By Boating Industry Staff

Entering its 23rd year , the Conference & Expo – which regularly welcomes over 1,200 marina professionals -- is owned by AMI , a not-for-profit , member-based organization . The net proceeds from the association and the Conference & Expo are reinvested in the industry through its top-notch training and educational programming , networking and advocacy .

The annual AMI Conference & Expo offers a variety of both educational and networking opportunities for marina professionals .

“ It felt great to be back in Fort Lauderdale last year , said Rick Chapman , CMM , AMI Chairman . “ We are excited to build upon our experience there and continue to harness the energy our industry has because of the significant growth it has experienced in the last five years . Our talented and experienced content committee has developed a very dynamic line-up of speakers and topics ready to go ! We are extremely proud of the work AMI does and the immeasurable positive impact it has had on our industry for the last 20 years . The AMI Conference & Expo continues to be the place where marina and boatyard professionals come for personal and professional growth and networking that can build life-long relationships ; it is the annual event for our industry ,” continues AMI Chair Rick Chapman . “ We are ready to get down to business . The AMI Conference & Expo is the best place to get that done .”

The five educational tracks for this year ’ s conference include : Building Your Dream Team ; Leading Your Team to Excellence ; Marina and Boatyard Management and Operations ; Everything But The …; and Marina Design and Engineering . The tracks ’ sessions will offer training on hiring top performers and developing industry leaders , preparing leaders for corporate change , artificial intelligence ( AI ) and its impact on recreations boating , preparing your marina for electric boats and vehicles , resilient design and creating a culture of safety ― to name just a few . The conference begins with preconference workshops ― a Marina 101 session presenting entry-level education and Rising Waters : Coping with Extreme Weather session focusing on understanding and managing the threats to both inland lakes and coastal infrastructure as a result of more severe storms and flooding . Both pre-conference sessions require pre-registration and have an added fee . The dozens of conference keynotes , breakout sessions and workshops offer a broad selection of training opportunities , targeting all levels of an organization ’ s team ― from entry-level to top-level management . Each day of intense learning closes with receptions and socials , providing the opportunity for continued industry networking .

While there are opportunities for pre-conference educational content , taking place on Jan . 28 – as well as an opening reception on the expo floor – the conference will kick off on Wednesday , Jan . 29 , with a keynote address from Chad E . Foster .

16 december 2024 / january 2025 www . boatingindustry . com