David Ray, the former executive vice president of the Marine Industry Association of Central Florida, is being remembered for his unwavering commitment to protecting boater access rights, a demand that an Office of Boating be established at the state level, his leadership in developing and growing two marine trade associations and much more. He passed away on Dec. 8 with his family by his side.
Ray’s industry career spanned more than three decades. Only last October did he opt to hand over the leadership of the Marine Industry Association of Central Florida, a once-floundering organization he took on and built up at the urging of a handful of members. The association had no boat shows, few members and little revenue. Today it produces four shows and represents members from throughout the middle of the state.
Ray graduated from the University of Miami in 1961. He later joined his father, Dan, in a family-owned table goods and greeting card distribution business. He married his wife, Elizabeth Shillingsford (Betsy) in 1963. Their only son, Robert, was born in 1970.
The couple bought their first boat in 1965, a 16-foot Donzi with a “Hot Volvo” from boatbuilder and racer Don Aronow, arranged by their mutual friend, Fred Darwick. Some years later, in the mid-’80s, Darwick introduced Ray to a South Florida marine distributor, Atlantic Marine. So began Ray’s long career in the marine industry.
While working with several marine distributors into the early ’90s, Ray became involved in a Greater Miami Marine Trade Association and the Coconut Grove Boat Show. This led to a connection to the Marine Industry Association of Florida, where he served for years as its executive vice president.
Under his watch, MIAF became recognized by Florida lawmakers as a powerful industry voice, consistently advocating with state agencies on issues from permitting to conservation. Later, he accepted the post of executive director of MIACF and took on the challenge to create and expand key boat shows for central Florida.
The acquisition of the Daytona Boat Show was his first leadership challenge at MIACF. The show was failing and there seemed no interest in continuing it. But convinced it could serve the industry well, he orchestrated its acquisition and directed the show’s expansion into a major event. It’s now produced twice a year, in January and September.
About nine years ago, Ray went to work re-imagining the abandoned Central Florida Boat Show. His work resulted in the debut MIACF’s biggest show, the Orlando Boat Show. Now the largest show in central Florida, the event is held twice each year at the Orlando Convention Center in March and August. Each installment of the show includes nearly every major dealer from the middle of the state.
Ray’s leadership has been widely acknowledged by his peers in state and regional marine associations across the country. He had been a long-time participant and contributor to the National Marine Trades Council, an organization comprised of industry association leaders.
In his announcement to MIACF members and the industry, Joe Lewis, MIACF’s immediate past president shared: “David Ray was the most dedicated, passionate, hardest working person I’ve ever known. He was one of those individuals who never sought the spotlight and it never found him. … Today that spotlight shines brightly on David and all his accomplishments for which we are forever in his debt.”
