Press Releases

2006 Conference on Marine Industry Technical Training (COMITT) co-producers, the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Professional BoatBuilder (PBB) magazine, are pleased to announce that Dr. David DeLong, workforce development expert and a former senior editor of MotorBoat magazine has been added to the program as the conference's "kick-off" keynote speaker.

Skip Burdon, ABYC President stated, "As we begin a new year, we cannot ignore the fact that even if we could find enough younger technicians and managers to replace those retiring or leaving our industry there is sometimes no way to replace or even substitute for, the experience of those leaving, the knowledge of how things get done, or their relationships - both personal and professional. We are confident that the combination of our previously scheduled speakers, and Dr. DeLong as our keynote speaker, will lead to two informative, motivating and productive days."

Carl Cramer, publisher of PBB and co-Director of IBEX said, "We know that Dr. DeLong will not only set the tone for this year's conference, but empower attendees to analyze their own organizational situations and get involved in the effort to attract, recruit and retain a highly proficient and effective workforce. With only three weeks before COMITT, we encourage all industry segments to register today!"

"The COMITT '06 co-producers are thrilled to have Dr. DeLong kick-off this year's COMITT. He is a dynamic speaker who will lend much insight into how the marine industry can retain critical knowledge and build future workforce capabilities," remarked NMMA President, Thom Dammrich.

COMITT 2006 is scheduled for January 23 - 24, 2006 in Safety Harbor, FL, just outside of Tampa. Registration for the 2006 COMITT is being accepted through January 16. You may register by visiting www.abycinc.org and clicking on the COMITT logo, or by contacting the ABYC Education Department at (410) 956-1050. Co-producers encourage people to register today!

Bio - Dr. David DeLong: Dr. DeLong is president of David DeLong & Associates, a consulting firm based in Concord, Mass. that specializes in knowledge retention and workforce development solutions. He is the author of the book Lost Knowledge: Confronting the Threat of an Aging Workforce and has spent four years researching the problem of changing workforce demographics. In that time he has conducted more than 250 interviews with dozens or organizations in the U.S. and Europe, to find solutions that will help managers cope more effectively with the knowledge transfer challenges posed by increased baby boomer retirements and more mid-career turnover.

Dr. DeLong's company consults to organizations in a wide variety of industries helping organizations develop and implement strategies to address the issue of knowledge retention. He is a also a research fellow at MIT's AgeLab and an adjunct professor at Babson College where he teaches an MBA course on "Leading and Managing Change." Dr. DeLong has lectured in the U.S., Europe, Australia and South America and is a widely-published author. He is also a former senior editor of MotorBoat magazine. Dr. DeLong has a doctorate in organizational behavior from Boston University and an M.P.A. from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

Registration & Event Information: Full conference and registration information can be found online by visiting www.abycinc.org and clicking on the COMITT logo, or by contacting the ABYC Education Department at (410) 956-1050. Registrations are being accepted through January 16, 2006. The cost to attend will be $250 for Business/Industry and Association leadership, $200 for post secondary institutions, $150 for high schools.

Organizations also have the opportunity to display materials for a fee of $150. Kiosk space will be first come, first serve and can be reserved when filling out the registration form.

Sponsor Information: Both event and high school sponsorship opportunities are also available. Further information regarding sponsorships can be obtained by contacting Carl Cramer at (207) 359-4651 or by email at carl@proboat.com.

Co-produced by ABYC, NMMA and PBB, COMITT will provide a forum to discuss, present and demonstrate industry support of technical workforce education, training, certification and professional development. COMITT's purpose is to become the internationally recognized leading summit to highlight the marine industry's commitment to developing and maintaining a highly-skilled and technically proficient workforce.