Keynote speaker named for 2006 IMBC

Washington, D.C. — Producers of the 2006 International Marina & Boatyard Conference (IMBC) announced recently that Jonathan Pontell has signed on as the keynote speaker for the annual event being held January 29 – February 1 in Orlando, Fla.

Among Pontell’s accomplishments as a nationally acclaimed writer and trends guru, Jonathan is the person who identified and named “Generation Jones”–the large lost generation between the Baby Boomers and Generation X. While this newly defined age group has recently received extensive international mainstream media attention, it is said to be of particular relevance to the marina industry; Jonesers constitute 40 to 50 percent of all consumers of marina products and services.

Born from 1954 through 1965, Jonesers are now 39-50 years old, and demonstrate a very distinctive set of consumer behaviors and attitudes.

“Jonesers are 26 percent of all U.S. adults, but make up a much larger percentage of the marina market,” Pontell commented. “It is unusual for an industry’s market to be so dominated by one generation. While this makes it crucial for those in the marina industry to really understand this particular age group, it also provides a huge opportunity for this industry to inexpensively, but very effectively, target market this key age segment.”

Jonathan has discussed how to best target Jonesers for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to The White House, and as a frequent guest on national TV and radio talk shows. At IMBC ’06, he will be focusing on how to target Jonesers specifically in the marina industry. More information on Jonathan can be found online at www.jonathanpontell.com.

Notes on IMBC 2006
The 2006 International Marina & Boatyard Conference takes place January 29 – February 1, 2006 in Orlando, Fla. IMBC kicks off the evening of January 29 with a reception to be held on the exhibit floor. Two days of professional development seminars will be hosted adjacent to the show floor allowing participants to return to the exhibit area during breaks. Luncheons will also be held in the exhibit area each day as well. The program wraps on Wednesday morning, February 1 with an all-marine industry breakfast followed by an optional field trip.

The International Marina and Boatyard Conference is produced by the Association of Marina Industries (AMI – formerly MOAA and IMI) and the American Boat Builders & Repairers Association (ABBRA).

The conference returns to Florida in 2006 after a hiatus in 2005 when the IMBC joined forces with the International Council of Marine Industry Associations, (ICOMIA) for IMC ’05 in San Diego, Calif.

The host hotel for the conference is the Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld. The special room rate for those attending the conference is $219 for single/double occupancy. The deadline to receive the special rate is December 30, 2005. Call 1-800-266-9432 and ask for the “Marina & Boatyard Conference” room block.

More information on attending the conference, as well as exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities, can be found online at www.MarinaAssociation.org.

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