2004 Sportfishing Summit
Advancing an Angling Agenda
October 2004 Business Meeting Report
During the Summit, ASA’s Board of Directors and its committees
met to conduct the association’s business. The following are the
highlights of the committees’ discussions and deliberations as
reported during the General Membership Meeting on Friday, October 29,
2004.
Membership Committee
The committee recommended that
ASA look at N.C.’s Outer Banks
area and Southern California as two areas to recruit 30 new retailer
members for ASA membership.
The committee recommended a new dues structure for non-manufacturing.
The Board will consider this recommendation and discuss it further at
the March 2005 Board meeting. In the interim the Membership Committee
and staff will provide additional information to the Board for its review.
Show Committee
The Board accepted for information that ASA staff would research recording
the seminars presented at ICAST and make available, at cost, copies of
the seminars to exhibitors and attendees. The committee also recommended
that staff should look at possible locations on the show floor for seminars.
 |
From left to right: Jeff Pontius,
president, Zebco Corporation, Chip Powell, president, Mason
Tackle and Jerry Calengor, executive vice president, Normark
Corporation, enjoy the oceanside reception. |
|
Government Affairs Committee
ASA’s Board approved three courses of action for Government Affairs
which includes reintroducing the mitigation hatchery legislation in the
109th Congress and seek resolution to funding of mitigation hatcheries;
sending a letter to the President of the United States detailing the
economic and business concerns of restoring commercial fishing for striped
bass in the Exclusive Economic Zone and provide information about the
size and scope of the sport fishing industry; and continue to seek solutions
to inequities in the application of the federal manufactures excise tax
on fishing equipment.
Finance Committee
The Board approved ASA’s FY 2005 budget. In addition, ASA’s
President, Treasurer and CFO would meet three times per year in conjunction
with the Hall Shows to review financials.
Revenue Committee
The committee and staff will update
the database of Consumer Fishing Shows and circulate the list to committee
members for further evaluation. A
task force of staff and board members shall visit as many candidate shows
as feasible during the upcoming year.
Communications
The committee chairman presented a report
on the discussions of the committee members in attendance. The report
highlighted the improved newsletter and its schedule; sponsorship of
the ICAST press room and improved oversight of press credentials; and
creating an industry calendar on the ASA Website.
Consumer Shows
A report of the committee’s meeting
included an update on the San Francisco Fishing and Boating Show. The
committee urged the Board of Directors and ASA members to fully support
this new ASA venture.
Data and Statistics Committee
The Board approved adding four new members to the new Data and Statistics
Committee. The committee reviewed the current information provided to
ASA members and will work to provide data that will assist members in
making business decisions.
FishAmerica Foundation
The foundation’s Conservation and Research Project Committees
met, but did not have a quorum. The foundation’s 2005 budget was
approved by mail ballot on November 30, 2004. The committee discussed
marketing plans to enhance the foundation’s visibility with its
target audiences.
Future Fisherman Foundation
The foundation’s new by-laws, approved earlier this fall
by the ASA Board of Directors, have permitted the Foundation to seat its
new Board and Executive Committee. The chairman of the foundation’s
board is Jesse Simpkins from Plano Molding.
Manufacturing Division
The Board accepted for information
the committee’s recommendation
that ASA staff annually identify at least one television ad campaign
by a non-endemic company that features sportfishing and then recognize
that company and its ad agency with an award at the Sportfishing Summit. The
Board suggested that ASA staff work with the staff of the Recreational
Boating and Fishing Foundation to accomplish this.
Manufacturing Reps Division
The Board accepted for information
this committee’s recommendation
that the ASA Website include a Manufacturing Reps page. The committee
also made the same recommendation concerning ICAST seminar recordings
that was made by the Show Committee.
Other Business
The Board originated and passed a motion to make Burt Steinberg,
American Rod and Gun, an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors for
the next two years.
