Commodore Warren McAdams, National Directorate Commodore for Recreational Boating Safety for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, receives the prestigious Bonner Award from NASBLA President Charles A. Sledd. McAdams received the award in recognition of exceptional leadership skills and his longtime dedication to recreational boating safety.

Lexington, Ky. (Oct. 6, 2006) – During its 47th annual meeting, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) last week presented Commodore Warren E. McAdams of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary with its Bonner Award.

The Bonner Award has been presented since 1971, and is awarded to a state or federal boating official who exemplifies the leadership qualities displayed by former Congressman Herbert C. Bonner of North Carolina, author of the Bonner Act (better known as the Federal Boating Safety Act of 1958). This award has been presented to numerous U.S. Senators and Congressmen, state boating law administrators, and Coast Guard personnel over the years.

Commodore Warren McAdams has served as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary since 1981. He has been a member of several flotillas, most recently Flotilla 53 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was District Commodore and served as Department Chief for Boating from January 1997 to September 2001. He currently serves as the National Directorate Commodore for Recreational Boating Safety.

Commodore McAdams’ exceptional leadership and dedication has had a positive impact on recreational boating safety. He continues establishing and strengthening partnerships for the benefit of recreational boating safety. One such valuable partnership is the one he maintains with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, including regular participation at committee meetings, as well as authoring six articles each year since 2001 for the association’s Small Craft Advisory magazine.

Additionally, Commodore McAdams supported efforts that continued or established six states as providers in the Vessel Safety Check (VSC) program and worked to secure funding from State Farm to support the VSC program for the years 2005-07 through a partnership agreement.

Commodore McAdams also represents the Auxiliary during meetings of the National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC).

NASBLA is a nonprofit organization representing the boating authorities of all 50 states and the U.S. territories. Dedicated to reducing boating accidents, saving lives and helping to make boating safe and enjoyable for everyone on our nation's waterways, NASBLA is working to achieve seamless uniformity for boating laws from state-to-state. NASBLA encourages reciprocity of boating laws and establishes standards for boating safety education and boating law enforcement practices.

Editor’s note: Commodore McAdams has been selected to be the National Chief of Staff for the 2007-2008 National Bridge.

-SK