Center for Sportfishing Policy Honors Former Chairman Bob Hayes, Announces New Board Members
Washington, D.C. – May 19, 2021 – This week, the Center for Sportfishing Policy (CSP) Board of Directors hosted its annual meeting where the organization honored its past Chairman Bob Hayes and elected new board members.
CSP honored Hayes with the Eddie Smith Manufacturer of the Year Award for his dedication to the recreational fishing and boating industry and his commitment to angler access and marine conservation.
“Bob Hayes has been involved in the politics of fish for almost 50 years and devoted his career to advancing marine conservation across the country,” said Jeff Angers, president of the Center for Sportfishing Policy. “Although Bob is not a manufacturer, he conceived the idea of CSP and charted the course for our organization to unite anglers and industry to engage in political advocacy in Washington, D.C.”
The Eddie Smith Award was established by CSP to honor extraordinary commitment to conservation by manufacturers. An icon in marine manufacturing, Smith was a leader on the boards of National Marine Manufacturers Association; Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina; Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, and many other leadership roles. Well known as the owner of Grady-White Boats, Smith received the first-ever American Sportfishing Association Lifetime Achievement Award and is a member of the NMMA Hall of Fame. Past recipients of the award include AFTCO’s Bill Shedd; Bass Pro Shops’ Johnny Morris; Maverick Boats’ Scott Deal; Shimano USA’s Dave Pfeiffer, and Yamaha’s Ben Speciale.
At its annual board meeting May 18, CSP instated members to its board of directors.
Elected to serve three-year terms:
· Matt Bridgewater, CEO, GEMLUX
· Aine Denari, president, Brunswick Boat Group
· Dave Dunn, director of sales & marketing, Garmin International
· Berwick Duval, II
· Tommy Hancock, president, Sportsman Boats
· Guy Harvey, chairman, Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation
· Glenn Hughes, president, American Sportfishing Association
· Mike Nussman
· Dave Pfeiffer, president, Shimano North America Fishing, Inc.
Elected to serve one-year terms:
· Annual Member Director Chris Butler, president, Butler Marine
· Corporate Member Director John Brownlee, vice president marketing, Yellowfin Yachts
· Corporate Member Director Mike Dixon, vice president, Engel Coolers
· Life Member Director Mitch Brownlee
The Center for Sportfishing Policy is the nation’s leading advocate for saltwater recreational anglers. The Center organizes, focuses and engages recreational fishing stakeholders to shape federal marine fisheries management policies. For more information, visit www.SportfishingPolicy.com.
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