Several individuals were recognized for their outstanding leadership and support.
The 2022 Sportfishing Summit, held October 25-28 in New Orleans, Louisiana, brought together more than 200 sportfishing industry leaders to address critical issues affecting recreational fishing. The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) annual business meeting included presentations as well as board and committee meetings that engaged the fishing community on pressing issues from conservation to economics.
“ASA’s mission is to serve the interests of the sport fishing industry and the entire sport fishing community,” said ASA President Glenn Hughes. “To do this, we’re focused on clean water, abundant fisheries, access to those fish, favorable trade and trade policies, and increased fishing participation.”
This year, the Summit provided a forum where its members and partners could hear about the workplace of the future; the US economy and its impact on our trade; what the ASA Government Affairs team is doing to address fisheries policy issues; ASA’s plans for your 90the anniversary in 2023; and develop strategies for the coming year and beyond.
During the summit, members and staff welcomed Phil Lillo, owner and CEO of the Don Coffey Company, as the new Chairman of the ASA Board of Directors. Other members appointed to the Executive Committee are Vice President Patrick Gill, CEO of TackleDirect; Secretary Casey Shedd, President of AFTCO Manufacturing Company, Inc.; Treasurer Dan McDonald, President of the Yakima Bait Company; At-Large Dan Ferris, editor, MidWest Outdoors; and immediate past president Jesse Simpkins, vice president of marketing for St. Croix Rod.
“My thanks to Mr. Simpkins, who handed over the gavel to Mr. Lillo after two years at the helm,” said ASA President Glenn Hughes. “I commend our entire board of directors and committee members who are willing to give so much of their time and talents to work on behalf of our industry.”
Recognizing Industry Leaders
During Thursday night’s awards dinner, Bill Shedd, President and CEO of AFTCO Manufacturing Company, Inc., received the inaugural Gary J. Zurn Conservation Award.
The award is named after long-time ASA supporter and Government Affairs committee chairman Gary Zurn, who passed away unexpectedly in August 2021. Zurn was a partner and senior vice president of Big Rock Sports for nearly 30 years. During that period, he freely gave of his time and talents to help ensure that anglers across the United States had access to well-managed fisheries, both freshwater and saltwater.
“There is no better person to receive this recognition than Bill Shedd,” said Hughes. “Both he and Gary Zurn share a legacy of working tirelessly to conserve our nation’s fisheries on behalf of the sport fishing industry and anglers around the world.”
In the same event, ASA recognized the contributions of all its former Chairman of the Board of Directors. Summit attendees included David Bulthuis, President of Pure Fishing, Inc.; Peter Foley, president of Boone Bait Company, Inc.; Kirk Immens, President; Sportco Marketing, Inc.; Chris Megan, Publisher, On The Water, Inc.; Richard “Chip” Powell, president of Mason Tackle; David Pfeiffer, president of Shimano North American Fishing, Inc.; and Jesse Simpkins, vice president of marketing for the St. Croix Rod.
The 2023 Sport Fishing Summit will be held at the Hilton Sandestin Resort in Destin, Florida from October 3-6.
Thank you Sponsors of the 2022 Sport Fishing Summit!
We thank the USDA Forest Service for being this year’s Premium Sponsor.
Thanks to the Recreational Fishing and Boating Foundation and the US Fish and Wildlife Service for being this year’s Gold Sponsors.
We thank the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; the Bass Fishing Hall or
The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association committed to representing the interests of the sportfishing and boating industries, as well as the entire sportfishing community. We provide the industry and anglers with a unified voice when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect the business of sport fishing or sport fishing itself. ASA invests in long-term business to ensure the industry remains strong and prosperous, as well as to safeguard and promote the enduring economic, conservation and social values of sport fishing in the United States. ASA also gives America’s 55 million fishermen a voice in policy decisions that affect their ability to fish sustainably in our nation’s waterways through Keep America Fishing, our national fisherman advocacy campaign. America’s fishermen generate more than $50 billion in retail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating jobs for 825,000 people.