This year’s 12th International Sailing Summit (ISS) will be held at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, from August 18 to 21, 2013. Organized by the trade association for the U.S. sailing industry Sail America, the event will provide sailing industry professionals from around the world with the opportunity to drive growth in the industry, network with like-minded professionals, as well as enjoy the thrills and spills of America’s Cup racing.

“The International Sailing Summit aims to bring the sport and industry together to promote sailing on a global scale,” Alistair Murray, ISS Founder, says. “The event brings together the best in the business and drives positive change through challenging times.”

The ISS brings leaders in the sport of sailing together with marine industry professionals to exchange ideas and close the loop between suppliers and consumers. This year’s summit will conveniently take place just before the Louis Vuitton Cup races and will include a number of educational seminars on various topics, including the state of the sailing industry and trends, how to find new markets, and perception marketing. Speakers include Thom Dammrich from NMMA, Iain Murray, Stan Honey, and Tom Ehman from America’s Cup Race Management, Frank Savage from Savage Holdings, LLC, and Efrem Zimbalist from Active Media Interest.

“We are excited to be a part of this event,” Peter Durant, Sail America Association Manager, states. “This event will contribute to the growth and success of our member businesses by providing best practice education, information, and networking opportunities for our membership.”