Newsletter December 2019


From The Captain's Chair

From The Captain's Chair

December 2019



Captain's Chair: 2020 Vision

At this time of year, I would like to wish everyone a joyous holiday season with friends and family! It is very important to take some time away from the significant work we do all year to rest, reflect, and celebrate.

Advocacy is a big part of the MIASF mission all year, and while we successfully foster strong relationships with local, county, state, and federal elected officials, agency heads, staff, and community leaders, advocacy really starts within our industry. That’s why we think it’s essential that in 2019 we continued to support other boat shows, we promoted standard operating procedures within all yards, and we developed a workforce development pipeline, including the first yacht service technician apprenticeship program in the State, that benefits everyone.

We worked continuously to maintain our relationships with the U.S. Coast Guard, which is responsible for maintaining reasonable navigation on our waterways and regulates the FEC railroad bridge openings schedule on the New River, and the Florida Department of Transportation, which will release the results of its FEC railroad bridge study to identify viable solutions to safeguarding the $9 billion marine industry in Broward County while allowing for the potential of regional transportation opportunities.

We continued to broaden our community engagement and impact through events, like the annual Broward County Waterway Cleanup and Plywood Regatta, and opportunities like building homes with Habitat for Humanity and the Junior Achievement “Sea the World” exhibit.  Additionally, the Marine Research Hub partnered with Ocean Exchange and transitioned its three-day global-impact conference from Savannah to Fort Lauderdale. We upgraded both the MIASF and Salty Jobs websites, created a sophisticated job board with JOBarto, and updated our Salty Jobs video series with a new co-host, as well as Salty Scenes and Walk the Dock video off-shoots.

And of course, FLIBS continued to grow and expand as the world-class event it has become, with investments from Informa in infrastructure, technology, and the development of the Superyacht Village at Pier Sixty-Six South, the new Windward VIP Club, and entertainment options. Now in its second year, the NBC Sports Network one-hour special has been increased to three broadcasts and enlarged its viewership by 30% since last year.

As we look forward into 2020, we are planning for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center renovation, receiving the results of Thomas Murray & Associates new FLIBS economic impact study, and celebrating MIASF’s 60th anniversary at our annual dinner and awards ceremony. Starting this new decade, MIASF is positioned to take advantage of new opportunities for advocacy, leadership, and growth.

On behalf of the MIASF staff, Board of Directors, and myself, may you have a very Happy New Year!


Advocacy Report

Advocacy Report

The Florida Department of Transportation presented a draft report of the FEC Railroad Bridge Study to MIASF’s Ad Hoc Bridge Committee, and subsequently presented the results to the city of Fort Lauderdale Marine Advisory Board. The completed report will be provided to the Florida Legislature on January 2, 2020.

MIASF met with the U.S. Coast Guard and FEC representatives regarding the New River railroad bridge operation procedures and policies to determine a resolution to the bridge opening schedule, specifically in regard to the proposed USCG regulatory actions (deviation) to avoid obstruction of reasonable navigation. The USCG is proposing a new test deviation to be published in January that will include predictable openings.

The city of Miami Planning, Zoning, and Appeals Board considered an agenda item that would make the approval and permitting for marinas in certain areas of the City more restrictive. Working with F.I.N.D. Commissioner Spencer Crowley, who had the item temporarily deferred until February, MIASF has committed to assuring any obstacles to water access are carefully reviewed by all before implementation.

MIASF was represented by Lori Wheeler at the Advisory Council of Marine Associations, which met in an all-day session during Dealer Week in Tampa from December 8th through 10th to establish a list of legislative and regulatory recommendations to send on to the board of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. The top items recognized were water quality, workforce development, monitoring ethanol regulations, and promoting the economic impact of boating to the outdoor recreational segment.

The Broward Days Marine Industry Impact Team met for the third time to finalize its list of legislative priorities in advance of the 2020 Florida Legislative Session, which begins on January 14th. Participating on the team in addition to MIASF are representatives from the International Yacht Brokers Association, Ward’s Marine, the Port Everglades Association, the National Marine Manufacturers Association, the Passenger Vessel Association, the U.S. Superyacht Association, AERE Marine Group, the Port Everglades Pilot Association, and the Association of Marina Industries. The team has identified a number of issues to include in its advocacy efforts during the annual Broward Days visit to Tallahassee on January 21st and 22nd.


Business Highlight: Atlantic Marine Power Systems (member since 1997 and Plywood Regatta generator sponsor since 2010)

Business Highlight: Atlantic Marine Power Systems (member since 1997 and Plywood Regatta generator sponsor since 2010)

Atlantic Marine Power Systems was founded in 1991 and has been serving the yacht and marine industry since then. The company has grown and evolved over time to encompass more of a one-stop solution structure to provide additional solutions for its customers. One major way it has developed this one-stop structure is by incorporating an in-house fabrication shop, which allows it to create custom tools, stands, and items to expedite the time it takes to complete a project. In fact, its fabrication shop enables it to provide a higher level of efficiency and safety to not only finish projects faster but to finish them safer.

In 2009, Atlantic Marine Power Systems became the first company in South Florida to service Seakeepers, which helped it become the South East Representative for the Seakeeper Gyro System. In 2013, it acquired and merged with Marine Gear of South Florida, which grew its local presence to three offices from one. Its acquisition of Marine Gear of South Florida put it in a position to better serve its customers and to help provide additional manpower to projects.

 


Faces in the Industry: Reka Kurti

Faces in the Industry: Reka Kurti

Tell us where you are from, what brought you to Florida, and how long you’ve lived here.

I was born in Debrecen, a large city in Eastern Hungary. My Family moved to Florida, so I followed them 12 years ago.

Where do you work, what is your job title, and what does your job entail?

I am Chief Stewardess on The Grand Floridian yacht. My job entails everything to do with food and bar service, cleanliness, employee training and coordination with the galley. I am also a personal assistant and “right hand” to a life coach and family of five in Key Biscayne.

How did you initially become interested in the marine industry?

A dear friend got me interested and I was hooked immediately.

What is your favorite or most valuable benefit of membership in MIASF?

Being in the middle of the Ft Lauderdale International Boat Show and the many wonderful members we get to interact with year after year.

Describe any other community organizations or events with which you are involved.

Big Brother Big Sister, American Cancer Society, and Humane Society of S Florida

Tell us about your hobbies and what kinds of things you do for fun.

Any outdoor sport…biking, volleyball, basketball. I love to cook and enjoy reading. My two-and-a-half-year-old son!


News

News

MIASF staff, members of the Board of Directors, and member sponsors were honored and delighted to be on hand for the third Habitat for Humanity home dedication ceremony on December 17th for the McCoy Family. Keith and Shundria McCoy, along with their two younger children, are waiting for son, Keith Jr., who is serving in the Army and stationed in Texas, to come home for the holidays before they officially move in. The four-bedroom home, located in A Rick Case Habitat Community in Pompano Beach, was sponsored by MIASF, Ward’s Marine Electric, High Seas Yacht Service, Frank & Jimmie’s Propeller, Neptune Boat Lift, Boat Owners Warehouse, Centennial Bank, and Advanced Mechanical Enterprises. Many thanks for the generous financial support of our sponsors and to everyone who came out and volunteered on build days!

MIASF is proud to announce the promotion of Lori Wheeler to vice president of the association, effective immediately! As director of operations for the past several years, Lori has excelled in countless leadership roles and has demonstrated her capacity to ably guide MIASF toward achieving its goals and objectives. Since joining the association in 2014, Lori has increasingly taken on responsibility for all operational aspects of the organization, including its multiple events, community engagement, and management of staff and interns.

Having recently attended a Professional Development program at Harvard Extension School entitled Managing Yourself and Leading Others, Lori rolled up her sleeves (even though her multitude of Helly Hanson vests don’t actually have sleeves ??) and delved into the fundamentals of motivating others to accomplish goals and gained a broader understanding of culture, dynamics, best practices, roles, and the nature of influence. Joined by 45 professionals from 14 states and seven countries representing sports teams, non-profits, corporations, U.S. government agencies, and healthcare companies, Lori learned how to equip herself with the tools, confidence, and action plan to continue her growth as a leader in our industry. 

Congratulations, Lori! The entire MIASF team is looking forward to flourishing under your leadership.

The NBC Sports Network one-hour special showcasing the 2019 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show aired on Saturday, December 14th. Reports from the network premiere confirmed viewers increased 30% more than 2018 and exceeded viewership counts for the World Cup snowboarding and basketball broadcasts before and after the FLIBS special. Based on this increase, NBC has decided to air the program two more times: Monday, January 6th at 3:30 p.m. and Tuesday, January 28th at 10:00 p.m. ICYMI, be sure to tune in or record the broadcast during the two new time slots.


Member News

Member News

Broward County based Nautical Ventures Group has been named one of the Top 100 dealers in North America by Boating Industry Magazine, the leading trade publication for the marine industry for the fourth year in a row, and specifically ranked #17 in the Top 20 Group. Additionally, Nautical Ventures Group won Boating Industry’s Best-In-Class Award for Best Boat Show Strategy. Galati Yacht Sales and MarineMax were honored as members of the Top 100 Hall of Fame, and MarineMax was honored as a Boating Industry Top 100 Legend for being a part of the top 100 program for all 15 years of existence. Additionally, FB Marine Group was recognized as a Top 100 Dealer. 

Bob Denison, president and founder of Denison Yachting, was selected as a “Man of Style” representing History Fort Lauderdale for the 13th annual South Florida Ford Men of Style event, held on December 5th at the Galleria at Fort Lauderdale, where he and 11 other honorees raised funds to benefit a charity of their choice. Congratulations, Bob, and thanks for supporting History Fort Lauderdale, a charitable organization dedicated to bringing the stories of Fort Lauderdale to life through educational experiences, cultural exhibits, research, and preservation for future generations!

Congratulations to Megan Lagasse, Pier Sixty-Six Marina Manager, for being recognized by the March of Dimes as a 2019 Woman of Distinction! The annual awards dinner honors women who have achieved excellence in their respective fields and are devoted advocates for women and girls. In addition to overseeing all marina operations at Pier Sixty-Six, Megan supports #1000Mermaids and 4Ocean, two organizations working to preserve the waterways and marine habitats of South Florida. At Junior Achievement, Megan helped to launch the new “Sea the World” exhibit that encourages young people to pursue careers in the marine industry. 

Nick Duke recently joined Denison Yachting, where he will help to manage current charter yachts, as well as secure new yachts for the company’s fleet. After working as crew, Duke joined Burgess in 2014, beginning in its yacht management division and later transitioning into charter management. After his time at Burgess, Duke joined IYC, where he was responsible for charter yachts in the Med, Bahamas, Florida and New England.

Pinmar has strengthened its team in the USA to support the rapid growth brought about by the new facilities at Savannah Yacht Center (SYC) coming fully online. Industry veteran Jeff Berg has joined the Pinmar team to manage the new paint facility at SYC. Jeff has 36 years of experience of fairing and painting superyachts having worked in major shipyards around the world. Yuriel Morales and Dayan Gil have joined the production team as senior paint supervisors. Dayan will head up production in Pinmar’s USA headquarters at Rybovich and Yuriel in the new Derecktor Shipyard Offices in Dania Beach. Both Yuriel and Dayan have extensive superyacht painting and project management experience, formerly running their own business Y & D Yacht Refinishing including previous roles with Rybovich and Classic Yacht Refinishing. Also joining the Pinmar team is Stefany Worswick who was recently appointed as sales manager. Working as part of the Pinmar commercial team under the stewardship of US Director of Sales Phil Burgess, Stefany will be responsible for business development, revenue generation and customer relationship management for the East Coast of the USA and the Caribbean.

The Florida Inland Navigation District is now accepting grant applications for waterway access improvement projects through its 2019 Assistance Program. Applications and additional information can be found on the District’s website at:

•             Local Government application: http://aicw.org/assistance_programs/waterway_assistance_programs/index.php 

•             State and Federal Government application: http://www.aicw.org/assistance_programs/cooperative_assistance_programs/index.php 

Waterway Access project types eligible for funding include public navigation, public waterway access facilities, waterfront parks, environmental education and boating safety projects directly related to the waterways. The District also provides grants for land acquisition which include opportunities for waterway access. Please see the program rules for more details on project eligibility. The funding level of this year’s program will be determined in July based upon the availability of funding to the District and the quality and number of applications received. Applications are due in the District office by 4:30 PM, March 27, 2020. For more information, contact Janet Zimmerman, Assistant Executive Director

Florida Inland Navigation District at jzimmerman@aicw.org.


Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

Mark your calendar now for the first Maritime Monday of 2020, which will be held on January 6th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at #00 Shato, 307 SW 2nd Street, Fort Lauderdale. Start the new year on the right foot with MIASF’s monthly networking event, meet new members, socialize with friends, and enjoy some light bites and your first drink on us. Bring a potential member as a guest and we’ll treat them like family, too.

Join MIASF, NMMA, IYBA and Informa U.S. Markets for the Miami Boat Shows Luncheon on Wednesday, January 29th from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Rusty Pelican, 3201 Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne, with updates and insights from NMMA’s Miami International Boat Show director Larry Berryman and Informa Markets U.S. Boat Shows president Andrew Doole. The cost is $25 for members, $35 for non-members, and free of charge for Anchor Members. Space is limited! Please RSVP no later than January 20th. Members can log in to the Member Portal to RSVP through the event calendar. If you have any questions, contact nicole@miasf.org.

Once again MIASF will be organizing the annual Broward County Waterway Cleanup, which attracts thousands of volunteers throughout the County to clean every kind of debris from inland waterways. The 43rd Annual Broward County Waterway Cleanup will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2020 at 38 sites around the County.

As a long-running and established community wide environmental initiative, the Broward County Waterway Cleanup is an unparalleled opportunity for local businesses to serve as a strong corporate citizen while also gaining valuable exposure. Put a team together and meet us out on the water! Sponsorship information is available here, by calling 954-524-2733, or emailing Nicole Hoekstra at nicole@miasf.org.

All volunteers receive an official T-shirt and invitation to the Trash Bash volunteer thank you event. The cleanup runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the Trash Bash immediately following. Volunteers must be 14 years of age to be on site without an 18+ adult. Scholarships are available to middle school and high school students through essay and art competitions.


Past Events

Past Events

This year’s annual marine industry holiday party, hosted by the International Superyacht Society, the International Yacht Brokers Association, MIASF, U.S. Superyacht Association, and Young Professionals in Yachting, was held on December 10th at MIASF’s headquarters. The Flannel and Frost Holiday theme had hundreds of partygoers in the holiday spirit as they sipped and supped throughout the night. A van-full of toys was collected for the patients at the Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center, and proceeds of $2,838.86 from the event benefitted Mission of Hope’s Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in the Bahamas.

MIASF is proud to be a founding sponsor of the spectacular 2019 Seminole Hardrock Winterfest Boat Parade was held on Saturday, December 14th along the New River and Intracoastal Waterway with thousands of local viewers lining docks, seawalls, backyards, and waterfront establishments to enjoy millions of lights on vessels of every type and size. Visit https://winterfestparade.com/peoples-choice-award to see the parade winners and People’s Choice Awards. Visitors to the website can vote for their favorite boat daily until January 12th and be entered to win round trip tickets on Southwest Airlines.

Lewis Marine Supply’s Customer Appreciation Lunch was held on Friday, December 13th. Fried turkey and all the delicious fixings were served up to hundreds of guests in appreciation for another successful year at Lewis Marine.


Did You Know?

Did You Know?

Did you know that MIASF members can host a member mingle event at their facility? For more information please contact Megan Piggott at Megan@miasf.org.


Featured Job Opportunity

Featured Job Opportunity

Senior Accountant

RPM DIESEL ENGINE CO

LOCATION: Fort Lauderdale

JOB DESCRIPTION: Oversight of daily financial operations, including supervision of front office. Weekly preparation of cash flow report and key metrics report. Preparation of monthly financial statements in a timely manner. Oversight of accounts receivable and accounts payable functions. Monthly reconciliation of company bank accounts. Preparation of general ledger entries. Work with others to assist in ad hoc projects as necessary. Assist with technical accounting research and preparing related memos and entries. Maintain various accounting schedules on a monthly basis. Preparation of monthly sales tax returns.

QUALIFICATIONS: BA/BS Degree in accounting or finance. CPA a plus, but not required. Minimum three years of public accounting. Strong technical accounting and financial analytical skills. Exceptional verbal and written communication skills. Strong Excel skill. Experience with APD/CDK service, parts, and accounting software helpful.

RPM Diesel Engine Co is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Drug Free Workplace.


Welcome Aboard New Members!

Welcome Aboard New Members!

REGULAR MEMBERS

Seminole Petroleum

Michael Roost

Email: mroost@sempetro.com 

Website: N/A

3170 S Horseshoe Dr.

Naples, FL 34104

Phone: (239) 262-4124

Company Description: Marine fuel and lubricant suppliers.

 

Fractional Boat

David Aldrich

Email: draldrich42@gmail.com 

Website: N/A

125 Jose Gaspar

Englewood, FL 34223

Phone: (843) 368-1103

Company Description: We are a management company for our Fractional boat ownership program available to Boat Dealers and Investors.

 

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

International Logistics Solutions

Pompey Mansilla

Email: pompey.mansilla@intlls.com

Website: www.intlls.com

8111 NW 33rd St.

Doral, FL 33122

Phone: (877) 428-5520

Company Description: International Logistics Solutions supplies companies from startup to enterprise level with domestic and international shipping solutions. As parcel professionals, our stack of services and sweeping discounts enables us to deliver value via financial savings and accelerated transit times to any parcel shipper.