Ken Read and Tom Ehman to Talk at Industry Conference

 
Middletown, RI (May 29, 2008) – PUMA Ocean Racing Skipper Ken Read and America’s Cup veteran and BMW Oracle Racing executive Tom Ehman will share their insights and expectations about the Volvo Ocean Race and America’s Cup, respectively, during presentations at the inaugural annual “Growth Through Innovation” Sailing Industry Conference presented by GE Capital Solutions and Sail America on June 11-12 in Newport, RI.

Sail America and SAIL Magazine are presenting PUMA Ocean Racing Skipper Ken Read as the featured speaker at the conference’s Welcome Reception on June 11 from 6-10 p.m. at the Newport Yachting Center.

"There`s no better way to kick off the Sailing Industry Conference than with some inspiration from Rhode Island`s favorite sailing son, Ken Read," says SAIL Publisher Josh Adams. "Widely regarded as one of the top American professional sailors, Read has won at every level of the sport. He`s a world champion, America`s Cup helmsman, and now skipper of PUMA Ocean Racing, a competitor in the Volvo Ocean Race. Like many of us in the sailing industry, Read is constantly thinking about innovation, as he and his team prepare to sail their boat around the world faster than the competition. A longtime leader at North Sails, he also brings a wealth of industry knowledge to our Conference kickoff. "

Read will discuss his expectations for the Volvo Ocean Race and will show compelling footage of PUMA in training during his multi-media presentation. For the first time in the event’s history, the Volvo Ocean Race is introducing significant changes to the race format, including new ports along a new route that includes stopovers in the Singapore, India and China.

The Sailing Company, publishers of Cruising World and Sailing World magazines, are presenting Tom Ehman, head of External Affairs for BMW Oracle Racing, as the after-dinner speaker at the conference’s Gala Dinner June 12 from 6:30-11 p.m. at the International Yacht Restoration School. He’ll share his thoughts about America’s Cup 33, which marks the tenth straight campaign for this consummate veteran of yachting affairs. Currently, Ehman finds himself, as he says, “on the pointy end” of the controversy with Golden Gate Yacht Club’s ongoing court challenge of the America’s Cup defender, the Swiss team Alinghi, and their sponsoring club, the Societe Nautique de Geneve (SNG) over the team’s alleged “self-dealing.”

“Tom Ehman has been on the front lines of the America’s Cup and he will be joining us at a particularly timely moment, since the next court hearing is due June 5 that will impact the future of the Cup,” said Sally Helme, publisher of Cruising World and Sailing World magazines. “We also invited Tom because he has been involved in many of the changes and innovations that have transformed top-level sailing into the modern, professional and more media-friendly sport that it is today.”

Since he became involved with the America’s Cup in 1980, Ehman has served in many roles, including rules advisor, team manager, marketing consultant and Challenger Commission Chairman. In his current position with BMW Oracle Racing, Ehman is one of the few currently involved in “the Cup” who has only worked for American campaigns. In addition, Ehman is the only person who has worked for all of the “big three” clubs—NYYC, (New York Yacht Club); SDYC, (San Diego Yacht Club); and StFYC (St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco).

Ehman grew up working in the sailing industry in Michigan where his family has owned, since 1966, a sailing club/marina and boat sales/chandlery on a small lake outside Ann Arbor.

A former collegiate, Sunfish and Flying Scot North American champion and winner of the 1976 Championship of Champions, he served for six years as executive director of US SAILING in the early 1980s. He headed the U.S. delegation to International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and served on two Olympic juries during the ‘90s. His long career includes extensive experience on the commercial side of Formula 1. Ehman has been a member of the New York Yacht Club since 1981, is a founding member of Gstadd Yacht Club in Switzerland and co-founder of Sail Newport.

More than 150 sailing professionals from all facets of the industry and from all over the country will gather in Newport, RI, June 11-12 for the “Growth Through Innovation” Sailing Industry Conference devoted to helping sailing-related business develop and grow. Conference attendees who register by June 4, a newly extended deadline, will be entered in a random drawing for a luxurious Sunsail Vacation to Caribbean blue waters, compliments of Sunsail now part of TUI Travel, PLC. (Winners are responsible for insurance, local and cruising taxes and can cruise anytime except Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s weeks.)

Visit www.sailamerica.com for more information on the Industry Conference and Regatta and to register. Alternatively, please contact Kimberly Tuchon or Jonathan Banks at 401-841-0900.

About GE Capital Solutions
The conference’s title sponsor, GE Capital Solutions has a long history of support for the sailing industry and significant industry events. GE Capital Solutions Commercial Distribution Finance is a leading provider of specialized financing products and services for various industries. Offerings include inventory financing, accounts receivable financing, asset-based lending, private label financing, collateral management, e-commerce services and related financial products. For more than 30 years, GE has been a name the marine industry has come to know and trust. Additional information about CDF can be found online at www.ge.com/cdf.

GE Capital Solutions provides leasing, lending and capital investment products and services to help business customers grow. It has over $90 billion in assets, serves more than 1 million clients around the world and is headquartered in Danbury, CT. For more on GE Capital Solutions, go to www.ge.com/capitalsolutions. GE is Imagination at Work - a diversified technology, media and financial services company focused on solving some of the world`s toughest problems. For more information, visit the company`s Web site at www.ge.com .

About Sail America:
Sail America is the trade association for the U.S. sailing industry and plays a vital role for all companies that are involved in providing sailing-related products and services. Established in 1990 by members of the U.S. sailing industry, Sail America now has over 500 members representing all segments of the sailing market; from manufacturers to sailing schools and from charter companies to publishers. Sail America is based in Newport, RI, and has a full-time professional staff and a dedicated Board of Directors. Sail America’s mission is to promote the health and growth of sailing.

In 2008 and 2009, Sail America will produce four of the country’s best sailboat shows – Strictly Sail St. Pete, Strictly Sail Chicago, Strictly Sail Miami and Strictly Sail Pacific – as well as SailFest events at NMMA’s Virginia In-Water Show and Baltimore Boat Show. In addition to running Strictly Sail Boat Shows and Sail Fests, Sail America promotes the sailing lifestyle, introduces thousands of new people to sailing, generates qualified sales leads, distributes industry and market information, provides valuable business tools and education, facilitates networking events and supports industry-wide initiatives, such as Discover Sailing and Grow Boating.