The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) announced it will honor Frank Marciano, President, Domestic Americas, with the 2017 Alan J. Freedman Memorial Leadership Award. The honor recognizes individuals who’ve made outstanding contributions to the marine accessories industry through leadership, creativity and personal motivation. The award will be presented during Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show’s Innovation Breakfast on Friday, February 17.

Marciano started with Marine Air Systems in 1991 as the production manager. Under his leadership, the factory was divided into eight self-directed teams, which in turn worked directly with the sales team to satisfy customers. He continued to recruit and retain the best people, build strong teams and invest in engineering, and in 2006, put a plan in place to redesign every product family over the next eight years, incorporating what he termed the “Marine Optimized Design.”

In his early years, he participated with the ABYC standards committee for Marine Air Conditioning, assisted in teaching classes and, along with several industry partners, created the ABYC Marine Certified AC Technician program. During Marciano’s tenure, he served on the NMMA Accessory Board from 2011 to 2014 and NMMA’s main Board from 2012-2014. He has supported the MIASF, ABYC and the MLA.