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Topics and Speakers Confirmed for Inaugural US SAILING Yacht Club Summit

By Jake Fish

November 22, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Jake Fish
US SAILING Communications Manager
jakefish@ussailing.org
(401) 683-0800
YC Summit

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (November 23, 2010) – The first-ever US SAILING Yacht Club Summit is just over four months away. This two-day event will take place on April 2-3, 2011 at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago, Ill. A number of discussion subjects, speakers, and panelist contributors have been confirmed for the inaugural summit.

Flag officers, general managers, and committee chairpersons of yacht clubs and community sailing organizations of all sizes from around the country are invited to participate. The summit, moderated by US SAILING President Gary Jobson and a host of industry leaders, features a number of informative seminars and breakout sessions on the following topics:

Communications
Signature Events
Refurbishment of Club
Information Technology

Long Range Planning
Community Access
Financial Stability
Regatta Management
Yacht Club Branding

Junior Programs
Sailing Around the World
Membership
Yacht Club Foundation
Waterfront Management

Club Owned Fleet
Increase Race Participation
Insurance
Recruiting
Governance

"It is essential that our yacht clubs provide excellent service to their members and the sailing community at large," explained US SAILING President Gary Jobson. "The weekend symposium will bring together the best innovative thinking across the country and a wide variety of topics. Any yacht club planning on re de fin ing their mission, attract new members, understand how to complete a major renovation, or become relevant in their community will want to participate in this grou nd breaking event."

America's Cup icon Ted Turner will be issuing the keynote address. Below is the roster of confirmed expert panelists to date participating at the summit. More speakers will be confirmed and announced by US SAILING in the upcoming weeks:

Dean Brenner: Chairman, Olympic Sailing Committee / President, Latimer Group
George Brengle: Marketing Director, Sperry NOOD Regattas
Bill Campbell: Commodore, San Diego Yacht Club (2010)
Dan Cooney: Commercial Director, US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics
John Craig: Race Manager, St. Francis Yacht Club
Clay Deutsch: CEO and President, Boston Private Financial Holdings
Tom Duggan: ISAF International Race Officer / US SAILING National Race Office

David Elwell: Commodore, New York Yacht Club (2009-10)
Jack Gierhart: Executive Director, US SAILING
Nancy Glover: Treasurer, Chicago Yacht Club
Carter Gowrie: Founder, Gowrie Group Insurance
Sally Helme: Group Publisher, Sailing Company
Stan Honey: Co-founder, Sportvision / Volvo Ocean Race and Jules Verne Trophy Navigator
Bob James: Former Chair, McCann Erickson / Past Commodore, New York Yacht Club (1997-98)

Gary Jobson: President, US SAILING
Leslie Keller: Treasurer, US SAILING
Lud Kimbrough: Long Range Planning Chair, Fishing Bay Yacht Club (Va.)
Charlie Leighton: Former Executive Director, US SAILING / Past Commodore, New York Yacht Club (1993-94)
Geoff Mason: Executive Producer, ESPN / Former America's Cup Crew
Greg Miaraki: Secretary, Chicago Yacht Club / Past Chair, Mackinac Race

David Pensky: Board of Governors member, Annapolis Yacht Club
Margaret Podlich: VP of Government Affairs, Boat U.S.
Dawn Riley: CEO and Captain of America True / Former President of the Women's Sports Foundation
Michael Spark: Head Junior Sailing Instructor, Mantoloking Yacht Club (N.J.)
Kurt Stocker: Principal / CCO & Senior Partner, Story Trading / Past Commodore, Chicago Yacht Club
Bill Stump: Past Commodore, California Yacht Club
Ken Taylor: Founder, Regatta Network

To learn more about US SAILING's 2011 Yacht Club Summit including registration, travel and planning, and summit schedule, please visit the event web site .

About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US SAILING is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US SAILING offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.