At the Helm: Following seas, happy trails and I’ll see you when I see you

By David Gee

After three eventful years as the editorial captain of Boating Industry, I am turning the helm over to the very capable Adam Quandt. He is new to the role of editor-in-chief obviously, but not new to Boating Industry. He started as an associate editor four years ago and has been my teammate as managing editor during my entire tenure. Congrats to Adam!

Together we have helped guide Boating Industry through the uncertainty of a global pandemic, broadened the editorial coverage and successfully shepherded the ELEVATE Summit to a respectable position in the industry ecosystem. We also strengthened industry recognition programs such as 40 Under 40, Women Making Waves and Mover & Shakers, expanded the digital offerings, and oversaw a magazine and website redesign. Through it all, we also largely kept an audience that grew over 100% literally overnight when the industry turned to us for their news during the shutdown in spring of 2020.

Boating Industry is no longer just a magazine, it’s a platform that fosters community and creates connections through a myriad of touchpoints.

I am also happy to report I will still be appearing in Boating Industry and other places as Thought Leader in Residence, bringing inspirational and strategic thought leadership to the programming of ELEVATE SUMMIT and to the businesses we all engage in.

This all began to take shape at IBEX last fall, as I sat down with Marion Minor, the CEO of Boating Industry’s parent company. She owns 14 magazine titles under the banner of EPG, and she outlined her plans to cleave the company into two distinct parts.

The Brand Acceleration side will produce the content and conferences and provide the tools and technologies and human capital to engage specific audiences in various verticals. And the Specialty Information side will mine, aggregate, synthesize and monetize proprietary industry data accumulated from an audience of millions over decades.

As I start, or re-start as it were, my own communications consulting and speaking business, EPG is becoming my first client, so my association with them – and you – continues!

When I began at Boating Industry everyone told me how fragmented the industry is. That was a bit of a revelation. But as a lifelong boater and watersports enthusiast, nobody had to tell me how friendly and fun the boating community is, and it will be exciting to serve that community in new ways.

See you on the water!