The International Superyacht Society (ISS) announces its 2013 Board of Directors Election, open ONLY TO MEMBERS. Due to ratified changes to the Society’s Bylaws in 2011, twenty-four (24) elected Board members will serve three-year terms.
For this election, the Society’s members will award eight (8) Board positions for three years to those with the highest number of membership votes; the ISS will ask the next two (2) highest vote recipients to stand for one-year terms and to re-stand next year if they choose.
All candidates have been nominated by their peers, a privilege of ISS membership. The ISS members are advised to vote by indicating ten (10) individuals from the list of candidates that can be found below.
The completed ballot must be received at ISS’s office not later than midnight 1 February 2013.
End-of-Term Directors
– AJ Anderson—Wright Maritime Group
ISS Board for six years; Co-Chair of the Technical Committee; Fabien Cousteau Blue Award; Gala Reception Silver Supporter
– Jill Bobrow—Jill Bobrow Associates, Inc.
ISS Board for two years
– Danielle J. Grucci Butler—Maritime Attorney and Partner at Hill & Nash, LLP
ISS Board for one year
– Rob Carron—Willis Marine
ISS Board for four years; currently ISS Secretary and Executive Committee Member; Co-Chair ISS Gala Committee
– Andrew Doole—Show Management, Inc.
Serves on ISS Board perennially; ISS Gala Committee; Interior Design Award Sponsor
– Sabrina Farmer—International Maritime Associates
ISS Board last three terms; Co-Chair ISS Gala Committee; YachtInfo FLIBS Committee
– Michele Flandin—Oceanco
ISS Board for four years; ISS Fabien Cousteau Blue Award Committee; ISS Business/Person of the Year Silver Sponsor
– Gary Groenewold—Westrec Marinas
Serves on ISS Board perennially; Captain’s Council; Distinguished Crew Award Silver Sponsor
– Isabelle Huet—Blohm + Voss Shipyards GmbH
ISS Board for two years; Captain’s Council
– Dieter Jaenicke—Viking Recruitment
Currently ISS Vice President; Executive Committee Member; Perennial Gold Sponsor—Crew Initiative
– Chris Layton—Superyacht Solutions, Pty Ltd
ISS Board for one year
Nominated Directors
– Gary DeSanctis—Active Interest Media
– Michele Leung—Marsh
– Simon Harvey—N2
– Derik Wagner—MTN Satellite Communications
2013 Election Ballot – Nominee Biographies
End-of-Term Directors
AJ Anderson—Wright Maritime Group
ISS Board for six years; Co-Chair of the Technical Committee; Fabien Cousteau Blue Award; Gala Reception Silver Supporter
AJ Anderson
Captain AJ Anderson has 40 years experience as an active captain. AJ is Chief Executive Officer of Wright Maritime Group llc. AJ serves as a Cayman Islands Ship Owner’s Advisory Council member, an ISS Board Member and ISS Technical Committee Chairman. Captain AJ served on the MCA’s Large Yacht Code Working Group during the LY2 re-write. AJ and his WMG colleagues have been Owner’s Representatives in several new construction design, specification and project oversight contracts while managing a fleet of yachts ranging up to 450ft in length.
Captain AJ continues to ship out as relief captain for the larger yachts in the WMG fleet.
Jill Bobrow—Jill Bobrow Associates, Inc.
ISS Board for two years
Jill Bobrow
Jill Bobrow is Editor-At-Large for Yachts International magazine. She also is the director of an independent consultancy company, Jill Bobrow Associates LLC. Jill has had a long career in yachting journalism and the marine industry, having being Editor- in- Chief of both Boat International USA and ShowBoats International respectively.
She co-authored more than 15 books; her most recent books are S/Y Marie, The Bucket Book, 25 Years of Megayacht Racing, Classic Sailing Yachts, and Outrageous Yachts. She been on the ISS Board since February 2011, also serves on the Board of “Ports of Cause” and is on the Honorary Board of the 2012 Award Committee for International Seakeepers Society.
Danielle J. Grucci Butler—Maritime Attorney and Partner at Hill & Nash, LLP
ISS Board for one year
Danielle J. Grucci Butler
Danielle J. Butler focuses her practice on litigation and transactional matters for pleasure yachts and commercial vessels. She manages vessel closings for both owners and buyers and also has significant experience handling mediation, arbitration and litigation concerning yachting disputes. Danielle handles brokerage purchases and sales, new yacht construction contracts, charter contracts/issues, marine financing, insurance issues, corporate formation, flagging issues, taxation issues and yacht closings, but she also handles litigation concerning vessel warranty claims, vessel arrests, vessel repossession, insurance claims and any other maritime litigation that ensues from owning these vessels.
Ms. Butler is a Board Member of Marine Industries Association of South Florida and General Counsel to Young Professionals in Yachting and the Superyacht Network. Ms. Butler is a frequent author and lecturer on the legal issues concerning pleasure yachts. She received her J.D. from New York Law School and holds an undergraduate degree in Marine Biology from the University of Miami.
Rob Carron—Willis Marine
ISS Board for four years; currently ISS Secretary and Executive Committee Member; Co-Chair ISS Gala Committee
Rob Carron
Rob Carron is an Account Executive with Willis Marine, one of the oldest and largest international marine insurance brokers. As a key team member of the Superyacht Practice, he is responsible for business development, client advocacy and implementation of practice strategies. Rob is based in Fort Lauderdale.
Prior to joining Willis in 2012, Rob spent seven years with Marsh Yacht Specialty Practice as Vice President, Senior Sales and Risk Consultant. There, he played a key role in overseeing and assuring quality service to yacht clients as well as developing business for the practice. Rob’s background also includes commercial claims adjusting with St. Paul Travelers.
As a recognized expert in both the yacht and high net worth services community, Rob is a frequent contributor to various yacht industry events. He is an active Executive Board member for the International Superyacht Society. Rob is also a member of Young Professionals in Yachting (YPY), Florida Yacht Brokers Association Inc., Marine Industries Association of South Florida and United States Superyacht Association.
Rob holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Texas A&M University.
Andrew Doole—Show Management, Inc.
Serves on ISS Board perennially; ISS Gala Committee; Interior Design Award Sponsor
Andrew Doole
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Show Management Inc., Andrew has been with the company since 1982, and has been involved through Show Management Inc. and the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show with the International Superyacht Society since its first official meeting at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 22 years ago.
Sabrina Farmer—International Maritime Associates
ISS Board last three terms; Co-Chair ISS Gala Committee; YachtInfo FLIBS Committee
Sabrina Farmer
CFO of IMA Yachts (International Maritime Associates) a Yacht Owner’s Advocacy firm, Sabrina is currently on the Board of Directors of the International Superyacht Society and is actively involved in most major international boat shows, marine related trade shows and seminars. She is extremely active throughout the marine industry and presently serves on various committees and, notably, co-chairs the ISS’s Awards Gala Committee.
Her 24 years of working in the expanding marine industry has given her tremendous knowledge and experience that she is using to help build a world-class mega yacht consulting firm. She would also like to use that same passion and energy to serve the members of our association by continuing to serve on the Board of Directors. Sabrina believes that she can bring to the ISS Board her experience, knowledge, passion and business sense to help build an even stronger membership involvement.
Michele Flandin—Oceanco
ISS Board for four years; ISS Fabien Cousteau Blue Award Committee; ISS Business/Person of the Year Silver Sponsor
Michele Flandin
Michele Flandin is the Marketing Manager at Oceanco, one of the leading luxury yacht building companies in the world.
Michele has extensive yachting experience and has been involved in the industry for over 18 years. She started her career in the sales department of Monaco Marine and later De Valk, and then moved on to Pantaenius, a yacht insurance company in Monaco. Michele spent the next five years working in the sales and charter department at the industry-renowned brokerage company, Burgess. In 2005, Michele took on the role of Marketing Manager at Oceanco where she is closely involved in all aspects of promotion, media relations, event management, and public relations, among other things.
Michele is Oceanco’s representative in the ‘Chambre Monegasque du Yachting’ in Monaco where she is dedicated to all facets of the sea and life onboard, having cruised on her sailing boat for more than 10 years during week-ends and holidays.
Gary Groenewold—Westrec Marinas
Serves on ISS Board perennially; Captain’s Council; Distinguished Crew Award Silver Sponsor
Gary Groenewold
Captain Gary Groenewold, CMM is Vice President, Southern Area for Westrec Marinas, the largest owner/ operators of marinas in the United States. He is responsible for all operating issues, business development, and acquisitions throughout Florida, the Caribbean, South and Central America. Over the last 16 years, Gary has been working on a variety of marina development and consulting projects, and has been involved firsthand in the design, construction, and operation of marina facilities throughout this same region.
Gary holds a 500-gross ton captain’s license. He is an active member of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF), American Boat Builders and Repairers Association (ABBRA), and the International Marina Institute (IMI). Gary has served on the Board of Directors of ISS since 2004, is the Vice Chairman of the Association of Marine Industries (AMI) and represents them on the International Marinas Committee (IMC) of ICOMIA—the International Council of Marine Associations.
Isabelle Huet—Blohm + Voss Shipyards GmbH
ISS Board for two years; Captain’s Council
Isabelle Huet
Isabelle Huet is Sales Manager Yachts at Blohm + Voss Shipyards GmbH in Hamburg, Germany. She has been working for 10 years in the sales department within the shipyard’s group, first in Kiel and since 2005 in Hamburg. Through her work at both shipyards she has not only had the chance to be involved in the latest new builds and large refits of some of the most iconic, largest, complex and fully customized motor yachts ever built, but also to organize and attend numerous worldwide yacht shows and events where she represents with corresponding commitment the Blohm + Voss brand. She is intensively involved in all her activities and is following up with passion the continuously moving and fascinating market of the very large yachts throughout the whole world.
Dieter Jaenicke—Viking Recruitment
Currently ISS Vice President; Executive Committee Member; Perennial Gold Sponsor—Crew Initiative
Dieter Jaenicke
Dieter Jaenicke is Chairman and Founder of Viking Recruitment, since its humble beginnings in 1988, and steers the company from strength to strength, year-on-year. He is responsible for the overall day to-day operation and provides a valuable contribution to the maritime industry through his involvement in many initiatives to improve maritime awareness in careers and training.
Dieter’s maritime career, spanning 40 years, started when he joined Bank Line as a deck apprentice in 1968. He sits on various committees and lends expertise by being an active participant in steering groups for the Chamber of Shipping, Merchant Navy Training Board, International Superyacht Society, Superyacht UK, Sea Vision (South East) Careers Group and the Passenger Shipping Association.
In total, his leadership skills and membership commitments include:
Member of the Institute of Directors
Fellow of the Institute of Recruitment Professionals
Vice President of the International Super Yacht Society
Member of the British Chamber of Shipping
Member of the British Marine Federation
Board Member of Super Yacht UK
Member of the Passenger Ship Association
Channel Chamber of Commerce
Dover Chamber of Commerce
Chris Layton—Superyacht Solutions, Pty Ltd
ISS Board for one year
Chris Layton
Chris Layton is one of the founding Directors of Superyacht Solutions Pty Ltd. Superyacht Solutions was established in 1999 and has become the premier yacht painting company in the Asia Pacific region. Superyacht Solutions has completed over two thousand re-finish projects on many of the major yacht brands and over 1000 new build projects on vessels up to 120m.
After completing his business management degree at SAIT in 1988 Chris became involved with the superyacht industry as a member of a UK based painting company that undertook many projects in the UK and in Europe over a five year period. Upon his return to Australia Chris established a yacht painting company that, after a merger with a competing business, ultimately became Superyacht Solutions Pty Ltd.
Chris has recently relocated to the United Kingdom where sister company, Superyacht Solutions LLP, has recently been established. Chris’s major role within this organisation is, among other things, business development in the UK and European markets.
Nominated Directors
Gary DeSanctis—Active Interest Media
Gary DeSanctis
Gary DeSanctis is Vice President Group Publisher of The Marine Group at Active Interest Media. He has been involved in the yachting world for 15 years. Prior to joining AIM MEDIA, he was the President/Publisher of ShowBoats International Magazine and VP of CurtCo Media for 5 years and before that he was at Yachting Magazine from 1997-2005. He has spearheaded a number of marine initiatives that have helped yacht builders meet prospective owners.
On the philanthropic front, he was an Admiral of the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County and more recently, he spearheaded a fundraiser for victims of Hurricane Sandy in Long Beach, LI, and was on hand with his family Thanksgiving Day to serve dinner to 2000 people who suffered losses during the hurricane.
Simon Harvey—N2
Simon Harvey
Simon Harvey has had a lifelong relationship in and around yachts and the superyacht industry. He has worked aboard as professional crew and captain, and continues to work ashore with owners and crew through his company N2. Simon is founder and program director of Neurons 2 People Skills (N2), where he continually challenges, learns, and develops new ways to raise professional service and safety aboard the superyacht.
From writing articles, researching interpersonal behavioral instruments and speaking, he is always pushing boundaries to bring fresh insights and voice important issues in the industry. He was published in ALERT!, A Nautical Institute project, sponsored by ‘The Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust’, and is a licensed and qualified MBTI facilitator. He is trained in DISC (a behavioral assessment tool), and in his seventh year as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for a National Association that represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courtroom and other settings.
Michele Leung—Marsh
Michele Leung
Michele Leung has served as the ISS Gala Program Administrator since April 2011. She is the Office Administrator for Marsh’s Yacht Practice and has been with the firm since 2000.
Michele is responsible for tasking and executing administrative functions for several locations.
Her breadth of experience ranges not only from day to day operations, but includes IT, Marketing & Advertising, Procurement, Professional Standards, Business Resiliency Management, etc.
Michele holds a B.S. in Marketing with minor in International Marketing from State University of New York: F.I.T. plus doctorate level courses in sciences. Michele is an active member of ISS, FYBA and USSA. As an advocate of good causes and education, she also serves at various not-for-profit organizations including Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), Boys & Girls Club of Broward County, St. Jerome School (Science & Fine Art Building Campaign).
Derik Wagner—MTN Satellite Communications
Derik Wagner
Derik Wagner brings more than 10 years of global sales and management experience to his role as managing director of the MTN yacht services business. He is responsible for leading the yacht business’ continued growth in providing global satellite communications solutions to large luxury yachts around the world.
During his tenure, the MTN yacht services business has rapidly achieved recognition as the preferred supplier of global managed VSAT services for the megayacht industry, with more than 50 percent of the world’s top 100 largest yachts using MTN for their broadband communication requirements.
Prior to joining MTN, he served as senior account manager at France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications (FTMSC) where he managed over 30 distributors throughout the Americas for mobile satellite services, representing Inmarsat, Iridium, and Thuraya Equipment and Airtime. Previously, Derik worked on the first VoIP gateways and Softswitch technology as an engineer at Lucent Technologies.
Wagner graduated from the University of South Florida, served on the Board of the U.S. Superyacht Association (USSA) from 2007 – 2011 and is currently an Anchor Member of the MIASF, Marine Industries Association of South Florida. Derik is a USCG licensed Captain and currently lives in South Florida with his wife and son.
Voting is open ONLY TO MEMBERS. Interested parties will find everything they need to join and to vote at the website of the International Superyacht Society (ISS).
