Fall / Winter 2018
Enter Your Best Marketing Work of 2018 for the Neptune Awards!
Marine Marketers of America is very pleased to announce the 2018 Neptune Awards competition, the most prestigious recognition program for marine marketers in North America. We are now accepting entries… and hope you will participate this year!    
 
The competition is open to any company or organization producing and publishing marine marketing work between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2018. The awards will be presented at the Miami International Boat Show in February 2019.
 
Beautiful crystal Neptune awards will be presented in 21 categories, covering all areas of marketing, from national and regional magazine and digital ads to video, product literature, PR, marketing innovation and diversity initiatives.

In addition, a best-in-show “King Neptune” will be awarded to the single best entry among all categories. The submissions will be scored by a panel of independent judges following established criteria.
 
Sally Helme, MMA vice president and awards committee co-chair, said: “Every year the competition gets better. We continue to see an exceptionally high level of creativity and quality in the entries submitted, and we hope that marine marketers will take advantage of the 2018 Neptune Awards to promote and showcase their best work.”
  
The deadline for submissions is Jan. 7, 2019. Complete program details are available on the MMA Website .
 
For more information, please contact Sally Helme by calling (401) 845-4405 or by emailing us.
Save the Date For the Miami Boat Show & Members Meeting
DATE:
Thursday, February 14
TIME:
8 – 9:30 am
LOCATION:
 Virginia Key; Dockside Location TBA
MMA is partnering with BWI to co-host an action-packed event at the Miami International Boat Show!

In addition to enjoying a light breakfast, the opportunity to network with top industry movers and shakers and hearing the latest business briefs, the event will celebrate the top work of the year produced by marketers and journalists! Complete details and information to come… for now, please save the date!
FLIBS Experts Marketing Panel Share Best Practices, Score High Marks
Experts Panel included Wanda Kenton Smith, moderator, standing; from left to right: Margriet Mitchell, Amanda Ward, Lee Sanderlin & Matt Gruhn
An enthusiastic crowd of 100 gathered for the annual MMA meeting and luncheon at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show on November 1, 2019 sponsored by FLIBS/Informa, Sea Tow and MarineMax.... [read more]

Check out a few of the many fun pix from our gallery taken at the FLIBS meeting… including pictures of some interesting folks with new job descriptions! You had to be there…. 
MMA Co-Sponsors the IBEX Grow Boating Marketing Summit
MMA was very pleased to participate in and co-sponsor the second annual Grow Boating Marketing Summit.

The event drew 160 marketers from throughout the country for a full day of action-packed professional development and ongoing marketing education presented by both industry and outside experts.

Special thanks to Carl Blackwell, Freya Olsen, Joe Lewis and the Grow Boating Team for their efforts to make this such an educational event… and to our own MMA Board Member Louisa Beckett for serving as our point.
The Summit offered state-of-the-art conference facilities
Event Coordinator Freya Olsen, NMMA
Louisa Beckett, MMA Board Member, manned the association booth
MMA Opportunities for 2019
RENEW TODAY & SUPPORT YOUR ORGANIZATION! ANNUAL DUES… NOW DUE!

Join now or renew for 2019! Members enjoy invitations to marketing events, discounts on Neptune Award entries, association newsletters and opportunities to participate in professional development events!

COMING IN 2019 –
MARKETING JOB BOARD

Have a marketing job you’d like to post? Looking for a new opportunity? As part of our commitment to member service, the MMA Website will feature a free job bank in 2019.

Professional Development / Marketing Trends
Our MMA President Wanda Kenton Smith and Vice President Michael Sciulla both serve as national marketing columnists for Soundings Trade Only.

Special thanks to STO for allowing us to share and reprint their marketing columns for our membership.
Check out our MMA BLOG .
Video Revolution and the Invisible Sale

Being at the recent Grow Boating Marketing Summit at IBEX was like the proverbial kid in a candy store. Regular readers know I’m always lusting after marketing insights to... [read more]
One small step to 5G, one giant leap for boating

With Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the new year just over the horizon, forward-thinking marketers should set their sights on what Santa has in store for us in...  [read more]
FREE Marketing Tools You Can Use!
The Grow Boating crew has developed a treasure chest of awesome marketing tools available to industry.

If you’re in need of some great resources to boost horsepower to your marketing activities, check out this site for plenty of great resources!
 
Marine Marketers in the News!
Regal VP Tim Kuck, Krueger & CEO Duane Kuck. 
Jim Krueger Recognized for 46 Year Sales & Marketing Career

Long-time industry sales and marketing executive Jim Krueger has retired after 46 years of continued industry service. Krueger was recognized at a special retirement celebration and luncheon by Regal Boats, where he spent the final seven years of his career as the Midwest/Central US sales manager.

Krueger’s stellar marine industry career began in 1972 at Cruisers Inc. including stints .... [read more]
Romina Bompani & Mary Strauss
New MMA Communications Editors Named!

Two of our newest MMA board members will take the helm January 1, 2019 to manage future association communications initiatives.

Mary Strauss , director of marketing of Galati Yachts and Romina Bompani, owner of RB Yacht Marketing, will manage the quarterly editorial production of The Voice in addition to handling member communications and website content.
Marine Marketers of America - Officers & Board
Officers
PRESIDENT
Wanda Kenton Smith
 Kenton Smith Marketing
VICE-PRESIDENT
Michael Sciulla
 Credibility & Company Communications
VICE-PRESIDENT
Sally Helme
Bonnier Corporation
Board of Directors
Louisa Beckett
Owner
Turnkey Communications & Public Relations
Romina Bompani
Owner
RB Yacht Marketing
Courtney Chalmers
Vice President
Boats One Group
Traci Davis
Director of Marketing
Boston Whaler
Kristen Frohnhoefer
Chief Administrative Officer
Sea Tow Services Intl
Abbey Heimensen
Director of Marketing
MarineMax
Mark Kellum
Owner
Acumen Creative & Marketing
Greg Proteau
Executive Director
Boating Writers International
Jim Rhodes
President/Owner,
Rhodes Communications
Mary Strauss
Director of Marketing
Galati Yachts