MIAMI -- The National Marine Manufacturers Association
honored Dave Blackburn, President and CEO of Faria
Marine Instruments, with the 2008 Alan J. Freedman
Memorial Leadership Award.
Blackburn, who has spent nearly 30 years with Faria in
the marine industry, was a key spokesperson for NMMA,
the marine industry and U.S. manufacturing in
aggressively promoting the passage of H.R. 32, the Stop
Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act, and was
invited to the White House to witness the President
signing the bill into law. For years, he has tirelessly
represented recreational boating and NMMA in Washington,
D.C., as a strong advocate of Intellectual Property
protection.
Blackburn has also testified numerous times before
various governmental agencies, committees and
commissions, including the U.S. House Small Business
Committee and the U.S. China Commission, championing
increased protection for intellectual property and
anti-counterfeiting protection in the marine
manufacturing sector. He was also invited to speak on
the subject in Guangzhou, China, before a gathering of
international marine industry executives and Chinese
government officials.
“Dave’s efforts to help secure permanent and lasting
intellectual property protection for marine
manufacturers have left an indelible mark on the
recreational marine industry,” says Jason Pajonk,
president of Taylor Made Products and Chairman of NMMA’s
AMD Board of Directors. “We all owe him a debt of
gratitude for looking out for us in Washington, and it’s
for this reason among many others that he’s so deserving
of the 2008 Freedman Award.”
Blackburn joined Faria in 1980 as manager of its
Industrial Engineering Department. The following year,
he was promoted to General Manager and several years
later was named Executive Vice President and COO. For
the last 16 years, he has headed up the Uncasville,
Conn.-based company as President and CEO.
He continues supporting political efforts to pass
additional pieces of anti-counterfeiting legislation,
such as bill S. 3325, “A bill to enhance remedies for
violations of intellectual property laws,” which passed
both the Senate and House and was sent to the President
for signature October 2.
Blackburn received the award at the IBEX Industry
Breakfast on Wednesday, October 8, at the Miami Beach
Convention Center. NMMA’s Accessory Manufacturers
Division introduced the Freedman Award in 1984 to
recognize individuals who, throughout the course of
their careers, have made outstanding contributions to
the marine accessories industry through leadership,
creativity and personal motivation.
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