Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/792771
INDUSTRY NEWS www.BoatingIndustry.com March 2017 | Boating Industry | 9 "We're going to bring back all the interna- tional pavilions," Dunbar said. "That just adds a dynamic level to IBEX. The boatbuilders have a lot of suppliers they like in the United States, but there's a whole global market out there. If they're going to be exporting boats overseas, they need to be looking at all the different opportunities for them." With the success of the show over the last few years, plus the anticipated growth from the international market, IBEX will probably be relocating after 2018. Lack of space is the show's No. 1 challenge right now, Dunbar said, with the show already almost com- pletely sold out for 2017. Any move would keep the show in Florida, as that has been the most successful location for IBEX. In Janu- ary, show organizers sent a survey to show attendees asking for their opinions on poten- tial Florida locations including Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. "We learned our lesson from Louisville," Dunbar said. "We know we can move the show successfully ... but we also know that the show is most successful and the most supported in Florida." Correct Craft acquires Bryant Boats Correct Craft is adding to its boat brands, announcing the acquisition of Bryant Boats in January. Bryant, located in Sweetwater, Tenn., builds sterndrive runabouts of 19 to 27 feet. Previous Bryant owner and industry vet- eran John Dorton will remain at Bryant as both president and a minority shareholder. Dorton has also worked for several other brands, including a stint as president and CEO of MasterCraft. "I am happy to continue leading Bryant into the future," Dorton said. "We are all excited about the possibilities for growing Bryant significantly and globally in the years ahead. I also look forward to joining the Cor- rect Craft family and working with both Bill and his team; our cultures are aligned and I believe we will be able to achieve great things together." In August, Bryant sold its Heyday In- boards brand to Bayliner. Bill Yeargin, Correct Craft CEO, com- mented, "I could not be happier to announce the acquisition of Bryant Boats. We believe Bryant is an excellent brand with tremen- dous global potential. I am also very excited to have a respected leader like John Dorton joining our team. As someone who competed against John for many years I know he is not only one of the top leaders in our industry but also someone whom I tremendously respect. We have a bright future together!" Correct Craft has made a number of ac- quisitions over the last few years, including boat brands Bass Cat, Centurion, Supreme and Sea Ark, and engine companies PCM and Crusader. Dominion Marine Media names new CEO, acquires YachtCloser Dominion Marine Media has announced the appointment of Sam Fulton as the company's CEO. Prior to joining DMM, Fulton served as a senior vice president of Groupon and as president of Orbitz.com and SVP of U.S. Consumer Travel at Orbitz Worldwide. Ian Atkins, DMM president and marine industry veteran, will be transitioning to the role of company chairman and will advise on industry-specific topics. "Sam brings over 14 years of experience in building and operating e-commerce busi- nesses. His expertise working at large scale consumer-oriented brands, which drive value for their industry partners each and every day, is a perfect fit for the company," said Marcelo Gigliani, partner, digital services of Apax Partners. "Sam's appointment marks an important step in the company's devel- opment as it becomes a more innovative platform focused on leveraging technology to further improve and personalize the boat shopping experience." DMM operates four web portals – Boat Trader, YachtWorld, boats.com and Cosas- DeBarcos. "Our brands resonate with consumers and are incredibly effective in generating leads for our merchant partners," Fulton said. "Our goal is to create a world class shopping ex- perience for consumers and market-leading value for our industry partners. I am excited by the opportunity to lead the Dominion Ma- rine Media team as we focus on providing so- lutions that can better serve our audiences in an increasingly mobile world." The announcement follows DMM's re- cent acquisition by funds advised by Apax Partners. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Shortly after the appointment, DMM an- nounced it had also acquired YachtCloser. com, a yacht brokerage web-based contract management solution. "We are delighted to have completed this transaction with DMM and are excited about the opportunity to create a true end- to-end solution for the yacht brokerage and boat dealer industry," said Brad Parker, CEO of YachtCloser. "As a previous broker and dealer myself, I experienced first hand the frustrations from managing multiple appli- cations that didn't communicate with each other. By bringing the industry's leading ad- ministrative and marketing tools together, we can now unify the process." Hatteras Yachts appoints Kelly Grindle as CEO Hatteras/Cabo Yachts LLC has appointed Kelly Todd Grindle as the company's new chief executive officer. Grindle served most recently as president – outdoor products at