Professional Outdoor Media Association
Closes Out Year One

SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, August 26, 2006 – Electricity filled the Atrium of the Holiday Inn Springfield North as the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) celebrated the final night of its First Annual Business Conference.

More than 180 outdoor industry communicators and professionals attended the organization’s inaugural conference that was focused on business development and networking opportunities.

“The conference was a pivotal event for POMA,” explained Betty Lou Fegely, chairman of the organization. “It was the final chapter in an amazing year of growth that cemented POMA’s reputation as the premier outdoor media organization focused on growing the businesses of its members.

“Those who choose to observe POMA before joining, to see if the organization could make good on its promises to provide its membership the highest level of services in the industry, now have proof that POMA is a powerful service provider, business building tool, and force in the outdoor industry.”

Conference Facts:

  • g 180 attendees -- 65 Corporate Partners, 65 Media Members

  • g Strategic alliances with both fishing and hunting organizations were finalized.

  • g $33,000 was raised during the conference auction to benefit members and the organizations membership services.

  • g The POMA board of directors elected new officers: Betty Lou Fegely, Chairman; J. Wayne Fears, President; Chris Chaffin, Treasurer; Barbara Baird, Secretary.

  • g The National Wild Turkey Federation announced that its Communicator of the Year Award will be presented annually at the POMA Business Conference.

  • g Seven hard-hitting business sessions, covering writing, photography, podcasting, blogging and marketing, book publishing, and copyright law were called invaluable by attendees.

  • g Interim POMA Corporate Partner board member, Patrick McHugh, president of MPI Outdoors, was honored with the organization’s Emerald Cornerstone Award for "Extraordinary Volunteer Effort."

  • g Visit Minneapolis North was selected as the site for the 2007 Second Annual POMA Business Conference slated for August 2 - 5, 2007.

  • g National Hunting and Fishing Day recognized POMA as a partner.

  • g The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and POMA members partnered in the Angling Legacy Pledge program.

  • g Kaye Robinson, NRA executive director of operations; Rick Story, vice president and secretary of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance; Tammy Sapp, senior vice president of communications for the National Wild Turkey Federation; Bruce Matthews, president of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, and Chris Chaffin, vice president of conservation and public relations of The Outdoor Channel, addressed conference attendees.

“With an amazing year of growth and our first annual business conference behind us, it’s time to move forward with an eye on taking outdoor communication to the next level and to helping to ensure the future for both POMA and the next generation of hunters, anglers and trappers,” reported POMA’s newly elected president J. Wayne Fears. “We look forward to the challenge.”

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Additional conference information is available at:
 http://www.professionaloutdoormedia.org/06_Conf/06_conf_news.htm

 

For more information, contact:
 Laurie Lee Dovey, lldovey@professionaloutdoormedia.org
678-201-8129
or visit, www.professionaloutdoormedia.org
 
POMA Mission: The Professional Outdoor Media Association is a group of individual communicators and Corporate Partners who believe in, defend, support and promote the heritage of hunting, fishing, shooting and traditional outdoor sports through writing, photography and other means. By doing so, members hope to educate the general public about these sports and encourage more participation in them. The organization serves the membership by helping members grow professionally, improve their skills, better their working environments and enhance their businesses.