DAVID CONWAY PHOTO

After two days of presentations, seminars, panels and conversations at this year’s Association of Marina Industries Conference and Expo in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., five issues emerged as top concerns. The issues are the mounting speed of technology changes and how best to keep up, boater retention, promoting safety at the dock and on board in the age of social media, innovations in products to advance sustainability, and addressing the effects of climate change on marinas and the marina industry.

Many of the issues were addressed by the Women’s Leadership Panel held yesterday and hosted by Michele Goldsmith, vice president and general manager of the Soundings Trade Only Group. Before a crowd of more than 75 attendees, Goldsmith held the roundtable discussion with four women in the marine industry: Heather Mess of MarineMax; Maria Nardi of Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces; Megan Lagasse of Pier Sixty-Six; and Kim Sweers of FB Marine Group.

Each of the women discussed their career journeys in the industry, including the importance of mentorships, communication and collaboration. They told stories of how they assumed their own roles as leaders in their fields.

“Having a clear vision, a bold vision, that drives and inspires people to work toward a common goal is critical,” Nardi told the audience. “One of the things I’m most proud of is building a culture within our organization that allows people to thrive.”

They also touched on top issues across the board and how they best achieve results for their companies and the greater goals they have set for themselves.

“One of the things we need to understand as an industry is where we can have the biggest impact,” Mess said. “We have to ask, ‘What is most important to our stakeholders, and how can we sustain those interests?’ Part of that answer means keeping our waters clean. So, we have to incorporate sustainability into every aspect of our business. If we can do all that, I think it will give the industry an extraordinary competitive edge.”

The next Women in the Industry event is scheduled for Feb. 14 at the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show. Register here to attend the free in-person event.

Breakout sessions on the issues of sustainability, employee development, leadership and other topics were held throughout Wednesday, with more than a dozen seminars concluded.

DAVID CONWAY PHOTO

Earlier in the week, AMI awarded more than 50 Clean and Resilient Marina Professional certifications for individuals completing AMI’s training on best practices to safeguard the water and shoreline environments. The association also accredited more than 40 marinas nationwide with Clean and Resilient Marina designations. For more information on courses and the training calendar, visit the association’s website.

The three-day conference concludes today, opening with a keynote address by Rebecca Heiss, titled “Fear(less): Navigating the Rising Waters of Change,” a presentation about how the therapeutic use of stress can fuel one’s achievements.