COMING SOON:

THE 2010 SAILING INDUSTRY CONFERENCE AND REGATTA!

Sign up today for the 2010 Sail America Sailing Industry Conference and Regatta in Annapolis, Maryland. The first 100 registrants will receive a free $75 Gill Day Pack!

Sail America has recently confirmed the series of top notch speakers and events slated for the June 15 – June 16 conference which is appropriately themed, “Adjusting to the New Economy.” St. John’s College is the gathering site for the two-day event that features a jam-packed mix of activities including expert speakers, breakout sessions and interactive peer discussions, plus fun social activities including a BBQ at the Port of Annapolis and a hotly-contested Sailing Industry Regatta at J/World Annapolis on the afternoon of June 14th.

Headlining the panel of guest speakers is Chairman of the U.S. Olympic sailing program and President of the Latimer Group Dean Brenner who will give the keynote address, “Leadership Communication for the 21st Century.”

Motivational speaker and world champion sailor Vince Morvillo is also on the slate with his topic, “It’s Not Just a Recession,” which identifies key strategies to bring inspiration and leadership to teams in order to impact sales and profits. Don Cooper, “The Sales Heretic,” dispels myths and misconceptions that are holding back sales in his compelling and unorthodox address, “The Future of Selling.”

General session segments include a roundtable discussion featuring industry leaders on “Changes in the Behavior of the Sailing Consumer,“ and a riveting update on “Sailing Participation Trends,” presented by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association.

Optional break-out sessions include topics on social networking, changes in banking and finance, the latest internet trends, sustainability in the sailing industry, improving personal communication and how to harness the power of the unimagined.

Highlighting the social agenda is the Industry Regatta sponsored by West Marine, on June 14 from 3 – 8 pm at J/World Annapolis where industry teams compete for bragging rights and the coveted Sailing Industry Regatta Trophy. Entries so far include SAIL Magazine, Sailing World, Vetus, and JK3. Reserve your boat now – only two remain available! Click Here for the Industry Regatta Entry Form and NOR.

Conference sponsors include Title Sponsor Yanmar; Presenting Sponsors include Gill Marine, Blue Water Sailing, SAIL Magazine, The Sailing Company, Harken, GE Financial, YachtWorld.com, Jeanneau and US Yacht Shows; Regatta Sponsors include West Marine, US Sailing, J/World Annapolis and A.G. A Correa; Partner Sponsors include Soundings Trade Only, Caffeine Interactive, Kenton Smith Marketing, and Insight Marketing & Media; and General Sponsors include Sabre Yachts, Imtra Corporation, Yacht.Com, Hunter Marine, Forespar, Edson Corp., Ronstan, Newport International Boat Show, New England Ropes, Maxwell, Vetus, Offshore Sailing School, The Gowrie Group, Selden and America Sailing Association.

“We’ve designed this event to maximize the learning time and return on investment for Sail America members,” said Committee Chair George Day of Blue Water Sailing magazine. “Attendees will gain fresh new perspective on our sailing marketplace, plus acquire new leadership skills needed for today’s challenging economic times. We’re also presenting a great mix of programs to highlight the latest in web and e-marketing tools, personal communication skills and innovative new sales ideas and tactics, all of which work together to positively impact the bottom line. Everything on the agenda is expressly designed to help our sailing businesses improve and build for the future.”

“We couldn’t be more pleased by the outstanding support provided by our sponsors and their willingness to step up and help us build such a solid foundation for this year’s event,” he added. “Based on the sponsorships and the feedback to date, we’re expecting a strong response to the event and look forward to working together with our members and industry to strengthen our collective mindshare as we work together to secure a solid future for sailing.”

As a presenting sponsor, the United States Sailboat Show is donating $50 toward registration fees for any of its 2009 show exhibitors, or any exhibitor who has reserved space for the 2010 show. Any conference attendee who meets this criteria and has already registered will receive a rebate from Sail America.

Go Back