Warren, RI- The 2021 Virtual Association of Marina Industries (AMI) Conference & Expo scheduled for January 27, 2021 – February 17, 2021, will kick-off its educational component with three comprehensive pre-conference training events, beginning January 27. The conference expanded the overall agenda for the move to a full virtual event. The three educational topics include a workshop focusing on lessons learned from the 2020 NFPA National Electric Codes updates, including an overall electrical safety review; a seminar on the fundamentals of running a successful marina; and application guidance for a Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) award. The Virtual AMI Conference & Expo is open to all industry professionals and is organized and produced by AMI.
Presented by top marina electrical professionals in the industry, the session “2020: Lessons Learned from the 2020 Electrical Code Updates” on January 27, 2021, (2:00pm – 4:00 pm EST) is a follow-up to last year’s workshop discussing the details and requirements of the new electrical codes. This workshop will focus on the lessons learned resulting from implementation of the 2020 NFPA National Electric Codes. Presenters Chris Dolan (Marina Electrical Equipment) and Gary Loftis (Maffett Loftis Engineering) will walk you through these lessons and provide guidance on avoiding costly mistakes. You will leave with a clear understanding of what you need to successfully implement these codes at your own marina.
Registrants are also invited to get technical with the session “BIG Infrastructure Grant: Step by Step Guidance for a Successful Award” on January 28, 2021 (2:00 pm – 4:00 pm EST), led by Wendy Larimer, grant writer and former member of the BIG review committee, and Scott Meister, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, BIG Grant Coordinator. This two-hour session will be a step-by-step review of the application process, providing tips and tools available for use in a successful award, including the AMI Marina Economic Calculator. All attendees will be given access to this tool to present the overall economic impact of their project and to aid in writing a successful application.
Finally, the Conference & Expo will host a Marina 101 course, February 1, 2021, (1:00pm – 4:00 pm EST). This seminal course run by AMI presenter Carl Wolf, CMM, CMI (Marina Operations LLC), covers the basics of marina management for those with little to no experience running their own operations. The course’s popularity brings it back year after year at the Conference & Expo and remains an important steppingstone for those considering a career in the marina industry.
Additional Conference & Expo events begin February 2, 2021, with the AMI member meeting and Virtual Trivia night leading up to keynotes, virtual exhibit hall visits, the Certified Marina Manager (CMM) and Certified Marina Operator (CMO) award ceremony and breakout sessions on February 3-4, 2021. The expanded schedule continues with educational sessions on February 9-10, 2021 and February 16-17, 2021. The virtual platform will be accessible through March 31, 2021 for on-demand viewing of recorded content and continued virtual exhibit hall visits.
The pre-conference sessions require pre-registration and an additional fee. Full-conference passes—providing access to the full virtual event including networking, educational sessions and exhibit hall through March 31, 2021—are $175 for AMI members and $225 for non-members. Exhibit hall-only passes are free but require a registration to access the virtual event. To register visit https://marinaassociation.org/conferenceandexpo.
To review the full Conference & Expo agenda and for more information, please visit https://marinaassociation.org/conferenceandexposchedule.
AMI Conference & Expo—Formed in 2002 as the National Marina & Boatyard Conference and rebranded as the International Marina & Boatyard Conference (IMBC) and Association of Marina Industries Conference & Expo—is the leading conference for marina and boatyard owners, operators and managers as well as dockmasters, harbormasters, boat builders and repairers, designers and industry consultants.
