Bill McElroy
Well-Known Member
Well,..I've finally heard back from the people I needed to hear from, so now I can make an announcment before the rumors start. After almost 10 years with the Tracker/Nitro family at local dealers here and at the BPS store in Michigan for the last 4 years, I am leaving the Nitro Pro Staff, affective Dec.31st. I have accepted an outstanding offer from Ranger Boats, to join their National Pro Staff where I will be very active in several facets of their promotional agenda, starting with the FLW on Okeechobee in Jan. 2003. (NO!..I won't have that so-called Ranger Attitude). I will be attending the FLW events around the country, fishing as a co-angler in two events (Beaver and Kentucky Lakes) and working in the Family Fun Zones at 3 others. I will also be designing new T-shirt logo's, boat and truck decals, brochure artwork and various other promo items that will feature both my "Scales and Tales" characters and lifelike images coupled with the Ranger logo. I'm being given free reign to design whatever I'd like and they will use as much of it as possible, and make it all available to Ranger owners and customers everywhere. This is an opportunity that I have worked very hard for, for the past several years, and to see it finally happen is extremely rewarding to me. I have made a ton of cyber friends here on the NTOWS and several other new friends as a result of attending this year's Rally in NY!! I hope to keep those friendships despite my not posting here in the future as regularly as I have in the past. I will still lurk and pop-in occasionally, when I can offer help or advice or simply to slap Rob around a bit if need be! LOL. I am still keeping my Bass Pro Shops sponsorship and using and promoting BPS, & XPS baits and products and a new Mercury 200HP Optimax Outboard will be hanging on the back of that new 519 commanche! I will also be attending several Spring Classics around the country as well, so I'll still be a member here and available to offer input and advice to anybody who asks!! I will not go into any detail here as far as my sponsorship perks or benefits with Ranger, since it's all confidential anyway, so please don't ask. It has been an extremely rewarding and educational learning curve during my years with Tracker and I have learned a lot about the fishing and boating industry, the ins and outs of bass and walleye boat designs, materials, construction, and the benefits and features of each during my time with the Nitro State Team. Although it's a little sad to leave a company after all this time, I am really looking forward to the new opportunities and challanges that lay ahead for me. This deal has been in the pending stages for awhile, so it's been rather humourous to read the various posts regarding that percieved "Ranger Attitude", knowing the comments I'll probably recieve from everyone after you read this!! ahahahaa.....Oh well...let'em fly.....I can take it!! Again,..I am NOT leaving this site altogether,..I'm just playing a somewhat diminished roll in the future and will limit my posts to general conversations and answering any questions regarding fishing techniques/patterns/equipment, etc. I will NOT bash Tracker or Nitro ( I still LOVE my 901,...it's a great boat and for sale for a GREATLY reduced price I might add!!!) and I will NOT shove Ranger down your throats....it's simply not my style to do either! Again,..I thank you all very much for allowing me to contribute in the past and I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible in the future, either at a BPS store or an FLW event near you!! Thanks for all of your encouragement on my past accomplishments, and I'll keep everyone posted on anything cool that happens in the future,..you folks are the BEST!!
Most Respectfully,
Mac
Most Respectfully,
Mac
