MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The MRAA Educational Foundation is seeking nominations and applications for the 2013 Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year Award.

The late Darlene Briggs, of Wayzata, Minn., was admired for her tireless dedication to the marine industry. To honor her memory, the Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year award was founded in 1987. It is presented annually to an outstanding woman who is actively involved in the marine industry at any level. It recognizes “long and devoted service, untiring commitment, and the advancement of women in the marine business.”

“I think women are a lot more active in the marine industry now; their voice is being heard,” said Debbie Meigs, the 2012 Darlene Briggs Award recipient and senior customer service representative for Cobalt Boats, in an interview with Boating Industry magazine. “And it is not necessarily due to more women owning businesses or more are in higher positions, it is the respect we are given due to the job and role we play in the industry that challenges us to be more involved.”

The 2013 recipient will be presented with the award at the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, Orlando, Fla., Nov. 17–20, by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and Boating Industry magazine. The recipient receives a trophy furnished by Boating Industry, which will publicize the presentation and feature the successful candidate in an issue following the event.

For more information, to apply or nominate, please visit the Darlene Briggs Award page of the MRAA website: www.mraa.com/?page=Darlene_Briggs_Award. The deadline for applications is August 31, 2013. If you have any questions, please contact Liz Walz at liz@mraa.com or 315-692-4533.

About MRAA Educational Foundation

The MRAA Educational Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation, was founded in 2004 to provide financial support for education, training and professional development in the recreational marine trades. MRAA recognizes the need to provide for the growth of our dealerships and the professional development of their employees. MRAA and the MRAA Educational Foundation are dedicated to the growth of the recreational marine industry through workforce development. For more information, visit About Marine Retailers Association of the Americas

At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the companies that interact with the boater in their community must thrive. Those businesses determine the boater’s experience and are the leading factor in the industry’s success. The MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those businesses, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit