CPS Distributors, Inc. has named Fred Kolacki to the position of southeast regional sales manager. “Fred brings a wealth of marine experience and knowledge to CPS Distributors,” Brandon Lang, Vice President said. “In addition to being an asset to our existing team, his passion for boating and marine equipment makes him a great fit for CPS.” In addition to managing ...

The American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) is hosting their first “Marine Service Technology: Educator Training Conference” to be held July 23-25, 2019 in Annapolis, Md. Within current registrants there are fifteen states and three countries represented. “We are thrilled at the range of instructors signed up to be students that week. We have high school and post-secondary technical instructors ...

The American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) announced their inaugural “Marine Service Technology: Educator Training Conference” to be held July 23-25, 2019 in Annapolis, Maryland. The three day conference will feature specific topics to enhance the knowledge, delivery and support of marine instructors and school administrators around the country. “Whether you have been teaching marine tech for years, or are thinking ...

The ABYC Foundation announced Margaret Podlich has been hired to serve as executive director. The ABYC Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), focused on providing resources that create educational and lifelong career opportunities to current and aspiring marine service technicians. “I can’t imagine a more perfect person to be the foundation’s first executive ...

Evinrude, the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) and the National Marine Distributors Association (NMDA) announced today that Evinrude will donate two million dollars’ worth of Evinrude ETEC G2 3.4L V6 outboard engines to the ABYC Foundation supporting next generation marine technician training. The donation, which is the largest of its kind in history, will support students in high schools ...

The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) hosted its annual meeting in Seattle, Wash. and announced the election of new members to the board of directors. Joining the board of directors is Derek Rhymes from All Boats Marine Surveys and Lia Jaros from the Marine Trades Association of Maryland. Joining the executive board in the position of secretary is Christina ...

YANMAR and the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) are teaming up to conduct marine technician certification courses at YANMAR Academy which is located at the new YANMAR Evo Center in Acworth, Georgia. “ABYC is a long-standing organization with high standards for safety and training in the boating industry,” said Tim Miller YANMAR America senior manager of learning & development. ...

This year, visitors of the 28th International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX), held Oct. 2-4 at the Tampa Convention Center, will have access to an expanded education program. IBEX 2018 will offer participants up to 100 unique opportunities to learn about new processes, access technical information, demo products, and more, during the IBEX Education Conference, which includes the technical IBEX ...

Today, as the result of a yearlong collaborative effort, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, the National Marine Manufacturers Association and the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association announced the release of “10+1 Strategy: A Marine Industry Guide to Growing the Workforce.” Endorsed by 25 national, regional and state trade associations, the “10+1 Strategy: Marine Industry Guide to Growing the ...

Institutions, industry address critical workforce issue The workforce shortage in the marine industry remains in a state of crisis, but companies are taking active steps toward finding and retaining the technicians and skilled laborers of the future. The majority—over 80 percent by some estimation—of marine technicians still gain their core skills through on-the-job training, according to the Marine Career Training ...