Frank Peterson Bio

By the time Frank Peterson joined the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) as President and CEO in 2007, his leadership had already produced unprecedented performance for a variety of organizations. Peterson began his career developing and implementing successful corporate strategies for Mobil Oil Corporations’ U.S. marketing and refining segments.

He went on to form his own business development services firm, significantly increasing sales for several private sector corporations. Peterson came to RBFF directly from Marketing General, where as Vice President he reorganized and exponentially grew a major revenue-producing services division.

At RBFF, Peterson turned his organizational and marketing skills to increasing participation in recreational boating and fishing. He established close relations with RBFF stakeholders, including boating and fishing industries, and expanded programs that support state agency efforts to attract more people to boating and fishing. He also spearheaded research studies that guide RBFF and stakeholder initiatives, and mobilized broad-based expertise to support RBFF objectives.

Perhaps most widely visible is Peterson’s leadership in building RBFF into a solid, marketing-driven organization. In 2008, he led the re-branding of RBFF’s Take Me Fishing™ consumer outreach campaign and website, TakeMeFishing.org, transforming it into a popular, interactive, content-rich site. Peterson also led the development of RBFF’s highly successful State Marketing Programs, moving them from pilot efforts to nationwide outreach campaigns. Peterson spearheaded the development of the fishing and boating industry’s first-ever Hispanic outreach campaign and website, Vamos A Pescar™ and VamosAPescar.org. He has also been instrumental in expanding all of RBFF’s digital tools to keep up with consumer technology, developing mobile-friendly versions of the campaign websites, an interactive Places to Boat and Fish Map, and a Boat Ramp App.

Together, the many RBFF initiatives developed and managed under Peterson’s leadership have contributed to marked increases in fishing license sales, attracted millions of new anglers to fishing, and helped grow the percentage of adults who participate in recreational boating to record numbers.