Finnboat's 2006 Award for Merit goes to the versatile Kari Wilén
Since 1985, the Finnish Marine Industries Federation Finnboat ry has granted the Finnboat Award for Merit to individuals and organisations in appreciation of services rendered in the field. In recent years the award has not been conferred. This year, the board of directors of the Federation has decided to grant the award to entrepreneur, journalist, photographer and boat tester Kari Wilén M.Sc. In effect, Wilén has been involved in boating life and marine industry all his life and, in many respects, has contributed to positive development in the industry. In his career, he has made room for competition sailing, sail training, carrying out special tasks in the field and fulfilling the roles of journalist and boat tester. Kari Wilén's photographs have been published in hundreds of publications around the world. In reaching their decision, Finnboat's board of directors particularly emphasised Wilén's long-term, consistent and positive work in promoting boating in Finland and advancing the aims of the industry in general. The Finnboat award is valued at Eur1300 and includes a diploma and a banner.
For further information, please contact:
Managing Director Jouko Huju
tel: 040-5509310
Finnish Marine Industries Federation Finnboat
Käenkuja 8 A 47, FIN-00500 Helsinki
Tel: +358 (0)9 696 2160, fax:+358 (0)9 696 21611
Recipients of the Finnboat Award for Merit 1985 - 2006
1985 Matti Murto, Vene boat magazine
1986 Gunnar Holm, Technical Research Centre of Finland
1987 Jouko Niemelä, Finnish Lifeboat Society
1988 Keep the Archipelago Tidy Association
1989 Reijo Suojanen, YLE Finnish Broadcasting Corporation
1990 Iniö Båtklubb, Iniö Boat Club
1991 Pentti Mäki-Latikka, Traffic Police/water police division
1992 Mikko Montonen, Finnish Coastguard
1993 Marja-Leena Komulainen, Finnish Meteorological Institute
1994 Sail-training Association Finland
1995 not awarded
1996 Kaj-Erik Löfgren, Finnish Committee of Boat Marinas
1997 not awarded
1998 not awarded
1999 Markku Vento, Venemaailma boat magazine
2000 not awarded
2001 Nils Häggblom, Outboard Museum rf
2002 Esko Riihelä, YLE Finnish Broadcasting Corporation
2003 not awarded
2004 not awarded
2005 not awarded
2006 Kari Wilén, Oy Sea-Kari Ab
