EVENTS - SCIBS LURES US BIGWIG

A leading US marine-industry figure, Thom Dammrich, will be a guest speaker at the Gold Coast City Marina’s Australian Marine Industry Breakfast on Friday, May 21, during the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS). 

Dammrich is president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and president of the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA). The industry breakfast is staged by Sanctuary Cove and facilitated by Gold Coast City Marina and held at the Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove, only a few minutes walk from the Boat Show precinct and is open to the public as a ticketed event.

“We are delighted to welcome Mr Dammrich to the event, which we expect will be viewed with keen interest by… attendees,” said SCIBS general manager Barry Jenkins.

Dammrich’s presentation is titled “The Expected Recovery of the State of the Union” focusing on recreational marine in the USA and, according to SCIBS, is well qualified to discuss the topic.

Dammrich assumed the role of NMMA president in 1999 bringing 30 years of association management experience to the role, and since taking the helm, has helped NMMA increase its membership upwards of 30 per cent. Today, the Association represents more than 1600 members that produce 80 per cent of the recreational boating products currently sold in the US.

Additionally, under his leadership, NMMA has bolstered industry advocacy at both state and federal level as well as expanding industry and consumer-related research and statistics, SCIBS said.

“Dammrich was instrumental in helping unite the industry behind a strategy to increase participation in recreational boating with the first official national marketing campaign of the Grow Boating Initiative,” said Jenkins.

Tickets for the breakfast cost $65 and are available online through www.sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au or by phoning Anna Sadler at the Boat Show office on (07) 5577 6011.

Photo: Thom Dammrich.