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Atlanta, Ga. – The Governor of State of Georgia, Sonny Perdue,
hosted a breakfast / press conference at the Emerald Pointe Resort on the shores of Lake Lanier to announce an upcoming tournament that will bring the Professional Anglers Association into partnership with the State of Georgia and Governor Perdue’s Go Fish Georgia” program.
According to a press release issued by the PAA, the organization will partner with the “Go Fish Georgia” program to involve their membership; most of the world’s top touring bass fishing professionals from both the FLW Tour and Bassmaster Elite Series, to compete in the ‘Go Fish Georgia Governor’s Cup’ Pro/Am Event hosted at Lake Lanier’s Emerald Pointe Resort on November 1, 2007.
The Governor’s Cup will be a preview to a future PAA professional bass fishing tournament similar to the Toyota Texas Bass Classic that was held on Texas’ Lake Fork April 13 – 15, 2007. The Toyota Texas Bass Classic featured four man teams who competed for a combined weight and a share of the $250,000 top prize.
The announcement of PAA’s involvement in the Go Fish Georgia program was the second noteworthy occurrence out of PAA headquarters this week, as on Monday July, 2, the PAA announced that 47-yer-old bass fishing industry executive Craig lamb of Brentwood, Tenn. Had been hired as the new General Manger of the organization. |
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The BASS ZONE caught up with Lamb at Governor Perdue’s press conference / breakfast; he gave details of the tournaments, how he came to the PAA and his outlook of the future of the sport of bass fishing. The transcript of that interview is below:
BASS ZONE: How did this whole thing come about, you joining PAA?
Lamb: Well, the PAA had approached me several times while I was at BASS, and I wasn’t ready to make that move yet. They [BASS] gave me a really good opportunity and a good incentive package to move to Florida, but I chose not to do that for my family, so I made a business decision not to go. I had a 20-year relationship with BASS, and at 47-years-old, they had been almost half of my life; BASS has been really good to me.
The PAA came to me a week or so ago, and I feel really good about how they’ve come together as a team, and with what they want to do for the sport. Their feeling is to work together to move the sport forward, and not to be competing against each other in it; so, here I am, I feel glad to be a part of it.”
BASS ZONE: You had to have some nights while you were lying in bed thinking, ‘my gosh, what am I doing, I’ve spent a good portion of my career at BASS?’ What were those thoughts Craig?
Lamb: Well, the decision was really made a long time ago with my decision to not move to Florida, this is where I’m from, my family is here [in Brentwood, Tenn.] and I didn’t want to leave here.
BASS ZONE: Where will you be based?
Lamb: Here in Brentwood Tenn., south of Nashville.
BASS ZONE: What are going to be your primary objective for PAA, your first concerns?
Lamb: My first objective will be to get to know the board on a different level, I mean I know them on one level, but I want to get to know them on a PAA level. I want to get to know what their career goals are, and what their goals are for the PAA, and I also want to figure out how we cam work together to achieve those goals.
I think there is a lot of opportunity for us to create new marketing opportunities and bring new marketing partnerships into the sport, and that appeals to me as well.
BASS ZONE: Having spent the majority of your career at BASS, do you have a relationship with anyone at FLW?
Lamb: A lot of people don’t know this, but my first job out of the University of Tennessee was with Ranger Boats. I went to work with Forrest (L. Wood) and Charlie (Hoover) there for a couple of years before BASS. Those two guys stuck their necks out to hire me when I was a young, 21 or 22-yar-old ambitious kid; they taught me a lot.
I’ve got a good relationship with Randy Hopper [President of Ranger Boats] and I’ve always respected what they’ve [FLW Outdoors] done for the sport.
BASS ZONE: Talk about the event in Georgia
Lamb: Governor Perdue announced his ‘Go Fish Georgia’ program to highlight the great fisheries of the state. He looked at the neighboring states and saw the excitement and attention they got from fishing and from tournaments. HE wants to highlight the fisheries around Georgia, and Lake Lanier is one of them, I mean it is a world class spotted bass fishery, and while many people around here know that, he wants the country to know it as well. The event is a part of his program, and along with Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources, they will put this event on.
The PAA is here today to announce our partnership with the state to aid in their ‘Go Fish Georgia’ program, and help in getting the tournament off the ground. We want to test the waters with them and see how this thing goes off.
The November 1 event is going to be the Governor’s Cup Pro/Am, and it is designed to introduce tournament fishing to the potential marketing partners throughout Atlanta and to help get them comfortable with the sport.
The second event would be more similar to the Toyota Texas Bass Classic that was held at Lake Fork in April, a pro event, but those details have not yet been decided. There are many large corporations that are headquartered here in Atlanta, but many of them have not been introduced to tournament fishing. We want to help them get comfortable because it has to be meaningful to them on a long-term basis.In order to do that, we kind of need to wade into the water as opposed to jumping in.
BASS ZONE: What companies are involved?
Lamb: We don’t have a list prepared, but Atlanta is corporate headquarters for a lot of major corporations, so we will be working here to develop those partnerships.
BASS ZONE: Will Gulf States Toyota be a part of this event?
Lamb: Gulf States is still interested in events in their region, but I’m unsure as to this event.
BASS ZONE: Switching gears, do you have any plans for more events in 2008, like, say a four event series of PAA events?
Lamb: Not at this time, what we are focused on is nurturing our relationship with companies like Gulf Coast Toyota and with the Governor and the DNR of the State of Georgia. The whole hook is to develop partnerships that are beneficial both ways in a given area.
We will really be focused on identifying what we’ve got now and being careful about where we are going in the future.
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BASS ZONE: What about Gene Ellison
[PAA’s Executive Director] is this going to change his role with
PAA?
Lamb: Absolutely not, Gene is still here, and I’m a new addition; the new kid on the block. There’s an opportunity to bring my skills to the table to work with Gene, the Board of Directors and the membership to accomplish our goals.
BASS ZONE: As to the PAA Board, are there any new additions or changes for 2008?
Lamb: No, there won’t be any changes. Mark Davis is still the President of the Board, and is doing a great job. These really are a good group of guys, and I’ve known most of them for years, and theya re all working very hard on behalf of the membership.
I’m really excited about this opportunity to continue my life-long career in bass fishing. I’ve been a part of the sport for a long time, but I am just a part of it, just one of the guys.
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BASS ZONE: What is going to be your biggest challenge in the next 12 months?
Lamb: I think the first challenge will be making sure we have cohesive teamwork. These guys have obligations to their sponsors, their tours and their families, and we have to take those needs into consideration and find a way to work together as a unit to accomplish our goals; if we can do that, we will be fine.
BASS ZONE: Craig, thank you for taking the time to talk to us, and we will be talking to you I’m sure soon.
Lamb: No problem, thank you.
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