Freedom Boat Club celebrates success at annual conference
Freedom Boat Club held its annual franchise conference last week to celebrate another year of record growth for the business. Since Freedom joined the Brunswick family in May 2019, it has experienced unprecedented expansion now serving nearly 70,000 members across nearly 300 locations. Freedom’s total footprint now also includes Fanautic Club, the largest boat club operator in Spain, acquired in July 2021 adding an additional 23 locations to the Brunswick portfolio.
The three-day event was attended by franchisees from across the country – adhering to strict COVID-19 protocols – marking the first in person gathering of the network over the past 24 months. It was an opportunity for leadership within Freedom and Brunswick, including CEO Dave Foulkes, to share their vision for the business.
“Every Freedom member has a multiplying effect on the industry as their time on the water is most often shared with family and friends,” shared Brenna Preisser, President, Business Acceleration, in a press release. “This is why inspiring our franchise partners and supporting them with leading technology, contemporary marketing and operational excellence is essential to deliver the best member experience.”
“Our 2021 annual conference provided us a tremendous opportunity to both reflect on all our successes, as well as share ideas and best practices to accelerate our continued growth,” said Cecil Cohn, President, Freedom Boat Club Network. “As the undisputed market leader, the engagement and inspiration among our franchise owners over our three-day event was a testament to the strength of our network. We are energized by the direction of our organization and the passion of our members and franchise operators who are committed to growing our presence around the world.”
The conference concluded with an award ceremony recognizing many franchisees for their performance and contributions over the past year. For 2021, the Franchise of the Year was awarded to Tom, Bev and Josh Rosella from Freedom Boat Club of Delaware, South Jersey, Lower Hudson Valley, DC/Maryland. The awards ceremony also included a tribute to John Giglio, owner of Freedom Boat Club from 2011-2019, providing an opportunity for Brunswick, Freedom leadership, and Freedom franchisees to recognize his tremendous contributions with a video tribute, gifts, speeches, as well as renaming the President’s Award in his honor.
