YBAA University 2022 (YBAA U)

HOTEL
Marriott Providence Downtown

Check-in time: 4 PM
Check-out time: 11 AM

Room Rate: 15% discount on selling rate

Click Here to Reserve Your Room

Reservation Instructions

1. Click on Special Rates/Rewards
2. Click on Corporate/Promotional Code
3. Enter Code: K6Y

$500 YBAA Members; $750 Non-members

• Recognition of your partnership with your company logo, linked to your site, in all pre-event promotions, post-event communications, and on the YBAA website.
• Recognition of your support from the podium and in the onsite booklet.
• One complimentary registration to attend the Providence YBAA U event.
• Complimentary report of attendee emails and mailing addresses.
• Recognition of your partnership in three issues of the monthly YBAA Yacht Broker News.

Add an Exhibit Table (Members Only) - $100

Continental Breakfast Sponsor - $1,000 SOLD

Recognition from the podium, in onsite signage, and in the printed booklet

Networking Lunch Sponsor - $2,000 SOLD

Recognition from the podium, in onsite signage, and in the printed booklet

Dry Bag - $2,000

Keep your things dry on your boat or at the beach with this durable bag branded with your logo.

Coffee Mug - $850 SOLD

Extend your brand with your company logo on a ceramic coffee mug

Pen - $600 SOLD

Your logo will be on the pens provided to attendees

8:15 AM

9:00 AM

Registration & Breakfast
sponsored by Crusader Yachts/Seattle Yachts

Grand Ballroom Foyer

9:00 AM

9:30 AM

Welcome

Grand Ballroom

9:30 AM

10:45 AM

Digital Marketing in the Yachting Industry
with Rob Bowman

Grand Ballroom

10:45 AM

11:00 AM

Break

Grand Ballroom Foyer

11:00 AM

12:00 PM

Technical Panel

Grand Ballroom

12:00 PM

1:00 PM

Lunch
sponsored by BoatDox.org

Grand Ballroom

About BoatDox.org

BoatDox.org is yacht sales management simplified. A complete, end-to-end solution including document processing, dashboards for every user, and an interface that supports brokers and admins with the tasks and paperwork needed for smooth listings and sales. BoatDox is the only industry-owned and operated system that assures the security of data with the promise that clients will never be solicited for services by any third party.

1:00 PM

2:15 PM

Insurance & Finance Panel

Grand Ballroom

2:15 PM

2:30 PM

Break

Grand Ballroom Foyer

2:30 PM

4:00 PM

Legal Panel

Grand Ballroom

4:00 PM

4:30 PM

Wrap-Up & Raffle Prize Drawing

Grand Ballroom

Thank You to the YBAA U Raffle Donors!

YachtWorld, Gary Jobson, Gill, ABYC, Trident Funding, Weems & Plath, Gowrie Group, NEMD, Trident Funding, & OceanPoint Marine Lending

4:45 PM

6:30 PM

YBAA Reception
sponsored by YachtWorld 

Aqua Patio

Courtney Chalmers, YBAA Reception Host

Courtney leads marketing and branding at Boats Group, overseeing product marketing, digital marketing, and channel marketing teams. She modernizes the function of marketing through strategic management of people, technology, and data.

With 20 years of experience in digital marketing and brand management in the recreational boating industry, Courtney has been published in top boating publications, including Boating Industry Magazine and Soundings Trade Only, and is invited to speak at industry events across the U.S. She is actively involved in boating industry associations and was recognized by Boating Industry magazine as part of their Women Making Waves and Mover & Shaker programs.

Rob Bowman
Keynote Speaker

Rob Bowman has specialized in digital marketing in the boating and yachting industry since 2005 with past experiences at MarineMax, Yachtworld, as well as HMY Yachts. Rob currently owns a yacht-focused marketing consultancy with clients that include Absolute Yachts, Fleming Yachts, Staten Island Yacht Sales, United Yacht Sales, Seattle Yachts, Sandy Hook Yachts, and others.

Digital Marketing in the Yachting Industry

This presentation will be an overview of the digital marketing landscape in the yachting industry today. Points of interest will cover YachtBroker.org and its benefits, as well as the foundation for a good online marketing strategy that includes search engine optimization, content creation, social media, and other digital opportunities.

Download Presentation

Hal Slater, CPYB
Moderator

Hal is the President and Owner of Brewer Yacht Sales. His company has 21 sales offices between Maine and South Florida. Hal is a YBAA Past President and has been an active Board Member since 2009, currently serving as the association’s Treasurer and is the chair of the YBAA MLS Committee.

Matt Fries
Panelist

Matt is the Business Acquisition Manager at Navico where he’s worked for over 15 years. Navico is a division of Brunswick Corporation’s Advanced Systems Group (ASG) and includes the B&G, Lowrance, Simrad, and C-Map brands.

John Beveridge
Panelist

John has worked for Raymarine as their Regional Sales Manager for the past 4 and a half years. He has been in the industry for a total of 24 years in various roles. He and his wife moved to Maine in 2010. Prior to that John lived in and around the Chesapeake Bay.

John got his passion for boating from his father when he and his father built several small boats growing up. John and his wife have two daughters, 4 and 8 years old, and 2 crazy dogs. John and his family spend most of their weekends in the summer at their family’s lake house in Maine.

John Anderson
Panelist

Bill Jones
Panelist

Bill Jones and John Anderson have over 50 years of combined experience in the marine industry. They provide support, knowledge, and sales of marine electronic navigational tools and systems to dealers, distribution, OEMs, and their mutual customers.

As Garmin Managers, they make products that are engineered on the inside for life on the outside. They do this so their customers can make the most of the time they spend pursuing their passions. Garmin's mission is to be an enduring company by creating superior products for marine, aviation, outdoor, automotive, and sports that are an essential part of their customers' lives.

Eric Smith
Moderator

Eric has been in the marine industry since 1990. He has worked for two premier yacht yards on Cape Cod and has worked in yacht sales since 1995 winning awards from Back Cove, Sabre, and Hatteras Yachts. Eric holds his Certified Professional Yacht Broker (CPYB) designation as well as 100 Ton Master Captain's License.

He is a member of the Massachusetts Marine Trades Association and a Board Member of the Yacht Brokers Association of America where he holds the current title of VP. He is versed in all aspects of the transaction including surveys, tax laws, market valuations, marine finance, insurance, and contract negotiations. 

Denise Hanna, CPYB Moderator

Mark Gargula
Panelist

Mark Gargula joined Gowrie Group, the largest independent marine insurance agency in the US, in 2015 as a Yacht & Personal Insurance Specialist. As an insurance specialist, he advises clients on how to secure the most comprehensive, cost-effective insurance solutions for their boats, yachts, homes, automobiles, and other assets.

Before Gowrie Group, he worked in the marine industry as a sailmaker for Quantum Sail Design Group in Newport, Rhode Island where he focused on sail production, sail design, and client service. Mark was also the assistant sailing coach for St. George’s School, an elite prep school in Newport.

This panel will address how to bridge the gap between the insurance agent and the underwriter, limits of liability for brokers, insuring older vessels, and the challenges we might face in the current climate.

Chris Stevens
Panelist

Christopher Stevens works as a Vice President at Sterling Associates, a Banking company founded in 1991 with an estimated 193 employees. Christopher graduated from Providence College and is currently based in Whitinsville.

The company was designed to meet the banking challenges of the 1990s and to restructure the relationship between a Loan Production Service Company and its lenders. In 2001, the company was purchased by UFS Bancorp/UniBank for Savings and now operates as a subsidiary of UniBank. Sterling has offices in Florida, Texas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Connecticut, Maryland, and California.

Jonathan Chapman, CPYB
Moderator

As President of YBAA, Jonathan has been paramount in their form’s revision committee and assisted in redesigning the contracts used by licensed brokers across the industry. He is a member of IYBA (International Yacht Brokers Association) and earned his CPYB (Certified Professional Yacht Broker) certification in 2005. He is also a Florida-licensed yacht broker and a licensed yacht captain.

Maurice Cusick
Panelist

Maurice began sailing tall ships out of Newport in the 1970s. He attended Salve Regina College where “the nuns” sent him to law school where he graduated magna cum laude. He attended Marquette Law School, was an editor of the Marquette Law Review, and practiced criminal law in Wisconsin. After that, during a delivery, he ended up at St. Croix. He has handled hundreds of cases, including approximately 40 murder ones in federal court.

This panel will provide insights on legal issues and proper strategies that can be applied in the boating industry. Topics covered include; protecting yourself from fraud, estate sales dealings, liability for brokers, and more. As a result, participants can gauge what legal pitfalls to avoid and how to properly protect themselves in the future.

Brian Commette, CPYB
Panelist

Brian learned his competence in all of the trades: mechanical, fiberglass, rigging, and electrical. It was an easy transition into yacht brokerage. During his 25 years in yacht brokerage with Northrop & Johnson, Brian has served as both a board member and president of the Yacht Brokers Association of America (YBAA).

Brian has also worked tirelessly with the Certified Professional Yacht Broker program, serving as Chairman and now in the position of counsel. His professionalism and his knowledge of yachts and their systems have proven to be of great value to his loyal clients.

Christopher McNally
Panelist

Christopher attended St. George’s School in Middletown, RI before earning his degree in Marine Biology from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL, and then returning to Newport. After fifteen years in a multitude of roles in the maritime industries, he earned his J.D. from Roger Williams University School of Law.  He has a strong focus on Coastal Law (Admiralty and Ocean), Business Organization, Land Use, and Environmental Law.

He successfully competed in the National Admiralty Moot Court competition, earning second place and recognition for drafting the Best Respondent’s Brief. As a Professional Mariner licensed by the U.S.C.G. and the Royal Yachting Association / Maritime and Coastguard Authority (RYA/MCA) he remains actively involved in many aspects of the Maritime industry.  He maintains and sails on both his U.S.C.G. 500 Ton Master and R.Y.A. 200 Ton Yacht-master licenses, both with Oceans Endorsements.

JP Skov, CPYB
Moderator

JP Skov is an industry veteran with 25 plus years of experience. He currently serves as the Executive Director of YBAA and the Certified Professional Yacht Broker program (CPYB). He is passionate about the industry and strives to help maintain the highest level of professionalism and ethics for all YBAA members.