At this morning’s State of the Industry Breakfast held annually at the Miami International Boat Show & Strictly Sail, Dometic’s Ed McKiernan was presented the Alan J. Freedman Leadership Award. Now in its 28th year, the prestigious accolade recognizes individuals who in the course of their careers have made outstanding contributions to the marine accessories industry through leadership, creativity and personal motivation.
Throughout his 40-year career in the marine industry working for companies such as Mansfield Sanitary, SeaLand Technology and most recently Dometic Corporation, McKiernan has passionately campaigned to raise awareness of the importance of boat owners’ environmental responsibility in both coastal and fresh waters via responsible waste management. One of his greatest achievements includes his leadership of the NMMA Facilities Development Committee in 1992, during which Congress passed the Clean Vessel Act (CVA).
McKiernan was also responsible for driving the development of complete toilet systems that promote protection of the marine environment while also being easy and economical for boat owners to use. This led to the introduction of a range of new technologies including Dometic’s SeaLand VacuFlush® toilet systems, which provide exceptional water efficiency, performance and reliability, as well as the SailVac™ toilet system the first vacuum toilet/holding tank system designed specifically for the sailboat market and winner of the 2011 Pittman Innovation Award.
Thom Dammrich, President of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), said: “Ed was a strong industry leader whose dedication to developing innovative marine accessories while passionately fighting for clean water awareness and protection of the marine environment had a tremendous impact on recreational boating. He was always there, willing to give back to the industry through his service on NMMA boards and we are honored to recognize his outstanding career achievements and contributions to our industry with the Alan J. Freedman Leadership Award.”
As part of his nomination statement Frank Marciano, President, Dometic Marine said: “I have known Ed McKiernan professionally and personally for 20 years and you would be hard pressed to find another person with such honourable commitment to such a valuable cause. Furthermore, his passion is infectious and remains as enthusiastic now as it was over 40 years ago. His natural leadership and dedication have ensured that where he goes, others seek to follow. To have been influential in the successful creation of the CVA is a true reflection of the man’s lifetime of achievement.”
Summary of Ed McKiernan’s Career Milestones:
• Leadership of the NMMA Facilities Development Committee during the creation of the CVA.
• Alongside NMMA staff, Ed worked diligently to get legislation passed to enable public and private marinas to receive grant funding for the installation of dockside pump equipment.
• Driving force behind the development of a range of new products including VacuFlush® toilet systems, SaniGard™ vent filters, OdorSafe® Plus hose and patented holding tank systems such as the SailVac.
• Relentlessly campaigned to raise awareness of the importance of responsible waste management by boat owners.
For further information about Ed McKiernan and to see the full nomination, please visit www.dometic.com/FreedmanAward. For further information about the Alan J. Freedman Leadership Award please visit: www.nmma.org/industryawards/alanfreedmanaward.aspx.