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Angler's Profiles
by Mike Lanni
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| A series of articles introducing RISAA members to the rest of the club. |
| (From the November, 2000 Newsletter) JOHN REKEMEYER |
If someone were to ask me how to form
a saltwater fishing club that would grow to represent
over 2,000 recreational anglers in less than 3 years, I would advise
that person to follow the lead of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association.
There are a number of distinct factors that can be attributed to RISAA's
success, starting with the outstanding leadership and vision of President
Steve Medeiros. A dedicated Board of Directors has also been instrumental
in the club's success, as well as a growing number of special committee chairpersons
and members that handle tournaments, entertainment, educational seminars,
and legislative issues, to name a few. Those factors alone will not
put a club on the map, however; additional steps must be taken to promote
the organization.The RISAA's newsletter is probably its most important promotional device. RISAA mails out well over 1,000 newsletters each month and distributes the same amount to local bait shops and marine centers throughout the region. We also have our own club web site, and a person can submit an application for membership over the Internet. By promoting the club through different mediums, RISAA has been able to increase its membership at an amazing rate. What has been even more amazing is the number of out-of-state members that RISAA has been added to its ranks on a monthly basis. One out-of-stater who came aboard within the past year is John Rekemeyer of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. John, who fished in Rhode Island waters for a number of years, learned about RISAA after thumbing through our newsletter in one of the local bait shops. The fact that John has been willing to make the one hour drive from Shrewsbury to Coventry to attend our monthly meetings says a lot about RISAA and a lot about him. There are many things that our club promotes that appeal to John. He has enjoyed our monthly seminars and supports the club's "family" approach to sportfishing. 
John has always liked to fish since he was a youngster, growing up in
Needham, MA. Back then, John would spend his summers vacationing on
Caroga Lake in New York with his brother, sister and many relatives that
would gather at his grandmother's vacation home. His dad wasn't a fisherman,
but his uncles Dick and John were. They introduced him to freshwater
fishing at an early age, and some of his fondest memories are associated
with those summer vacations.After graduating from Needham High School in 1979, John immediately became part of the workforce taking a job with Jordan Marsh Company. John had always had an affinity for electronics and computers, and his timing could not have been better. The computer industry was about to take off, and John was going along for the ride. After two years with J.M.C. in which John gained invaluable training and experience, he took a job with Zayre Corp. as a net- work analyst for the company's corporate data center. After a year and a half at Zayre, he again took a new job, this time as a network architect for a company named Apollo Computers. At this stage, John was proving to be an opportunist, in more ways than one. While at Zayre, 
John had managed to make a few social contacts. One of those contacts
happened to be friendly with a cute redheaded girl who worked in another
division. It was casually mentioned to John that the girl, named Ginger,
thought John was "attractive." Before long, the two were dating.
That was in 1984. By 1986, Ginger was Mrs. Ginger Rekemeyer!John and Ginger proved to be a perfect match, in more ways than one. They are both very family-oriented, and both love the outdoors. It wasn't long before the Rekemeyers became a family of three, then four, as John Jr. and Danielle were born. John Jr. is presently 10 years old, and Danielle is 5. John Sr. describes his son as an "intellectual" type. He's an excellent student who is taking a number of advanced classes. He also plays two instruments: viola and flute. Danielle is also an excellent student. She also takes ballet lessons, and loves to swim, as does her brother John. Both children have the scholastic advantage of having a mother who has a master's degree in education. Having a mom who is a teacher must be a real plus for the kids when they need help with their homework! When it comes to having fun as a family unit, the Rekemeyers all love boating, camping and fishing. This year, John traded in his 20' Grady White for a 31' Tiara Express. The new boat has more room and better accommodations than the Grady, making overnight excursions possible and practical. John and the family are slowly making the transition from fresh water to saltwater fishing. They are putting in a lot of time trolling wire line with umbrella rigs and tube & worm rigs and have steadily become more adept at catching both stripers and bluefish in and around the Bay. They also fish for fluke in spots like the Jamestown Bridge, and for blackfish at the south end of Hope Island. The new boat also has offshore capabilities, enabling the family to take trips to Block Island and Martha's Vineyard. In fact, John has recently joined RISAA's Cruise Committee, and will be helping to plan, as well as participate, in RISAA's next season of cruises. For the second year in a row, John will be involved with our Boat Show Committee. Last year, John and I worked together at the Providence Boat Show. We had a great time, and I'm looking forward to doing it again. John would like to be more involved with RISAA, but his present job as a networking manager has him traveling around quite a bit. He was in California when I interviewed him for this article, having called long-distance from his hotel room. John plans to get the family involved with RISAA through a family membership in the upcoming year, however. I'm looking forward to meeting Ginger and the kids. As for John, it's always my pleasure to be able to spend time with such an upbeat and personable guy. He's one of a list of valuable friends that I have met through our wonderful organization. |
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PROFILES
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