AMI Expo – a record-breaker

The 2023 AMI Conference & Expo, organised by the Association of Marina Industries (AMI) and held Monday 30th January – Wednesday 1st February in Daytona Beach, Florida was pronounced a record-breaking success that attracted nigh on 1,100 attendees.

“This is by far the best event we have ever presented,” said AMI vice chair Rick Chapman. “From the pre-conference workshops and opening keynote on ‘Front Row Leadership’ to the ‘Future of Boats’ panel and everything in between, the content was on point. Even if the speakers shared things we didn’t want to hear, we needed to hear them.
“We experienced record-breaking attendance, our exhibit floor was sold out, our social night was the largest we have had to date, and there was an energy throughout the event that was hard to ignore. We look forward to building on this momentum as we head back to Fort Lauderdale,” he added.
Focus on education
Prior to the official opening of the conference on Monday evening, a full day was devoted to a host of optional programmes, ranging from the annual meeting of the American Boat Builders & Repairers Association (ABBRA) to specific educational courses that fostered leadership, team-building and coaching skills, as well as a marina tour.
The course options included the rebirth of the Docks & Marinas Short Course (D&M), originally created by Al Wortley at the University of Wisconsin, and assisted by Neil Ross. Long rated as the leading worldwide educational pathway and focused on combining both technical and broader approaches to address and solve various marina issues, the course then and now again also provides continuing education credits through the University of Wisconsin to those participating (needed annually for many professionals).
The course covered permitting, marina design, including for waves, revetments, bulkheads, pile systems for lateral loading and retention, the Americans with Disabilities Act, electrical design and code compliance, marina loads and moorings, as well as clean marinas, environmental education and recognition.
A new certification course for becoming an AMI Clean Marina Manager was also introduced, focusing on siting and design considerations for new and expanding marinas, habitat, vessel maintenance and repair, petroleum control and hazardous waste management, management of stormwater, sewage and grey water, waste reduction, disposal and recycling, as well as addressing boater education/public education, aquatic invasive species, and increasing resiliency by looking at climate adaptation and sea level rise.
The third full day option was a Leadership, Team-Building and Coaching Skills course and the fourth was Marinas 101, a three-hour marina industry introduction course geared toward those individuals with little or no marina experience looking to get into the industry by way of an advancement opportunity, career shift, or an interest in purchasing or developing a marina.
The Marina & Boatyard Study Tour was designed to dovetail with Marinas 101 although could also be enjoyed on its own. Delegates visited two marinas as well as a lighthouse and museum – and the weather cooperated to make it a great warm afternoon.
Engaging keynotes
Presentations within the actual conference started on Tuesday morning with a very energetic keynote speech “Front Row Leadership - How Top Performers Never Settle for Balcony Seats” delivered by Marilyn Sherman. The stimulating talk focused on the need to leave your comfort zone so as to meet others and obtain opportunities that you would otherwise miss. Several attendees were very moved and inspired by the talk and by the end of the conference were still mentioning it as one of the highlights.
The second day’s keynote, “The Future is Here! Trends in Boat Design: Is Your Marina Prepared?”, was a panel presentation featuring Alex Cattelan, chief technology officer, Brunswick Group; Sean Marrero, chief strategy officer and president, Watershed Innovation, Correct Craft; and Dan Ryks, senior category manager electrification, Mercury Marine.
The discussion focused on where the industry is and where it is heading, particularly with respect to evolving boat design and powering of boats, and thoughts on how marinas will accommodate the changes. The consensus clearly was that the future is changing, but the approaches are still being worked out, including how the infrastructure will have to change to accommodate the new demands.
There is concern that electric power will not be able to meet all of the needs, at least not in the nearer term. Indeed, the emphasis on electrification is pushing the envelope both in terms of the design of boats and batteries and how to recharge them. As the discussion continued, Sean Marrero said flat out to the marina operators in the audience: “You’re going to be selling electricity at some point.”
The session ended with lots of questions being raised by delegates, with answers basically boiling down to there being a lot of issues still to be worked out! The good news on that score is that the industry is reaching out to all segments, including numerous governmental agencies with their sometimes conflicting perspectives.
Breakout sessions
The main conference programme offered four to five different and simultaneous breakout sessions – three on the first day and two on the second day – for a total of 24 sessions covering a wide range of topics. There was something for almost everyone attending, and conflict for many who wanted to be in more than one place at once.
Presentations covered: communications and marketing; workplace investigations and hiring; the changing trends of boat ownership; dealing with disaster (hurricane and fire); technological advances; financial management strategy; clean water initiatives; grant funding; industry statistics; and more.
Most of the delegates enjoyed the sessions, particularly the interaction and ability to focus on specific issues. There were many new faces, including marina managers and owners as well as other first-time attendees. Most of all, the delegates seemed to appreciate the willingness of those with more experience to share ideas and suggestions. One new attendee said: “I cannot believe the number of people who are willing to talk to me – I am getting some great ideas and suggestions.” Another noted: “I found out about things that I now need to think about.” There were updates on codes and other regulatory issues, and examples of better ways to do things, along with examples of what not to do.
There were also plenty of opportunities to meet and network. The exhibition hall, with 162 exhibiting companies, was particularly busy during break-out sessions and for the opening evening reception and the social event in the Coquina Ballroom was a big hit. The electric miniature golf was a highlight, along with other games.
AMI Conference & Expo returns to the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on 30th January-1st February 2024.