Minneapolis Boat Show Innovation Award judges announced
The NMMA and Boating Writers International (BWI) have announced the panel of judges for the 2026 Discover Boating Minneapolis Boat Show Innovation Awards. Innovation Award winners will be announced during the new Breakfast Briefing and Awards Presentation on Thursday, January 22.
The Innovation Awards judges’ committee is comprised of BWI members who perform product testing throughout the year and have specific expertise in marine products and equipment.
Judges
Brady Kay (chair): Kay is the executive editor of Pontoon & Deck Boat magazine and has been at the helm of the publication for 25 years. During his tenure, he has tested and reviewed countless pontoon and deck boats, traveled to all 50 states for feature profiles, and taken thousands of photos. He served three years as president of BWI.
Robert Beringer: Beringer is a Florida-based freelance marine journalist and photographer, and a member of BWI. He holds a USCG 100-ton Merchant Mariner Credential and has logged over 28,000 miles under sail in the Great Lakes, East Coast and Bahamas. His articles regularly appear in national boating magazines, and he serves as a judge for BWI’s annual writing contest and the Marine Marketers of America Neptune Awards.
Bill Gius: Gius has been in the marine industry for over three decades. He has worked in brand and product management at Pabst Brewing, Mercury Marine, Kohler Company, Turning Point Propellers and iboats.com. He owns “Country Consulting,” a marine industry consulting firm and recently retired from working with Great Lakes Marine Marketing. Gius is also a contributing writer to Pontoon & Deck Boat magazine.
The Innovation Awards are one of the industry’s most prestigious honors, recognizing manufacturers and suppliers who bring new, innovative products for the boating industry to the market.
Entrants
- Alera Marine — Booth 803F
- Alumacraft represented by La Canne’s Marine — Booth 501
- Barletta Boats represented by Erickson Marine — Booth 1702
- Bennington — Booth 702
- Centurion Boats — Booth 1703
- Godfrey Pontoon Boats — Booth 402
- Harris Pontoons — Booth 1203B
- Lund — Booth 1201
- Polaris — Booth 702
- Premier — Booth 1001
- Princecraft — Booth 203B
- ROW Systems — Booth MR 102H
- Smoker Craft — Booth 202
- Varatti — Booth 502
- Vexus — Booth 603C
- Viaggio represented by Boater’s Outlet — Booth 502B
