Gordon Houser to receive MMA Lifetime Achievement Award
MIAMI – C. Gordon Houser, 80, a marine marketing veteran who helped transform yachting into recreational boating by making the sport more appealing to millions of middle-class Americans, will be honored Feb. 17 during the Miami International Boat Show by Marine Marketers of America (MMA) with its first Neptune Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Houser launched his career in boating in 1954 with the Thompson Boat Co. and transferred to Chris-Craft when Thompson was acquired. He served as marketing manager, director and vice president until 1985. He also spent time in executive positions Donzi Marine, Wellcraft and Genmar before he retired in 2004. Houser served on a number of National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) committees. He currently lives in Sarasota, Fla., with his wife, Vida.
Houser promoted boating to new markets and in creative ways: through non-boating media (such as The Wall Street Journal and Cigar Afficianado); through boating skills schools (such as the Wellcraft Offshore Fishing School); and via the entertainment industry by serving as an advisor to the film industry.
“Marketing is a multi-disciplined occupation. In boating, you need to be part of the sales department to know what’s moving and what isn’t, part of the engineering department to understand what’s special and how it works, part of new products planning, part public relations and a big part of advertising. I was never bored. Never ever,” Houser said.
MMA president Wanda Kenton Smith said, “Gordon Houser is an industry trailblazer who helped to transform recreational boating into a multi-billion dollar industry that serves more than 10 million boat owners. MMA is very proud to present this distinguished award to one of our industry’s marketing and promotional giants who has been an inspiration to many of us.”
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