The Great Marina Manager Migration: A 2025 AMI Conference Preview | Hammer & Nail Marketing
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The Great Marina Manager Migration: A 2025 AMI Conference Preview

by | Jan 16, 2025 | Blog

2025 AMI Conference & Expo

Every January in South Florida, a ruckus arises from the waterfront. Scientists and National Geographic photographers gather at the Broward County Convention Center to document the grand sights. 

It’s not the annual migration of humpback whales to the coast of Southern Chile – it’s the 2025 Association of Marina Industries (AMI) Conference and Expo.

Okay, so it’s not that kind of spectacle (although the humpbacks are truly in Southern Chile right now). The AMI Conference is the beginning-of-year educational and networking event that draws managers, manufacturers, investors, engineers, dealers, and people who just love boating from as far away as Australia.

AMI is the only body with certifying powers for Certified Marina Managers (the 2025 class of managers will be presented at the conference) and a major meeting place where marina managers can put their fingers on the pulse of the industry.

So with two weeks until a week of education, networking (and potential line dancing) kicks off, we ask:

What’s going on?

The when, where, how, and how much of the 2025 AMI Conference

The AMI Conference is strategically placed in one of the biggest marina downtimes of the year, and the 2025 conference runs from Tuesday, January 28 to Thursday, January 30 at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale. Students of the industry looking to bolster their marina’s reputation and cleanliness will start the week on Monday morning with Day One of the “Clean & Resilient Marina Course.” The course teaches a full spectrum of ways managers can run a marina at a pristine environmental standard, from hazardous waste management to simple routine must-dos like gray water disposal. 

The course certifies a marina as a “Clean Marina,” an achievement towards a better industry (and a significant piece of branding, too). “Clean Marinas” are listed in a database on the BoatUS website.

Northshore Marina at the Hollows

A view of Northshore Marina at the Hollows in Jonestown, Texas – a certified “Clean Marina.”
Photo: Northshore Marina

The Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina again serves as the host hotel and marina. Visitors planning last-minute lodging accommodations will have to look elsewhere, as the conference block is entirely booked. However, there are a half dozen or more hotels within a short distance of the venue.

Full-conference member passes are $424 for the week, with non-members paying $524. Visitors can also reserve one-day passes or exhibition hall-only passes. The complete lineup of conference passes is available on the AMI Conference and Expo registration page.   

The when: Tuesday, January 28 to Thursday, January 30

The where: Broward County Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The how: Register here

The “how much”: $424 for full-conference member pass/$524 for non-members

What’s the 2025 AMI Conference theme?

Over the past two conference years, the organizers have scheduled speakers who aren’t explicitly marine-related – they are speakers offering insight into leadership techniques, inspiration, drive, stress, and culture – the all-important intangibles of industry leadership. 

This year’s lineup continues that trend. The Wednesday morning keynote speaker is Chad E. Foster, an inspirational speaker who went blind in college and went on to graduate from Harvard Business School and innovate CRM technology for the visually impaired. His Wednesday morning engagement will cover how to overcome obstacles and according to AMI, “cultivate resilient mindsets.”

Chad E Foster

2025 AMI keynote speaker Chad E. Foster at a 2024 engagement.

Another notable Wednesday breakout will be the “Women’s Leadership Panel,” a group of women leaders from media, marina ownership, and marina management facets of the industry. The panel is moderated by Soundings Trade Only Group Vice President and General Manager Michele Goldsmith, who also moderated a similar panel at Metstrade 2024. Dr. Rebecca Heiss rounds out the Thursday keynote with a session called “Fear(less) Deep Dive.” Dr. Heiss utilizes a study of brain science to rewire the brain for high-performance collaboration and creativity. 

The speaking offerings even move into the creatively abstract: Speaker Javier Pena will host a session called “Leading in Tune,” which will teach “how to conduct your team like a well-synchronized orchestra by integrating leadership and music principles to create a culture based on harmony.”

What are the technical and technological topics covered at the 2025 AMI Conference?

Here’s where you can get into the hyper-focused educational nuance. A few notable topics this year include: 

  • “Rising Waters: Coping with Extreme Weather” (Assessing extreme weather vulnerabilities) 
  • “Wrapping It Up: Best Practices and Innovations in Shrink Wrap Applications”
  • “Creating a Culture of Safety at Your Marina: Build a Culture of Safety, Not Fear”
  • “Bridging the Generational Gap” (Navigating cultural and generational differences in the workplace)

The agenda will also cover electrical codes, marina permits, marina design, ChatGPT education, and of course, how to grow revenue. You can check out the full AMI conference agenda here.

How else can I prepare for the 2025 AMI Conference?

Ice Age

Marina managers migrating to the 2025 AMI Conference…Alright, fine – this is from the movie Ice Age (2002).

Heading to the 2025 AMI Conference in Fort Lauderdale, you’re unlikely to see wooly mammoths trying out the latest boat lift technology. You probably won’t find humpback whales browsing marina management software. You will, however, find hundreds or thousands of like-minded professionals who love the business of the water. 

Learn some things, make some friends, and enjoy the camaraderie at one of the most prominent events of the year.

Want to say hello at the 2025 AMI Conference? We’ll be there. Shoot us a message or schedule a call and we’ll be glad to meet.

Hammer and Nail Marketing

WHAT IS HAMMER & NAIL?

Hammer and Nail Marketing is a boutique marketing firm that helps small to mid-sized marinas get noticed by boaters. If you’d like to focus on operating your marina without the additional responsibility of marketing, get in touch with us.

We’re boaters ourselves from a background of operating a family-run marina. From a group of experts who know the water, let Hammer and Nail Marketing help you be the waterfront your local boaters see every time they cast off.

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