Safety Program names award winner

May 01, 2008 04:02 pm

— CONYERS -– The Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program (GMSP) announced today that Mr. Marlon Balkstra has received the David Ashton Boorn Memorial Award for 2008. GMSP presents this award annually in honor of David Ashton Boorn, a young motorcycle safety instructor killed in a tragic automobile accident near his home in February 2004.
David Ashton was a dedicated, enthusiastic instructor that genuinely cared about his students. He displayed a positive and unselfish attitude as well as a sincere desire to share his love of motorcycling with others. Ashton was not content with "status quo" but consistently endeavored to improve and enhance his teaching skills. Marlon Balkstra was selected for this award because, as Ashton was, he is the perfect example of a dedicated, effective and student oriented instructor.
Balkstra, currently a field supervisor for the (GMSP), believes in rider education and lifelong skills enhancement as a way to reduce motorcycle fatalities in the state of Georgia and the nation. He has been an avid motorcyclist for 38 years, of which the last 12 have been spent in rider training.
Balkstra began his career in rider education in Savannah, in 1996 as a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Certified Instructor. Since then it has been growth through state certification, BRC RiderCoach certification, and experience as a RiderCoach Mentor and RiderCoach Field Supervisor.
After graduating from high school, Balkstra joined the Navy in 1977 and spent four years traveling the world as an Operations Specialist on the USS Halsey. Post Navy he obtained an Associates of Science degree in electronics and worked for Eastman Kodak Company as a Field Engineer from 1985-1995.
Balkstra has been previously been awarded the GMSP Instructor Achievement Award, the Instructor Award of Excellence, and most recently the David Ashton Boorn Memorial Award. He was also selected as the “Professional of the Year” in 1991 and is a graduate of Dale Carnegie’s course in human relations and effective speaking.
A San Francisco native, Balkstra now resides in Dahlonega, GA, with his wife Cindy and their family of cats. They own and maintain several motorcycles and ride them year around in the beautiful North Georgia mountains.
The GMSP is administered by the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS). For more information, please visit www.dds.ga.gov.