Sea Tow Foundation Seeks Sober Skipper Advisory Council Members

The Sea Tow Foundation has opened nominations for new council members for its North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council, with applications accepted April 6 through May 1. Appointees will serve two-year terms beginning June 1, 2020 through June 30, 2022.

According to Sea Tow Foundation Executive Director Gail R. Kulp, the North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council serves as an expert sounding board to provide valued insight, best practices and recommendations regarding recreational boating safety initiatives, including its own Sober Skipper program, which encourages boaters to be or to designate a sober skipper.

The council, in collaboration with the Sea Tow Foundation, launched the industry’s first National Boating Industry Safety Awards in 2019 to recognize the outstanding work of four recreational boating organizations in the for-profit sector.

“We have been extremely pleased by the hard work and major accomplishments of our advisory council in its first year, the pinnacle of which was the organization and execution of our new national awards program,” Kulp said. “We look forward to appointing new members, with the goal to further develop representation throughout the for-profit sector of the recreational boating industry. By working with key industry leaders, we will strengthen overall boating safety initiatives, with the bottom-line goal to help reduce the number of boating accidents and fatalities on our nation’s waterways.”

Members of the Sea Tow Foundation’s North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council now serving the second of a two-year term include David Connolly, Thomas H. Connolly and Sons; David Dickerson, National Marine Manufacturers Association; Jim Emmons, Water Sports Foundation; Kevin Falvey, Bonnier/Boating Magazine; Mike Hankins, American Marine Sports/Maritec Industries; John Jost, Ken Cook Company; Captain Keith Lake, MarineMax; Dave Marlow, Brunswick Corporation; Captain Frank Stoeber, Regal Boats; Nic Thomas, Freedom Boat Club; Stephanie Vatalaro, Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation; Annamarie Worrell, Emerald Coast Marine Group. The council’s executive committee includes Kristen Frohnhoefer, Sea Tow Services International; Gail R. Kulp and Michael Wesolowski, Sea Tow Foundation; and Wanda Kenton Smith, Kenton Smith Marketing.

For more information about the North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council or to download the membership application, click here.