June 15, 2006, Annapolis, MD; Severna Park, MD: : The National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) and the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) have announced two key personnel moves.

Effective June 26, 2006, long-time ABYC Education Director, Bonnie Barsa, will assume the position of President of the NMEA. Barsa began her career with ABYC in 1988 as part of the Membership Department. Bonnie then turned her energies towards the development of an Education Department, and under her leadership ABYC introduced a comprehensive education program in 1989. Since then, Bonnie has overseen the development of all ABYC educational programs, to include seminars, workshops, the ABYC Standards Accreditation course, seven ABYC marine technician certification courses, as well as online training, and a myriad of other projects that have helped pave the path to ABYC's success. Bonnie is a recipient of ABYC's C.T. Moyer Leadership Award, and before she came to ABYC she was a bank manager and officer for a large bank in Maryland. Bonnie earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Salisbury University in Maryland and grew up sailing in regattas on the Chesapeake Bay.

As NMEA's President, Bonnie will have overall leadership and management responsibility for more than 500 NMEA members representing most major marine electronics dealers, manufacturers, distributors, representatives and others who design, build, install and service marine electronics on all types of pleasure craft and light commercial vessels in North America. Bonnie will work with a 16-member Board of Directors to fulfill the mission of the NMEA which focuses on building professionalism in the industry and on providing a safe, exciting boating experience for the boating consumer.

"We are delighted to welcome Bonnie aboard the NMEA," said Mark Young, Chairman of the NMEA Board of Directors. "Bonnie's background and knowledge in education and certification programs fits perfectly with the current direction of the NMEA as we are very focused on upgrading professionalism and customer service at the technical dealer level. We feel confident that Bonnie will help the NMEA develop as an organization and will help the membership meet future challenges."

With the departure of Bonnie, ABYC has named Michael New as the Director of Educational Services to take the helm of the ABYC Education Department. Prior to joining ABYC, Michael's corporate background was in the commercial, heavy capacity scale industry (trucks, moving, etc.), where Michael was responsible for administrating sales, training and education. Michael also worked extensively with the standards associated with that industry. Additionally, he was also the owner/operator of a successful printing company.

Michael was also a driving force while Chairing a comprehensive recreational sports program in Harford County, Maryland. As such, he was responsible for scheduling training programs for all coaches and referees, starting up and scheduling soccer, lacrosse, basketball and volleyball programs, to include planning and executing local, regional and national championship events, international exchange programs and major fundraising events. Michael earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State University, and he and his wife are both avid sailors.

Skip Burdon, ABYC President said, "We are proud that Bonnie's background and her experience at ABYC has enabled her to professionally grow to become the President of NMEA. Such a change can only benefit the professional relationship between both ABYC and NMEA, and I am confident she will continue to make great contributions to NMEA and to the marine industry. I am also very confident that under Michael New's leadership, the ABYC education programs and certifications will continue to expand and flourish. There are clear opportunities for continued growth as ABYC continues to breathe new life into some of our present certification courses and explore new professional and consumer offerings. We look forward to setting sail for new ports and new adventures in the area of education and training under Michael's charge."

Founded in 1957, the NMEA has led the way in establishing technical standards for data exchange in marine electronics, with the widely accepted NMEA 0183 data protocol, NMEA 2000® and certification standards for marine electronics technicians. NMEA standards and programs focus on insuring that the boating consumer is provided reliable products and professional service. For more information, visit the NMEA Web site at www.nmea.org or call (410) 975-9425.

ABYC has been developing, writing and updating the safety standards for boat building and repair in the United States for over 50 years. ABYC is actively involved with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) as well as education and certification programs for marine technicians. These standards are available on CD-ROM, online (Web-STIR) and in printed form. Membership and general information can be requested by visiting the ABYC web site at www.abycinc.org.