At the MOA, we celebrate our members who are veterans and first responders throughout the year, but this special page is to single them out for the heroic and often unsung work they do across their entire careers.
From helicopter pilots to front-line medics and beyond, we’re glad to support their riding lives as members of
the MOA.
Throughout September, first responders can renew or extend their membership at special rates by visiting
bmwmoa.org/frontline. If you know of someone who serves the community but isn’t an MOA member, please invite them to take advantage of the savings.
It’s the least we can do to thank you for your commitment to our community.
Lee Burns #87797
Lee has been an EMS provider for 45 years and riding motorcycles for even longer. He says that if he had a dollar for every time someone said, “You’re a paramedic and you ride a motorcycle? You should know better!” he’d be rich!
During his tenure in EMS, Lee has served as an EMT and paramedic and also worked as an EMT instructor, chief operations officer, and advanced life support coordinator. Most of these roles were volunteer or pro bono, his friends remind him. His career path saw him involved with state governments, developing EMS systems and training programs, responding to large-scale emergencies, and regulating EMS agencies, primarily ambulance services and fire departments, from small and rural to massively metropolitan.
Throughout the years, he’s commuted, traveled and adventured on five different BMW motorcycles and two Suzukis before that. Lee’s current bike is a 2018 R 1200 RS.
- Tony Keyser #161705Tony calls his bike an “R 9-1-1 T, the first responder for any call to ride.” It’s pictured here at his son’s fire station in Chelan County.
- Brandon Kent #222332
Brandon has been a member of the Search & Rescue Dive Team for eight years and also works as a Marine Patrol officer when he’s not out riding his R 1250 GS Adventure. He’s even certified for diving in ice! His team focuses on body and evidence search and recovery and missing persons searches. With 37 lakes and dozens of miles of river, the St. Joseph County first responders have a lot of water to cover. They also offer safety training for boaters and other services. Steven Jacobs #201499
Steven has been a registered nurse for over 30 years, with the first 10 years devoted to his practice as a palliative/end-of-life care nurse in both hospital and community settings. Steven then moved into nursing education and spent 20 years teaching at various colleges in Ontario, Canada.
Recently retired from nursing education, Steven looked back on his career and believes he taught about 55 semesters of 165 courses, involving 11,550 students! He is now assisting members of his community with their health and fitness as a Certified Group Fitness Instructor, teaching fitness classes in community centers and condominiums.
Steven’s photo shows him preparing to ride to teach a group fitness class with yoga mats strapped to the back of his bike.
- Dan Kiley #109137Dan recently retired from the University of Texas at San Antonio Police Department.
Ronald Younghusband #241581
Ronald started his firefighting career in 2001 with the Pickering Fire Service in Ontario, Canada, and is now two years from retirement. During that time, he also volunteered for seven years in Brighton, Ontario, after moving out of the city when Pickering started requiring 24-hour shifts. He says it’s has been the best and the worst job of his life, but assures that he would do it all again if he could.
Ronald had a few bikes as a kid and says he was a terrible rider back then. When he met his wife, also a first responder, she had three bikes and said he’d need to start riding again if he hoped to spend any time with her in the summer.
Today, Ronald averages about 18,000 miles annually and, with his wife, has traveled most of the US and Canada and has taken three tours in Europe with Adriatic Moto Tours.
John Saguto #242255
John was part of a special USAF Combat Search and Rescue unit that provided extensive field medical and tactical skills. After completing his service, John deployed as a reservist to New York City’s Ground Zero after 9/11 to help manage disaster response operations. For more than 25 years, he has planned, participated in, supervised, and trained leaders in disaster responses. In some cases, he was able to access remote and hazardous areas for damage assessment on his R 1200 GS Adventure motorcycle.
John also owns Sonoma Moto and helps set up and support the California Highway Patrol and several California counties with their authority BMW motorcycles.
According to John, riding his motorcycle after being of service to those in their most desperate moments helps balance his stress. He says this “rotational therapy,” even when riding through disaster-impacted areas, allows him to experience the world instead of just seeing it.
Shep Brown #27510
After a full career as a Marine helicopter pilot, Shep chose to go the Air Ambulance route in helicopters and started with some Marine buddies at Duke Lifeflight. This EMS program was and is a premier program in the American southeast. After Duke, he flew with Tampa General Aeromed, then 13 years with Baptist Lifeflight of Pensacola, Florida. In all, Shep says he spent 27 years flying with the most dedicated medical flight crews. “I taught them a lot about aviation, and they taught me a lot about medical situations and compassion,” he said.
Shep’s aviation passion was a natural extension of his mechanical interest on two wheels, which all started in 1965 aboard a Yamaha 80. Since then, he’s enjoyed numerous machines, including Beemers since 1981 and the superb camaraderie of the MOA since 1982!
Ryan Lanci #225904
Ryan has been a first responder since he was 16, when he started as a volunteer for a local rescue squad while in high school. After a short career in EMS, he earned his RN and worked in an ER and then in research, while still volunteering. Currently, he is an EMS Lieutenant for Youngsville EMS and Rescue in Youngsville, North Carolina, and is an AEMT and a member of the Public Safety Dive Team.
A rider for about 26 years, Ryan started with sport bikes, specifically a Yamaha FZ6, then moved to a Ducati Scrambler 848. After too many speeding tickets and a desire to do some off-road riding, he moved to an F 850 GSA. After riding the MABDR on that bike, he decided to move up to an R 1250 GSA. Ryan has also trained at the BMW Performance Center in Greer, South Carolina, and found the experience “super helpful.”
Bill Lundy #95990
Bill was a volunteer first responder with the fire department in York, Nebraska for 52 years, retiring in June 2026. He started riding right out of high school on a Honda 350 SL and later owned a 1971 Honda 750 Four. His first BMW was a 1991 K 1100 LT, and he has since owned two R 1200 RTs, with his current ride being a 2018 R 1200 RT.
As a member of the fire department, he has been able to share various types of riding gear that riders use, including the modular helmet that he has shown during EMS classes, explaining how it works and how the chin bar can be opened without removing the helmet.
Being a volunteer with the fire department worked right into volunteering at MOA National Rallies—Bill has also volunteered with the First Aid Committee!
- Ron Paret #167002Ron worked for 28 years in drug law enforcement. Now retired, he enjoys not being undercover any more!
- William Andrews #34979William doesn’t like the way the vest makes him look, but we all appreciate his service!
- Richard Bennett #127968Richard was one of just 20 motorcycle officers for the San Diego Police in 1968, down from 40 two years before. He served in the unit until 1971 and later served as the lieutenant in charge of the department’s motor officers from 1980-81. In his 40 years with SDP, he says that was his favorite assignment. When he started as a motor officer, he rode a 1965 Harley-Davidson FLH.At 83 years old and still riding, Richard is a member of the Blue Knights’ San Diego chapter, where he is a director and edits their newsletter.
Matt Parkhouse #13272
Matt did two things upon returning from Vietnam, where he was an Army medic: he joined the Terros Hotline and purchased an R 75/5. He had no idea how life-changing those two actions would prove to be.
In 1972, the Terros Hotline was one of the few organizations that could creatively help out in any number of situations in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Their motto was “A little help from your friends,” which was taken from a Beatles song.
Over the years, Matt’s service as a first responder has included work as a Disaster Mental Health Coordinator for the American Red Cross, training as an EMT at Fort Carson, chairing the First Aid Committee at two MOA National Rallies, working as a Clinical Nursing Instructor as well as his 40 years as a registered nurse.
Guy Storrs #239938
Guy Storrs started his law enforcement career in 1983 with the Seneca County, New York, Sheriff’s Office as a corrections officer, then moved to the road patrol as a Deputy Sheriff. In 1987, he transferred to the police department in Webster, New York, where he held numerous assignments before retiring as an Investigator in 2008.
Since 2008, he has been employed at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as a supervisor, where he continues to lead a team of retired law enforcement officers assisting police agencies, social services, and parents with missing children’s investigations.
Growing up on a farm, he’s been riding motorcycles pretty much since he could walk. Guy has also competed in all types of motorcycle racing, including flat track, TT, hare scrambles and supermoto, but lately—at 63—he spends most of his time on his 2023 F 850 GSA and H-D Road Glide. Guy is also a Certified MSF Instructor and teaches at an area college.
James Rickena #238985
James’ fire service career began in 1969 at Glacier National Park’s Fire Cache and continued through aircraft rescue with the U.S. Air Force, wildland firefighting, and service at Ontario International Airport as a dual-certified ARFF firefighter/EMT and airport police officer.
Motorcycles have accompanied that career, beginning with a 1970 Suzuki 90 and later including Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and KTM models. In 2024, James finally purchased his dream motorcycle, a 2020 BMW R 1250 RT. The photograph of his BMW beside an airport fire truck brings those two parts of his life together. James said, “Both machines represent preparation, confidence, and purposeful movement, one toward emergencies and people in need, the other toward open roads and personal freedom.”
At 76 years old, James still values the discipline and readiness gained through a lifetime of service, as his BMW carries him toward new destinations and the miles ahead.
Chris Filiatreault #242623
Chris Filiatreault spent 12 years as a military helicopter pilot in support of the Canadian Army and retired from full-time service in 2018 to join Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (STARS). Chris has now flown with STARS for eight years, flown over 800 missions and served in three different provinces. “It’s been great to serve my community and country,” he said.
Chris started riding in 2009 and has had a few different motorcycles over the years before finally getting his dream bike, an R 1200 GS, in 2025. When not working, he tries to ride it any chance he gets!
Frank Pons #125900
Frank’s fire service began in 1995 with the fire department in Palmer Lake, Colorado. From 1996 until moving to Oregon in 2004, he served with the Tri-Lakes Fire Department. As a National Registry Certified EMT, Frank has also instructed and conducted practical and academic testing at Pikes Peak Community College, Peterson and Schriever Air Force Bases, Colorado College, and the Air Force Academy Fire Department.
Motorcycles have been part of his life since age he was 19, when he bought a new 1969 Honda CT70. A Honda SL350 and CB450 followed, along with his first BMW, a new 1976 R 90/6. After marriage and three children, his passion then grew into a 30-motorcycle collection featuring Triumph, KTM, Harley-Davidson, Indian, Yamaha, and classic BMW Airheads.
Frank says his 1984 BMW R 100 CS represents the lasting intersection of public service, fine machinery, and the freedom of the open road.
Rick Figueroa #240500
Rick is currently employed by Hillsborough County Fire & Rescue in the Tampa, Florida, area, where he has been a firefighter/paramedic for over 26 years and currently holds the rank of Fire Captain. He occasionally rides his K1600 GT to work, as it has become his therapy and stress reliever from his job.
Rick has owned many motorcycle brands over the years and recently purchased his first brand-new K 1600 GT after he fell in love with the brand and the people he has met within the BMW Motorrad community.
Rick occasionally rides to Robbinsville, North Carolina, to enjoy the cooler temperatures in the mountains.
Mark Spurgeon #218322
After 25 years of service with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office serving Boulder and Golden, Colorado, Make retired from law enforcement.
Mark began riding in the 1980s, but took a break for about 20 years, starting up again in 2015. He found himself surprised at how motorcycles had changed and advanced, and after being introduced to BMW GSes, went down the ADV rabbit hole with both feet. He even took several off-road training classes, including with the BMW Rider Academy in Greer, South Carolina, to enhance his skill set.
A new BMW R 1250 GSA Rally joined his life in 2024. Mark said, “My adventures aboard my BMW have given me an outlet for my passion and helped me process a long and blessed career in law enforcement. BMW has added enjoyment to my retirement and introduced me to some great people who I consider lifelong friends.”
Rodney Williams #211946 (left) and Phillip Thick #106908
Phillip worked for the Lapeer County Sheriff Department in Michigan from 1970-2001. In 1982, Phillip earned the opportunity and attended the FBI National Academy in Quantico Virginia. He retired as a Detective Sergeant. After he retired from Lapeer County, he took no time off and immediately started working for Automated Fingerprint Identification System, where he matches fingerprints to a computer database. He is currently still working for AFIS.
Rodney worked for the Flint City Police Department in Michigan from 1987-2016, when he retired as an Internal Affairs Investigator, the work he did for the last 18 years of his career. For the last four years, he was assigned to the FBI Safe Streets Task Force in addition to Internal Affairs. He currently works for Oakland County Sheriff Department as a process server and as a security officer for a local school district.
Rodney is also an MSF Rider Coach, teaching riders the proper way to enjoy motorcycling.
The two former law enforcement officers have traveled together through the 49 contiguous states and most of the Canadian provinces on their K 1600 BMW motorcycles. Every year they take a long motorcycle trip, usually around 10 days. So far their longest trip was 8,900 miles over 22 days when they rode to Alaska.
Bob Swee #184227
When Bob spent time in the emergency room as a medical student, he found the pace, rapid decision-making, and intense focus showed him he was where he belonged. As riders, Bob believes we also experience those same attractions when we confront the twisty, undulating roads that beckon us again and again.
Bob has now been an emergency medicine physician for over 40 years and a member of a team of EMT/paramedics, nurses, physician assistants and others who work toward the same goal.
Like many of us, he started riding at a young age and got his motorcycle license at 17, after his dad convinced his mom it was okay for him to buy a motorcycle. Bob rode until he paused for a few decades because of activities with family and kids. He got back into riding 15 years ago with an F 650 GS. Later, he traded that bike for his current 2014 R 1200 RT. Bob continues to enjoy his work and his bike—but not always in that order.
