A friendly competition during the National Marine Representatives Association’s yearly Rep Night at the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference, which took place Oct. 4-6, benefited students in the marine trades.
Past NMRA president Rick Silverlake and National Marine Manufacturers Association president Thom Dammrich challenged each other with $100 contributions to the NMRA scholarship fund.
The NMRA has given as much as $4,500 in previous years to outstanding students pursuing industry careers.
Silverlake has since secured $300 more in pledges for the 2016 scholarship fund, which now stands at $1,500. He plans additional, lighthearted challenges at NMRA Rep Night 2016, with the goal of generating another $1,500 in contributions. The NMRA is also organizing a corporate sponsorship program for further scholarship funding.
“It’s exciting to experience the vibrancy and enthusiasm that new people bring to the boat business,” Silverlake said in a statement. “As an industry, there is so much we can do to help those pursuing careers in the marine trades.”
“The NMRA scholarship is a good example of investing in the future of our industry,” Dammrich said. “Concerted efforts among our professional associations to attract bright young men and women into the marine trades have really started to produce positive results.”
