Coburn, Trostle Re-Elected to National Marine Bankers Board

First NMBA Associate Member elected to Board of Directors  

CHICAGO , January 10, 2008 – The National Marine Bankers Association (NMBA) recently announced that Jim Coburn, first vice president of Flagstar Bank in Troy , Mich. , and Karen Trostle, principal of Sterling Acceptance Corp. in Annapolis , were re-elected to the association’s Board of Directors. Coburn will continue in his role as NMBA president, while Trostle will continue service as NMBA’s vice president.

Matt Amata, vice president of National Liquidators’ National Yacht Sales and Maritime Capital Group, was also elected to the Board by NMBA Associate Members. Amata’s seat is a newly-established position and is intended to allow the voice of NMBA Associate Members to be represented at the Board level.

As NMBA president, Coburn says his goals remain to strengthen and support the core benefits NMBA provides its members, including: NMBA’s Annual Lending Conference; the association website, marinebankers.org; the NMBA Annual Workshop; and the NMBA Annual Survey.     

 “In today’s market, marine finance industry profitability is a very important issue facing our members,” says Coburn. “Our conference, workshop, website and survey assure the marine finance community has the information, networks and tools to make sound business decisions within their respective companies.”

Formed in 1980, NMBA’s purpose is to educate prospective lenders in marine financing procedures, create new lenders to help finance sales of the manufacturers’ products, and create an information exchange for its members.

“I believe NMBA can increase awareness of the benefits our membership brings to boaters,” says Trostle. “The boating public needs to realize the many options and advantages of working with a lender that is an NMBA member.”

For additional information regarding NMBA, visit marinebankers.org, or contact NMBA association manager Bernice McArdle at (312) 946-6260; bmcardle@nmma.org.