Last week, the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) proudly delivered three awards to leaders in the sportfishing industry. Dan McDonald, President and CEO of Yakima Bait Company, received the Outstanding Leadership Award. Additionally, Pat Neu, Executive Director of the National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA) was recognized with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Lastly, Stephanie Vatalaro, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Operations at the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF), was honored with the inaugural Inspire Award.
The awards were presented during the 2024 Sportfishing Summit, held at the Catamaran Resort in San Diego, California, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the sportfishing industry and dedicated support of ASA’s mission.
“Dan, Pat and Stephanie have been steadfast advocates for the sportfishing industry and for ASA,” said Glenn Hughes, President of the American Sportfishing Association. “Their work has strengthened our industry and enhanced our collective efforts to ensure that fishing is a pastime that future generations can enjoy. We are proud to honor them as a reflection of the profound impact they have had on the sportfishing industry and entire recreational fishing community.”
Dan McDonald was elected Treasurer of the ASA Board of Directors in 2019 and served in this role until October 2024. McDonald oversaw the transition of Presidents at ASA in 2018, led multiple successful audits, and was instrumental in helping ASA navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to his service at ASA, Dan has also served as President of Yakima Bait Co. for more than a decade, and involved with the company for much longer. He even remembers driving his grandfather to the airport in the 1980’s to attend ICAST, the world’s largest sportfishing trade show hosted by ASA, and being amazed by the new products he brought home.
“I am very fortunate to be in my position at Yakima Bait Co. and I believe I have an obligation to participate in ASA. I receive much more from the organization than what I contribute,” said McDonald. “The Outstanding Leadership Award is very significant to me as recognition of the efforts I put forth over the past few years, but this recognition would not have been possible without fellow ASA members and the great ASA staff!”
Throughout his 50-year career, Pat Neu has been instrumental in supporting the ASA’s goals and working to protect the interests of anglers nationwide. In addition to his current role with NPAA, Neu is a founding member of the Future Angler Foundation, a non-profit membership organization dedicated to helping grow the sport of fishing through education and outreach, and he serves on ASA’s Freshwater Fisheries Policy Committee.
“I am honored to have been the recipient of this coveted award as a culmination to my career in the sportfishing industry,” said Neu. “Sportfishing has been my passion since I was a young boy and to have spent over 50 years in this industry has been a dream come true. Being involved with the ASA has allowed me the opportunity to share my experience and passion for the sport in a manner that could make a difference.”
Stephanie Vatalaro has been a stalwart in the recreational fishing community for more than 17 years. In addition to her role at RBFF, she serves on ASA’s Communications Committee and volunteers with Casting for Recovery. At RBFF, she oversees the organization’s Take Me Fishing, Vamos A Pescar, and R3 campaigns. The Inspire award was presented at the Summit’s annual Women in the Industry Event.
“In a sea of incredible female talent, I’m honored and humbled to be recognized with ASA’s inaugural Inspire award,” added Vatalaro. “As a lifelong angler and boater, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work in the industry, bringing newcomers into fishing and boating and sharing the life-changing benefits I know the activities impart.”
The Sportfishing Summit, ASA’s annual industry gathering, serves as a platform for leaders to come together, share insights, and address challenges and opportunities facing recreational fishing. This year’s event celebrated the spirit of our community and the accomplishments of leaders whose contributions have made a lasting impact on the industry.
The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association committed to representing the interests of the sportfishing and boating industries as well as the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry and anglers a unified voice when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. ASA invests in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous, as well as safeguard and promote the enduring economic, conservation and social values of sportfishing in America. ASA also gives America’s 55 million anglers a voice in policy decisions that affect their ability to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways through Keep America Fishing, our national angler advocacy campaign. America’s anglers generate more than $50 billion in retail sales with a $148 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for 945,000 people.
