NMMA President Thom Dammrich to Retire

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) announced the recipient of the 2018 Hall of Fame Award is NMMA President, Thom Dammrich. The NMMA Hall of Fame was established in 1988 to recognize individuals who have made, or continue to generate, substantial and lasting contributions toward the advancement of the marine industry.

Dammrich, who has nearly 20 years at the helm of the NMMA, will retire on September 30, 2019. His successor will start at the association on July 1, 2019, and assume the role of president, October 1. A search committee made up of NMMA board members will hire a search firm this fall and begin the process of identifying Dammrich’s successor in early 2019.

“There isn’t anyone in the past twenty years who has done more to unite the marine industry than Thom Dammrich. He conducts himself with an exceptional level of integrity, and his tireless, passionate advocacy and promotion of the NMMA and the entire marine industry has helped us to grow and prosper and positioned the industry for success well into the future,” said Joan Maxwell, president of Regulator Marine and member of NMMA’s executive committee and board of directors. “I am deeply honored and lucky to have worked alongside Thom through the course of my career and proud to announce his induction into the NMMA Hall of Fame during IBEX.”

From the beginning of his tenure at NMMA, Dammrich recognized that collaborating across recreational boating, as well as the broader outdoor community, would be critical to the industry’s success. He created a united voice in both the legislative and economic arenas and has positioned recreational boating as a leader. He has championed the American Boating Congress to help ensure the voice of the industry is heard on Capitol Hill, and he’s built important relationships for our industry across the globe. He personally serves on numerous boards and has encouraged and supported NMMA staff leadership to serve on more than 20 boards.

Dammrich also worked to unite the industry around market expansion through the industry-wide Discover Boating marketing campaign; and spearheaded an initiative to address the need for outreach to more diverse audiences to develop the next generation of boaters.

What’s more, Dammrich spurred NMMA members to improve the quality and safety of boats and overall customer satisfaction by rallying support around the development and implementation of NMMA Boat and Yacht Certification and Marine Industry Certified Dealer programs.

With his steady hand and “all-in” approach during the Great Recession, Dammrich led NMMA through fiscal challenges by realigning the association’s work and streamlining programs and operations, while retaining its top talent to serve the industry during one of its greatest times of need.

Bill Watters, president of Syntec Industries, said, “Thom navigated NMMA through the recession when the industry was at rock bottom. As the old Swedish proverb says, ‘Rough waters are the truer tests of leadership. In calm water every ship has a good captain.’ Thom has represented our industry well, and his leadership skills have brought NMMA and the industry to where we are today. We all hope the best is yet to come for Thom personally and for the industry and organization that bears his influence.”