BoatU.S. Partners With Walker Agency, Scottsdale

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 11, 2007 – Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) has selected the Walker Agency of Scottsdale, Ariz., to help the organization grow in the inland market. The award-winning marketing communications firm, led by principal Mike Walker, will focus on BoatU.S. Angler, the organization’s newest membership program featuring services and information for fishermen.

“Our primary goal in bringing the Walker Agency aboard is to assist us in communicating to a fishing audience,” said BoatU.S. assistant vice president of Public Relations Scott Croft. “Mike and his team will help us get the word out about our valuable membership benefits that improve the fishing and boating lifestyle.

“Their challenge will be to help us reach out to waterway enthusiasts who think of their boats as part of their fishing equipment, which is different from cruisers or other watersports enthusiasts. Each group evaluates membership in our association in a different way."

Walker is former president of the Southeastern Outdoor Writer Assn. and on the boards of Boating Writers International and the Outdoor Writer Association of America, and associate Dennis Phillips is corporate liaison on the boards of the Northwest Outdoor Writer and Texas Outdoor Writer Associations.

Croft will continue to be the association’s primary liaison to the media. “I look forward to meeting their everyday needs,” he added.

The Walker Agency’s extensive list of clients has included Yamaha Marine Group, the Water Sports Industry Assn., Toyota, Lexus and Scion (mountain and southwestern states), Skeeter Boats, Shimano American and Ducks Unlimited among others. In addition, Walker created the Yamaha Elite Angler tournament bonus program for Yamaha Outboards, which was the original of the owner-loyalty competitive fishing programs so popular today.

He is co-author of the “How To Promote Yourself and Attract Sponsors” workshop, and Tim Tucker’s Pro Angler Insider newsletter with the late Tim Tucker. Walker also created owner-loyalty programs for Abu Garcia tackle and Skeeter Boats.

BoatU.S. is the nation’s largest and oldest association of recreational boat owners, with over 650,000 members in North America and provides services such as a group-rate marine insurance program that insures nearly a quarter million boats; the largest fleet of more than 500 towing assistance vessels; discounts on fuel, slips, and repairs at over 870 Cooperating Marinas; boat financing, consumer protection services, Federal and state lobbying efforts and much more. Visit www.BoatUS.com for more information.