About 70 applications have been received by the Marine Retailers Association of America in its search for a president to replace Phil Keeter, who is retiring at the end of the year.

MRAA chairman Dave Foulkrod, in an e-mail to Soundings Trade Only, said the association's office had received 69 applications as of March 23 and additional applications came in after that date. Applications will be accepted through the end of the month.

"I'm happy to see the numbers to date. Sixty-nine résumés is a large stack to sort through and score," he said. "We are seeing high-quality candidates, though it will be up to the committee to be the final judge. The applicants are coming from diverse professional backgrounds whose privacy we must protect."

Search committee members will discuss applicants and develop a top candidate list during a conference call that is scheduled for early April. Top candidates will be invited to an interview prior to the MRAA board meeting at the end of April, Foulkrod said.

Since applicants will be interviewed by the end of April, a fourth-quarter appointment is still anticipated.