Albert Marmo, of Washington, D.C., former executive director of the National Boating Safety Advisory, received the US Sailing President’s Award for his long-standing commitment to boating safety. He was also cited for his distinguished career service while serving in the United States Coast Guard (USCG) from September 1967 through January 2002. US
Sailing vice president (and former president) James P. Muldoon made the presentation on Monday, April 22, 2002 during a reception of the National Boating Safety Advisory Council at the Baltimore (Maryland) Museum of Industry in conjunction with the council’s spring meeting.
“We must all be thankful for Mr. Marmos decades of service to the cause of boating safety,” said US Sailing president Dave Rosekrans. “His lifelong work, especially as a founding member of the federal boating safety program, has touched each of our lives in some way.”
In 1976, when the newly established Office of Boating Safety was 575 personnel strong, Mr. Marmo was assigned as Chief of the Program Development and Analysis Branch and became the first civilian to become a Planning Officer for a Coast Guard Operating Program, a position usually assigned to senior officers. This act led the way for subsequent civilians to be assigned in planning officer positions.
As Assistant Chief of the Auxiliary, Boating and Consumer Affairs Division, Office of Navigation Safety & Waterway Services, in 1988, Mr. Marmo expertly managed six Branches and was responsible for the entire Recreational Boating Safety Program, including the USCG Auxiliary and Consumer Affairs Programs.
In 1990, Mr. Marmo was named Executive Director of the newly established National Boating Safety Advisory Council, an assignment he superbly handled until 2002. In 1992, he took over as Chief, Program Management Division of the Office of Boating Safety, where he oversaw development of budgets and regulation, statistical analysis, and provided financial oversight in the administering the $64 million national boating-safety program.
As a founding member of the federal boating safety program, Mr. Marmo played a key role in the establishment of the Federal Boat Safety Act (FBS Act) of 1971, development of the Resource Change Proposal for the supplemental funding of the program, creation of a State Grant Program, and the establishment of the Coast Guards Office of Boating Safety. Since the inception of the Federal Boat Safety program, and due in large part to Mr. Marmos leadership, guidance and organizational skills, an estimated 27,000 lives have been saved through boating safety initiatives.
The United States Sailing Association is the national governing body for the sport of sailing. The mission of this volunteer organization is to encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing and racing in the United States. More information about US Sailing, headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, is available at their website, www.ussailing.org.
