NASBLA appoints Ed Huntsman of Arizona Game and Fish Department to National Education Standards Panel

The NASBLA Executive Board recently appointed individuals to the new National Education Standards Panel. Consisting of 15 members to represent state, federal, nonprofit, commercial and public stakeholder interests, the Panel will begin work this year to review the National Boating Education Standards.

Ed Huntsman, Boating and OHV Safety Education Program Manager for Arizona Game and Fish Department has been chosen to represent state boating safety education interests on the new Education Standards Panel.

An ASU MBA And Much More

A certified public manager and graduate of Arizona State University’s Management and Leadership Institute, Huntsman has an MBA, is an avid sailor and American Sailing Association sailing instructor. He is also a licensed U.S. Coast Guard 50 GT Master with sailing and towing endorsements. A member of the National Safe Boating Council’s board of directors and an instructor-trainer, Huntsman serves on NASBLA’s standing Education Committee and is on the board of directors of the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona. A member of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, he works with the Arizona Injury Prevention Advisory Council and Arizona Alliance for Recreational Safety in various roles and formal positions.

Recipient Of Many Awards

Named the Western State’s Boating Administration Association Boating Professional of the Year for 2007, and inaugural recipient of their Boating Safety Educator of the Year award for 2011, Huntsman was the executive producer of Boating Safely in Arizona (described as a boating safety movie that isn’t a boating safety movie) and a National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy Award nominee.

Decorated Army Viet Nam Vet

He is an Arizona Police Officer Standards Training specialty instructor, staff commodore in his local sailing club, Coast Guard Auxiliary coxswain, boat crew qualification examiner and previous Auxiliary Boating Department Chief. The recipient of numerous Coast Guard and Auxiliary awards, he is also a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran of Viet Nam.

Other Appointees

Others appointed to the Panel to represent state interests are Anthony Cardoza (N.H.), Jeff Johnson (Alaska), MariAnn Koloszar (Ore.), and Betsy Woods (Tenn.)

The members appointed to represent federal boating agency interests are John Malatak (USCG) and Robin Freeman (USCG-Aux).

The members appointed to represent commercial interests are Cindy Kalkomey (BoatEd) and Kerry Moher (BoaterExam).

The members appointed to the Panel to represent nonprofit interests are John Adey (ABYC), Joe Gatfield (Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons), and Terry Leitz (NMMA).

Those members appointed to represent the public interests are Pam Dillon, Joseph Connolly II and Bob Sweet (USPS).

Plans For The Panel’s Work Ahead

The Panel will review, develop and revise the National Boating Education Standards using open, consensus-based procedures that conform to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) essential requirements for due process. To ensure an effective transition into this mode of standards development work, Panel appointees will be trained on ANSI-based procedures that involve, among other requirements, the Panel’s prompt consideration of different views and objections, consensus balloting, a public review of standards drafts, and the opportunity for procedural appeals.

The seated Panel will review the National Boating Education Standards on a five-year basis beginning in 2011, with the most currently approved version of the Standards forming the basis for the first review. An initial “call for proposed revisions” to the Standards will be announced after the Panel organizes its work, with instructions for submissions to the call, the Standards document up for review, and other resource items made available on the NASBLA website.

Huntsman Comments

When asked about the appointment, Huntsman said “I think this is a great opportunity to help shape the future of boating safety education, because this group will be making decisions as to just what boaters will be learning in the classroom. It’s important that the western states, and Arizona in particular, have a seat at the table.”

To learn more about the Education Standards Panel, its Rules, and the appointees, please visit nasbla.org.

About NASBLA

The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators is a national nonprofit organization that works to develop public policy for recreational boating safety. NASBLA represents the recreational boating authorities of all 50 states and the U.S. territories. The association offers a variety of resources, including training, model acts, education standards and publications. Through a national network of thousands of professional educators, law enforcement officers and volunteers, NASBLA affects the lives of over 83 million American boaters.

Editor’s Note: We at AZBW/WOT congratulate Ed Huntsman on this important appointment. He has been an instrumental part of boating-safety awareness in the Southwest and the NASBLA panel will benefit greatly from his experience and participation.

Arizona Boating & Watersports/Western Outdoor Times
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