IBEX 2025 announces full schedule

The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) has announced its full schedule for the 2025 show, taking place at the Tampa Convention Center, Oct. 7-9.

The Opening Night Party, sponsored by Wet Sounds, Inc., and the Mid-Show Mixer, sponsored by Roswell Marine, will both take place outside at the Sail Pavilion.

The Marine Ideas Exchange (MIX), presented by IBEX and Soundings Trade Only, will highlight influential voices in the industry, offering insights on leadership, technology, branding, retail and organizational culture on Wednesday morning. “Navigating the Marine Industry,” presented by Boating Industry, will be held on Wednesday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., offering attendees a panel of marine executives who will discuss the key players and associations of our industry. Wednesday will also feature the return of Pitch the Press, a fast-paced forum for industry buyers and press to hear various product pitches from select exhibitors.

On Thursday, ABYC’s Student Career Day returns for its third year, bringing real-life marine industry exposure, meet and greet opportunities and exhibit hall access to area technical school students and instructors.
 
The Opening Day Industry Breakfast will feautre an Industry Address from NMMA President Frank Hugelmeyer and a keynote from Emmy-award winning television host Kevin O’Connor. The breakfast will also include the presentation of the 2025 IBEX Innovation Awards. Tickets for the Industry Breakfast can be purchased during show registration. The Industry Breakfast is sponsored by AWLGRIP North America, Honda Marine, Interlux Yacht Finishes, Sea Hawk Paints, Suzuki Marine and Tides Marine Inc.

The IBEX Main Stage will showcase special sessions every day, featuring topics from tariffs, trade and supply chain to workforce development and more. Speakers will include former NMMA President Dr. Thomas Dammrich, Freedom Boat Club President Cecil Cohn, and National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) President and Executive Director Mark Reedenauer.
 
For designers, the “Developing Full Foils for Recreational Boats” main stage presentation will be held on Tuesday from 11 to 12:30 p.m., presented by IBEX and Professional BoatBuilder magazine. Speakers will include Aaron Porter, editor of Professional BoatBuilder, Pete Melvin, CEO at Morrelli & Melvin Design & Engineering, Mike Peasgood, CEO and founder at ENVGO, and Ferdinand van West, naval architect at Morrelli & Melvin Design & Engineering. They will discuss what has worked and what hasn’t as they’ve created recreational foiling vessels to meet consumer expectations for this emerging market. 
 
The NMMA will present “Managing Tariffs, Trade, and Supply Chain” on the main stage on Thursday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The session will feature Robyn Boerstling, chief advocacy officer and senior vice president of government relations at NMMA, Marie-France MacKinnon, executive director Canada at NMMA, and Peter Barrett, senior executive vice president of marketing and corporate development at Smoker Craft, Inc. The session will cover how to manage risk in the North American recreational boating market as American and Canadian companies and their consumers are impacted by an evolving U.S.-Canadian relationship.
 
“Technical Schools and Your Next Hire” will be held on the main stage on Thursday from 11 to 12:30 p.m. Speakers will include Rebecca Cute, talent acquisition manager at Safe Harbor Marinas, Tim Murphy, education project manager at ABYC, Keith Rollins, instructor at Suncoast Technical College, and Zach Volpicelli, marine systems program instructor at The Landing School. They will discuss why more students are opting for Career Technical Education (CTE) and how to find and attract these potential new hires.

“IBEX is the ultimate place in North America for marine industry professionals to come network with colleagues and friends,” said Mary Velline, show director of IBEX. “The opportunities to connect together and drive innovation are what make the IBEX community so unique, and our team has put together a packed schedule to support that growth in learning together. We look forward to welcoming visitors to another great year of IBEX, where there’s truly something for everyone.”