At the helm: U.S. Interior reorganization is welcome news
In late August, U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke stole a historical page from John Wesley Powell’s book in issuing a reorganization plan that will divide the agency into 12 regions.
Powell was a U.S. soldier, geologist, explorer of the American West, professor at Illinois Wesleyan University, and director of major scientific and cultural institutions.
Powell served as second director of the U.S. Geological Survey (1881–1894) and proposed, for development of the arid West, policies that were prescient for his accurate evaluation of conditions.
Zinke has long proposed reorganization plans for the department, arguing that too many bureaucrats lead from Washington rather than the areas they regulate.
The recently announced plan was built on watershed boundaries that follow state lines where possible, based on feedback received from governors, Zinke explained.
While critics contend the plan has lofty goals, making government more efficient is a welcome end goal. Managing parks on an ecosystem basis is much more effective.
The National Marine Manufacturers Association has long advocated streamlining the department. Boating Industry shares NMMA’s encouragement regarding Zinke’s action.
Conference, event update
In 2019, Boating Industry will launch the Elevate Summit, a trade show dedicated to serving all segments of the boating industry.
The inaugural event will be held at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center next fall and will incorporate the Boating Industry Top 100 gala, along with many other industry-focused programs, including the magazine’s 40 Under 40 awards, Movers & Shakers and more.
Our readers might have heard a lot of scuttlebutt regarding the final year of the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, which is co-produced by Boating Industry and the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas.
Here’s the bottom line: While both parties would have preferred to continue working together, negotiations to continue MDCE were not successful.
Moving forward, Boating Industry is charting a new and exciting course with its new event. To learn more, see Industry News on Page 12.
I want to set the record straight in stating the entire Boating Industry team remains committed to making the final MDCE the best ever, a fantastic close to an incredible conference series. We look forward to seeing you again in Orlando come December.
The 2018 MDCE will offer an in-depth lineup of educational sessions across four tracks, an expo hall with more than 100 manufacturers and service providers and a host of networking opportunities. To learn more, visit MarineDealerConference.com.
