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Richard Schwartz Chairman and Founder Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.)

As founder of Boat Owners Association of The United States in 1966, BoatU.S., Chairman Richard Schwartz has directed the growth of this association into the largest organization of recreational boat owners in the country with a membership which now exceeds 670,000.

Over the past 40 years, Mr. Schwartz has been a leading consumer advocate and representative of the recreational boating public. He played a primary role in the enactment of the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971, the Recreational Boating Safety and Facilities Improvement Act of 1980 and the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund Act of 1984. BoatU.S. successfully lobbied Congress to repeal the federal boat "user fee" tax in 1992 and the boat luxury tax in 1993.

Mr. Schwartz also serves as Chairman of the Board of Boat America Corporation, an employee-owned corporation of 600 employees, and also Chairman of the Board of the 501(c) (3) BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety.

For his efforts over the years, Mr. Schwartz has been recognized with a number of national awards, including the Annual Award of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (1983); the August A. Busch "Michelob Schooner" Boating Safety Award (1987); the Boating Hall of Fame Award from the National Safe Boating Council (1995); Lifetime Achievement Award from National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (1999); the Distinguished Public Service Commendation from the United States Coast Guard (2000), the United States Power Squadron Raymond A. Finlay Sea Scout Service Award (2005) and the National Marine Manufacturers Association Charles F. Chapman Award (2006) for providing consistent promotion and protection of the sport of boating and its benefits to both the recreational boating industry and the public. He was also appointed by the Secretary of Transportation to the National Boating Safety Advisory Council. In 2007, he was asked to be the national spokesman for the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Vessel Safety Check program and was awarded Honorary Commodore status by the Auxiliary.

Mr. Schwartz earned a degree in economics from Princeton University, and after two years as an Army officer, a law degree from Yale University Law School. He then entered government service and over a five year period served as a staff attorney on the Senate Antitrust and Monopoly Subcommittee, as an attorney in the Office of General Counsel of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and as Senior Attorney to Chief Judge William M. Drennen of the United States Tax Court.

Mr. Schwartz has three daughters, four stepchildren, 15 grandchildren, and is married to Beth Newburger. They have homes in Arlington and Stafford counties, Virginia.