Patti Smith, vice president of Silver Spray Sports in Fenton, Mich., and chairperson of the Michigan Boating Industries Association, has been named to the state’s Outdoor Recreation Advisory Council. She will be responsible for making recommendations to the new Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry, created recently by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
“The state of Michigan has so many boating opportunities to offer with the Great Lakes, and more than 11,000 inlands lakes,” said Smith in a statement. “I’m happy to be on the Outdoor Recreation Advisory Council to represent boating, a big business in Michigan with a large economic impact.”
Outdoor recreation generates $26.6 billion in consumer spending annually in Michigan, according to state’s Department of Natural Resources. Recreational boating has an annual economic impact of $7.4 billion in the state.
The Outdoor Recreation Advisory Council also makes recommendations to the DNR and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation on ways to improve partnerships, collaborative strategies and policies that will increase the outdoor recreation economy, employment and consumer spending, while supporting conservation and public recreation assets. Members are appointed jointly by the DNR director and NRC chair.
The Michigan Boating Industries Association is a non-profit trade association representing more than 350 marine businesses.
