Four new members join RBFF Board of Directors
Category: press release
Jul 30th, 2015 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Jul 30th, 2015 at 12:00 AM
The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) today announced Dale Barnes, Lenora Clark, Jeff Pontius and Colonel Joel Wilkinson have been appointed to its Board of Directors. Barnes, Clark, Pontius and Wilkinson will work closely with RBFF leadership to meet its mission.
“Dale, Lenora, Jeff and Joel all represent key opportunities in promoting boating and fishing,” said RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson. “We look forward to their contributions and perspectives in helping us get more people on the water and, in turn, provide more dollars for conservation.”
Dale Barnes, appointed to the board by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), is the Division Manager of Marketing for the Yamaha Marine Group Company where he oversees the team marketing their outboard motors in the United States. Barnes began working in the industry in 1989 when he joined Fenwick, a fishing tackle brand owned by Pure Fishing as their Marketing Manager. He has overseen the market launch of several successful generations of Yamaha Outboards. Barnes also helped found the Yamaha Marine University™, which teaches dealers strategies to improve profitability and customer satisfaction. During his tenure, Yamaha market share has tripled to over a third of the market for outboard motors.
Voted to the board at RBFF’s June Board Meeting, Lenora Clark, President/Commodore of the Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association, was appointed by the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council. Clark has served two four-year terms as a State of California Commissioner for Boating & Waterways under Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. She has been recognized with a Uniting the Boating Community award from the California Association of Harbor Masters and Port Captains, a Distinguished Public Service to the Boating Community award from the California Department of Boating & Waterways and a Silver Star Award from Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association.
Jeff Pontius, appointed to the board by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), is the President and CEO of Zebco Brands, overseeing worldwide operations for several fishing tackle and outdoor product brands including Zebco, Quantum, Preston Innovations, Fin-Nor, Van Staal, Rhino, Badlands, Browning, Black Cat, Sonubait, Korum, Avid Carp, Cajun, William Joseph and Martin. Pontius began working with Zebco Brands in 1989, and is active in a number of several fishing industry associations, previously serving as chairman for both the RBFF and ASA boards.
Appointed to the Board of Directors by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), Colonel Joel Wilkinson currently serves as the Chief Game Warden for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife where he received the Manager of the Year award in 2006 and 2010. Wilkinson joined the Maine Warden Service in 1992 and has held several positions, including Game Warden Colonel. Wilkinson serves on the Board of Trustees for the Maine Criminal Justice Academy and the Maine Drug Enforcement Advisory Board while also serving as the Inland State Boating Law Administrator for the State of Maine.
A full list of RBFF board members is available online.