Welcome Back, AMA Staff!
AMA Headquarters reopens fully and welcomes back staff after COVID-19 closure
June 2, 2021
By Joy Burgess
After months of AMA staff displaying flexibility working remotely due to COVID-19 guidelines, AMA Headquarters fully reopened on June 1, 2021, welcoming back all non-remote AMA staff.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, AMA Headquarters closed to adhere to Ohio mandates. As state-mandated guidelines changed, the AMA turned to a hybrid solution that kept safety and efficiency in mind.
Throughout the challenges faced by the AMA — and all businesses — during the pandemic, AMA employees found innovative ways to collaborate and kept the organization on solid footing.
“The AMA could not have continued to pursue our mission to protect and promote the motorcycle lifestyle throughout the pandemic without the operational support of our staff,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “We’re well positioned to grow in both members and activity, and we would not be where we are without all of our hard-working, dedicated staff. We appreciate our staff’s flexibility and innovation in difficult times, and we’re thrilled to have team members back in the office.”
AMA office staff were welcomed back to headquarters with a welcome sign, tokens of appreciation, and a catered lunch to celebrate the reopening. But what staff members were most excited about was the chance to interact with one another in person once again.
“It’s so nice to see everyone in person again,” said Web Developer Gina Gaston. “I missed being able to interact with everyone face to face every day. I’m definitely happy to be back and thankful we have progressed enough to be able to safely return to work.”
For Member Services Manager Tiffany Pound, it was the ability to be back with her team that made the day special. “Being with my team again has been wonderful,” she mentioned. “I definitely missed my fellow AMA staffers!”
For others, this is the first time working at headquarters. “I started with the AMA working remotely,” Racing Coordinator Oliva Davis said, “so all I knew was my workflow at home and getting to know the staff via email and video calls. Now that we are back in the office full-time, I realized how fantastic it is to actually have face-to-face conversations and get to better know the talented people I communicate with on a daily basis. With that said, I’m particularly enthusiastic about moving my filing system out of my apartment kitchen!”
While the AMA Hall of Fame Museum was also closed for some time due to the pandemic, it opened back up to the public on July 22, 2020.
“The AMA Hall of Fame received multiple grants to assist with reopening,” said Director of Operations Steve Austin, “and visitor volume is nearly back to pre-COVID numbers. We hope you’ll ride in for a visit to enjoy a tour through motorcycling history at the AMA Hall of Fame Museum.”
Hours of operation are 9 am to 5 pm ET daily. Everyone is welcome, and AMA members receive free admission.