Prestigious Award Recognizes Surgenor’s Achievements as State Coordinator for the Pennsylvania MSP and Contributions to National Rider Education and Training

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 08, 2009 – Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program (PAMSP) State Coordinator and Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) employee Dave Surgenor was recognized by his peers during the National Association of State Motorcycle Safety Administrators (SMSA) Annual Conference in Madison, Wis., on Aug. 22, 2009.

Surgenor received the prestigious SMSA Annual Chairperson’s Award for his “Outstanding Contributions to Motorcycle Safety” at local, state and national levels. The award was presented to Surgenor by SMSA Treasurer and former SMSA Chair Ken Kiphart.

“I’ve worked with Dave since 1994, and of his many accomplishments in the safety community, one of the highlights is his involvement in the transition to the MSF Basic RiderCourse across the country,” Kiphart said. “He generously donated his own time to spend weeks in Oklahoma City developing Professional Development Workshops, and we’re still using the materials he developed. The result would not have been nearly as professional without his involvement.”

Surgenor first became certified as an MSF Instructor in 1989 and then as an MSF Chief Instructor in 1994. He was also certified as an MSF RiderCoach Trainer in 2000. He has worked for the Pennsylvania MSP since 1994 and was hired by the MSF in 1999 when the MSF assumed administration for the program under contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). The MSF was awarded a new four-year contract by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to continue to administer the state’s motorcycle safety program through 2012.

“Dave Surgenor has consistently served the needs of current and prospective motorcyclists in Pennsylvania and across the country with great passion and expertise,” said MSF President Tim Buche. “His many contributions to rider education and training will benefit generations of riders to come, and we’re pleased that his achievements have been acknowledged by the SMSA Executive Committee with this prestigious award.”

Among his achievements at the national level, Surgenor was instrumental in helping roll out the MSF’s new Basic RiderCourseSM across the country in 2001, conducting Learning Centers and multi-day workshops to introduce RiderCoaches to the new curriculum.

In 2007, Surgenor was also integral in creating and field testing curriculum for professional development workshops for MSF RiderCoaches and state program coordinators, and he also presented the curriculum in workshops that were held in 2008. These professional development workshops were the result of a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in partnership with the SMSA.

“It’s such an honor to receive the Chairperson’s Award from SMSA,” said Surgenor. “What a rewarding ride it has been for me. I love my job and feel so blessed to be a part of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program.”

Surgenor’s achievements since 1999 as MSF’s State Coordinator for the Pennsylvania MSP include expanding the program for riders and prospective riders in terms of accessibility, quality, and licensing opportunities. Over the course of the MSF contract period, costs to the state have decreased while training availability has increased.

Specifically, from 1999 to 2008, Surgenor’s leadership efforts helped increase the number of Pennsylvania MSP training sites from 43 to 70, and the number of students trained from 13,715 to 28,996. Since 1999, the number of RiderCoaches increased 100 percent, and the number of courses offered by the PAMSP increased 200 percent.

During the same timeframe, Surgenor expanded MSF RiderCoach Professional Development Workshops in Pennsylvania from three to 15 per year, conducted 67 RiderCoach Preps, and established a Quality Assurance team of 11 Trainers who conducted up to 600 QA visits per year.

In 2005, Surgenor worked closely with PennDOT to gain approval for the Motorcycle Safety Program to provide licensing via the successful completion of the MSF’s Experienced RiderCourse. Since 2006, more ERC classes have been added to the schedule each year. In 2008, PAMSP trained more than 2,900 ERC students.

Also in 2005, Surgenor implemented web-based class registration, and now 89 percent of all class registration is handled online, saving time and site administrative costs. Additional achievements on behalf of the PAMSP include enhancing communication with the RiderCoaches¸ reducing the waiting time for licensing credentials, improving motorcycle training fleet maintenance and inventory measures, and increasing student survey responses by 300 percent.

The Pennsylvania MSP currently employs 10 full-time and more than 500 part-time staff, including MSF-certified RiderCoaches, in the state. 28,996 riders were trained in Pennsylvania using MSF’s Basic RiderCourse curriculum in 2008.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation promotes rider safety through rider training systems, operator licensing tests and public information programs. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military, and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. Standards established by the MSF have been internationally recognized since 1973.

The MSF is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by BMW, BRP, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory and Yamaha. For RiderCourseSM locations, call (800) 446-9227 or visit www.msf-usa.org.

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