the Mercedes Benz Club of Los Angeles. Early on, I became involved in attending membership meetings and assisting board members with planning and carrying out activities and events. The torch was passed and before I knew it, I was a devoted volunteer and held several contiguous board positions keeping me as a board member at large. I've enjoyed the likes of planning and participating in events over the years including our visits to the Petersen Museum, the Nethercutt Museum, the El Segundo Driving Museum and the Santa Monica Flying Museum. I reminisce thinking of long weekends spent on trips to Solvang and Bass Lake near Yosemite Park (celebrating my youngest daughter's birthday annually). My competitive skills have been put to good use in either arranging or running in our numerous themed Car Rallyes. I've thoroughly enjoyed our unique adventures at the El Segundo Silent Movie Theatre as well as many tech sessions where we've learned about our treasured vehicles and the fine art of their performance capabilities and how to better care for them. And for those whose automotive tastes match in intensity with their epicurean tastes, I've looked forward to planning and seeing our regulars on an annual basis at our traditional annual holiday parties at Lawry's. Any excuse for dining with club members, at a multitude of social events, has built into my life endearing friends acquired through the years.

Having been associated with the MBZ club has enriched my life as I enjoy the camaraderie of being with people who have a common bond. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to continue to serve in our club and I welcome others to join, to do the same, connecting the younger and older generations, in our shared enthusiasm for our cars.

Mindy Rudyan, Board Member / Event Coordinator My passion for cars came later in life. It started a few years after I met my husband Amir (our club’s new president).

Growing up in the San Fernando Valley (yes, I’m a valley girl!) cruising down Van Nuys Blvd was the thing to do. Years later, my husband purchased for me my first luxury car (a 1997 Lexus LS 400) and his 1998 Mercedes S600, I started to really appreciate great cars and the incredible engineering and experiences they provide. As my husband’s passion for Mercedes grew (and so did his Mercedes collection) I slowly got pulled in deeper and deeper into the car culture and in particularly, the joy and beauty of driving a Mercedes Benz. Our club, through its members and

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

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activities increased my passion for the brand even further. I am honored to serve on the board as your new event coordinator. I am looking forward to meeting all of you in future events.

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

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Visit your Los Angeles Section on Facebook where you can see things like the birth certificate of the modern automobile.

Also, use this link to follow us on Instagram.

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

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Mercedes-Benz Club of America Los Angeles Section Newsletter

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