Clarence Kearney is a partner with the accounting firm Malin Bergquist & Company, LLP in Erie and chairman of the 2011 Roar on the Shore® bike rally, one of the fastest-growing free motorcycle events in the United States. Kearney recently met with the Business Magazine to discuss the rally, set for July 14, 15 and 16 in the heart of downtown Erie, this year’s charity — the Flight 93 National Memorial Campaign, and the economic boost that Roar® provides to the region.
Many people may not know this but you are both a CPA and an avid biker.
What has attracted you and other professionals to riding?
I grew up riding motorcycles from the time I was 12 and took it up again in 2007 after assisting Kelly and Susan Lapping buy the Harley-Davidson store here in Erie. For me and many other professionals, riding is a great stress reliever and provides such a feeling of freedom and friendship with fellow riders.
Why did you decide to become actively involved in Roar on the Shore®?
I watched the first year (with grand marshal Peter Fonda) and just knew it was the beginning of a great thing for our community, not only as a popular event but also as an important economic driver. The Roar® provides so much revenue for businesses in the area and my hope is that more of the businesses benefiting from it will see how important it is to support it as a sponsor in some way. Like any charity, we always need the help of the community to prosper and grow.
What makes this rally so different from other rallies that you’ve attended?
First, we are purely a charitable organization putting on a great time for motorcycle enthusiasts and their friends while raising money for a worthwhile cause. Second, we provide a great entertainment venue for very little cost. Third, we sponsor rides for the bikers to other parts of our region, which have been extremely popular and growing each year. Last, but not least, is the Bringin’ in the Roar Bike Parade, which has become the signature kickoff of Roar®.
Now entering its fifth year, the Roar on the Shore® has helped raise more than $250,000 for local charities. How critical is the charity selection process to the rally?
The process is critical because we always need the selection to resonate with the biker community. There are so many wonderful charitable organizations and each year we try to select one that will help us draw the bikers back.
In 2011, Roar® has expanded its scope of community to benefit the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, which will serve as a permanent tribute to the 40 heroes of Flight 93. Why was this the right time for this specific fundraising effort?
The Board knew it would resonate with the biker community, which tends to be very patriotic, and this year being the 10th anniversary of the horrible terrorist attacks made it even more of the right thing to do. Who knew Bin Laden’s fate might also make it so memorable for us all.
The Roar® has added a special fundraiser — the Let’s Roll Flight 93 Memorial Ride — on September 10 and 11, 2011, which will include nine honor flights of 40 bikes each from eight locations throughout Pennsylvania and Virginia that will attend the Flight 93 memorial services. What are your expectations for this event?
The Let’s Roll Flight 93 Memorial Ride provides another way for the biker community to show their patriotism and pride for the passengers and crew of Flight 93 and to honor their selfless act of defiance against the terrorists. I expect this ride to be the culmination of a great year for the Roar on the Shore® and what it stands for. It will be a day I will remember for the rest of my life. We will never forget all of the people in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania that died on September 11, 2001.
