SoCal Marine Association Becomes ‘NMMA West’
July 3, 2012
Byline: Taylor Hill
ORANGE — The Chicago-based National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has officially announced the integration of the Orange-based Southern California Marine Association (SCMA) into a newly formed group: NMMA West.
Members of SCMA, a regional recreational marine trade association and boat show producer founded in 1956, voted May 31 to merge with NMMA.
“Our industry has undergone dramatic changes over the course of the past decade, and NMMA believes in staying ahead of these changes to ensure we’re able to continue doing what’s right for recreational boating,” said NMMA president Thom Dammrich in a prepared statement about the merger. “By bringing SCMA into NMMA, we’re confident we’ll be able to improve how we position the industry for growth — in Southern California and throughout the U.S.”
According to the association’s June 29 announcement, NMMA will take on all of SCMA’s assets, maintain SCMA staff in its existing Southern California office and produce the San Diego Yacht and Boat Show, Long Beach Yacht and Boat Show, and Los Angeles Boat Show, beginning with the San Diego show July 26-29.
“We’ve been looking for ways to improve offerings for members of SCMA and reignite the recreational boating industry in Southern California,” said Dave Geoffroy, former executive director of SCMA, who has been named executive director of the newly formed NMMA West. “The integration with NMMA was a natural move to help achieve these goals.”
SCMA members who were not already NMMA members will receive three years of paid NMMA membership as part of the integration. A dedicated NMMA West board of directors — composed of representatives from local marine companies — will be formed, and will report to the NMMA board of directors.
