Industry mourns Walker Agency founder

Posted on 17 August 2012

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Mike Walker, president of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, died Thursday, surrounded by his family, at a Hospice near his home in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was 64.

“The [non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver] just got to be too much to battle,” Walker’s wife, Mary, wrote on the family’s CaringBridge website. “As if everyone knew last night would be his last, the whole family came over to have a family dinner and to be with him. … Everyone knew the end was in sight, and were able to say their goodbyes.”

The Walker Agency, which Walker formed in 1982, specialized in representing outdoor recreation clients, including longtime OWAA supporters Yamaha Motor Corp., BoatUS, Toyota Motor Sales, Safari Club International and many others.

Walker produced and wrote for two nationally syndicated radio programs, “The World of Ducks Unlimited” and “Toyota Outdoors.” He also wrote a marketing column for Soundings Trade Only, plus freelance articles in Boat and Motor Dealer and Boating World magazines.

Walker also was a founding vice president, overseeing membership, for the Marine Marketers of America.

“Mike was a true pro who worked his heart out for his clients,” said Mark Taylor, OWAA first vice president. “This is a guy who, when he was working with Toyota, showed up at an OWAA conference with a Prius, and that was the car all those truck-driving outdoorsmen ended up talking about. He was that good.”

Click here to read the full obituary.

Comments

2 Friday, 17 August 2012 16:44

By Capt. Bob Armstrong

Our industry has truly lost one of the "good guys." As warmly human as he was a thorough professional, Mike was always a joy to work with; a man who acknowledged not only his clients' needs but also the requirments of those of us who reported on them and always responded accordingly. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

1 Friday, 17 August 2012 16:11

By John Wooldridge

Truly a loss to our industry. I first met Mike when he worked for Johnson Outboards, and had plenty of interaction with him when he joined Ham Hamburger in the effort to make Yamaha an important part of our market. Working with Mike, as well as with his early partners Pete Johnson and Dennis Phillips, was always a top-notch professional experience. He will be missed.

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