The National Marine Manufacturers Association Hall of Fame was established in 1988 to recognize and honor individuals who have made or continue to make substantial contributions toward the advancement of the marine industry. It is NMMA’s most prestigious recognition.
HALL OF FAME NOMINATION CRITERIA
To be eligible for the NMMA Hall of Fame Award a candidate must:
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Have made a substantial and lasting impact on the industry or their particular segment
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Are known in the industry and are beyond personal or professional reproach
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A past (deceased/retired) or current member and supporter of NMMA
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Actively involved in the marine industry for a minimum of ten years
NOMINATION PROCESS
Nominations for the 2024 program will open in Spring 2024. Active members in good standing with the NMMA are eligible to nominate a worthy leader. An official nomination form must be submitted, along with supporting documents (letters of support, articles around the candidate's work in the industry, etc) that will enhance the nomination portfolio by the given deadline.
REVIEW PROCESS
All nomination portfolios will be reveiwed by the NMMA Hall of Fame Committee after the nomination deadline. The NMMA Board of Directors will make a final vote to determine the award recipient(s). Nominators will be notified of award status August 2024.
AWARD PRESENTATION
Award recipients will be presented at IBEX during the Industry Breakfast in Tampa, FL.
QUESTIONS
Contact: Rachel Harmon
Email: [email protected]
AWARD RECIPIENTS
1988: Elmer Carl Kiekhaefer, Charles Frederic Chapman, Garfield Arthur Wood, Ole Evinrude and Christopher Columbus Smith
Ole Evinrude, 1877–1934
While picnicking on an island on a hot August day, Ole Evinrude wished to purchase some ice cream for Bess, his fiancée. The only problem, the ice cream store was several miles away. So, by way of a rowboat, Ole proceeded on the journey to and from the store. However, on the way back, the ice cream melted. Frustrated, Ole asked himself, “Why not build a gasoline motor to hitch up to a propeller, and stick it on the end of a rowboat?”
A pattern maker by trade, Ole finished his first outboard motor in 1907 And even to this day, outboard motors are basically the same: using Ole’s idea of a vertical crankshaft, horizontal flywheels, and set of bevel gears. However, today Evinrude (and Johnson) motors will propel a boat a bit faster than the ’07 version (150 mph versus 5 mph).
After several years of relining his original concept, and with the urging of Bess (now his wife) to develop a “commercial use” for the motor, the Evinrude Motor Company was established in June, 1910. The company experienced great success until, in 1913, the health of Bess started to fail. Thus, Ole sold the company and they began to tour the country along with their young son, Ralph.
Due to a “no compete” clause after the sale of the company in 1913, it was not until 1920 that Ole established another outboard company named “ELTO” (Evinrude’s Light Twin Outboard). Through the 1920’s, outboard production was highly competitive between the “old” Evinrude company (now owned by Stephen Briggs), Elto, and Johnson Motor Company. Then, at the instigation of Briggs, the formation of Outboard Motors Corporation took place in 1929 as a result of a merger between the “old” Evinrude company, Elto and Lockwood-Ash. The result was a $4 million company.
After the death of Bess in 1933, Ole’s health began to fail, too. He passed away in 1934. But his son, Ralph, would continue the family tradition.