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The Recreational Boating Industries Educational Foundation (RBIEF) awarded $7,500 in scholarship funds to 7 students, and one marine industry educator for advanced education. The RBIEF scholarship fund was developed in 1986 by the Michigan Boating Industries Association (MBIA) as a support program for students interested in pursuing careers in the recreational boating industry. Scholarships are awarded to college students interested in a career in the marine industry, as well as current MBIA members and their employees for industry conferences, certifications and other continuing education programs. With this granting, the fund will have distributed $382,867 to deserving recipients. The RBIEF Board has allocated another $4,000 for industry scholarships in 2019.
"The marine industry, like others, is nearing a crisis in the need for skilled employees to replace the aging workforce,” said RBIEF President Jim Coburn of Coburn & Associates. “The recipients of scholarships this year all show a keen interest in jobs in our industry, along with the current teacher who will use his scholarship to further his education to better teach marine technicians in Michigan.”
2019 RBIEF scholarship recipients:
- · Brenda Andrews, Harbor Springs
(Gregory P. Krueger Recipient)
- · Gretchen Hambrick, Clarkston
- · Keri Lozen, East China
- · Taylor Mowery, Fenton
- · Spencer Mykols, Howell
- · Joseph Spencer, White Lake
- · Maxwell Wagner, St. Clair Shores
- · Dave Mackey, Wexford-Missaukee ISD
The Gregory P. Krueger Scholarship is a named scholarship in the memory of RBIEF co-founder, MBIA Board Director and President of Jefferson Beach Yacht Sales, Greg Krueger. The scholarship has been awarded each year since his passing to an esteemed recipient who has shown perseverance and strives for education in the marine industry.
The MBIA Board donated $15,000 to the educational foundation in 2019 and encourages other to donate as well. Contributions are tax deductible. MBIA is a state-wide, non-profit organization representing more than 350 marine businesses in Michigan. The boating industry in Michigan represents a $7.4 billion economic impact in Michigan, nearly 1,500 marine businesses and nearly 40,000 jobs. To find out more information about RBIEF or to contribute, please visit the MBIA website under programs at www.mbia.org.
