Wards Way Podcast

Miami Boat Show, Built On Water: Informa's VP Larry Berryman

• Wards Marine Electric • Season 6 • Episode 8

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Step onto the docks and into the control room of the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show, where a three-venue campus, floating infrastructure, and a relentless team transform Miami into a global stage. We sit down with Larry Berryman, VP at Informa, to reveal how the Yacht Collection returned to Collins Avenue for the first time since 2018 without closing a single lane—and why that decision reshaped the attendee journey across hotels, nightlife, and the convention center. From cutting cross-venue travel times to rebuilding Sailor’s Cove at IGY Yacht Haven Grand, this is a masterclass in event design on water.

Larry shares how the team mobilized roughly 80 percent of the build by water—docks, tents, power, and more—using Pelican Harbor as a staging hub and coordinating with Marine Patrol and local groups in tightly timed windows. We talk about the invisible workforce behind the “effortless” feel: tens of thousands of hours from operations crews, transport, police, cleaners, security, and dock engineers who build a living marina for just over forty hours of public access. The result is a show that feels closer, faster, and more connected, letting guests and exhibitors do more in less time.

We dive into what makes exhibitors win: crafting memorable experiences in the booth, building trust, and thinking beyond product to hospitality. Larry’s own path—from booth sales to leading major shows—anchors a philosophy of selling opportunity, not just space. We also explore resilience and heritage: how an 85-year tradition powered through storms, economics, and a pandemic because skipping a year risks making the show optional for the small businesses who depend on it. With over a hundred thousand regional jobs tied to boating, consistency isn’t a luxury; it’s economic infrastructure.

Looking ahead, we spotlight a new Chicago show tuned to a compressed Great Lakes season, blending upland activations with temporary docks at Burnham Harbor. Paired with Palm Beach and Sarasota, it underscores a simple rule: design for local realities, protect access, and invest in experiences that bring people closer to the water. If you love boats, events, or the art of making complex things feel simple, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a maritime fix, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find us.

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Welcome To Miami Boat Show 2026

SPEAKER_01

Miami. Global playground is celebrated for its beautiful oceans and famous lifestyle. Behind all of the sunshine and success are people, products, and companies powering this magic city. This season, the Wards Way podcast brings you face to face with those who energize Miami's iconic way of life and bring us closer to the water.

SPEAKER_00

Welcome to the Miami International Boat Show. This is Wards Way 2026.

SPEAKER_01

Welcome to the Wards Way podcast. I'm here today with my good friend Larry Berryman. He's vice president of Informa. Thank you for being here. We're at the Miami International Boat Show 2026.

SPEAKER_00

We are. We are at the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show.

SPEAKER_01

Discover Boating, yes.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, we always like to, you know, include our partners uh with the Discover Boating. But yeah, we're at the convention center and Wardsway has put together a tremendous podcast area, and I'm I'm pleased to be able to sit down with the book. Thank you for joining us. It's hard to get a hold of me. I know it's a good idea. It is very hard to get a hold of you, but uh these are the type of you know moments that you really cherish when you get to sit down with the exhibitors and your friends and your partners that everybody helps put this beautiful show together and just give appreciation because there's a lot of people that help that we rely on. I mean, it is a village, it is a massive village to put up you know a show of this caliber.

SPEAKER_01

And I'm not sure that people understand that. So I know that I mean, especially there's three locations. So we have here at the convention center, we have the yacht collection and Collins Avenue, which is the first time it's coming back in so many years. Yes. What's what's going on with that?

SPEAKER_00

So, and and that was a great lead-in. We we do have three dynamic

Three-Venue Layout And Strategy

SPEAKER_00

venues. Of course, the Miami Beach Convention Center is kind of the hub of activity because you have all the power boats up to about 50 feet, a lot of great activities inside and outside, retail vendors, electronics vendors. I mean, there's a little bit of everything at the convention center, but you're right, we did move the larger in-water power boat section, which we've called Miami Beach Got Collection, back to Collins Avenue for the first time since 2018. And that was a Herculean effort. Huge. We've been planning on on, we've had discussions about this for over three years, and really kicked it into overdrive over the last 24 months, and then really started the engagement with the commissioners, the mayor, the residents, everybody that needed to be part of this process. And it did really take three years with the last 18 months, a heavy, heavy lift to get the support that we needed, to plan the infrastructure, the logistics, so we were able to do this in a way that the that the commissioners and the mayor and the community we feel comfortable about. You know, we finally got the green light last February at this show in 2025. Okay, good. We got the green light a week before this show started, so we were able to kind of announce it to the world. So yeah, it'd been a big lift, and people are super excited about it. Because you get the connectivity to all the beautiful hotels, the nightlife. You know, you can walk across the street to your hotel and change clothes, come back over in the evening for party. So it's kind of created an elevated experience for our for our attendees

Bringing Yacht Collection Back To Collins

SPEAKER_00

and our exhibitors coming from all over the world. And then we also rebranded Sailor's Cove. And we moved that portion of the show, which was formerly at right in the deep water slip next to the Caseya Center on the city of Miami side, moved that over to the Watson Island where you know we call it IGY Yacht Haven Grand. And I was there yesterday afternoon, and the excitement from the sailing exhibitors to be at a permanent marina. Yes, because you know, the last four years we had maybe did temporary builds, and it was a really nice build, but now we're tying into a permanent marina, permanent infrastructure. And the exhibitors that I was able to speak to, they're like, Are we staying here? Like we love it. Right. So I mean, I've you know, I've worked on the show for several, several years, and I make the joke, you know, I'm getting good about moving the shows around or the you know the venues. Sure. I would love to keep everything in place, you know, for 10, 12, 15 years so people get used to where they're going, and there's a consistency year in, year out. So, yes, Sailor's Cove, IGY, Yacht Haven Grand, of course, Miami Beach Convention Center, and now the Miami Yacht Collection on Collins Avenue, and it's like, all right, we did it.

SPEAKER_01

So Well, I have to say, in our time and being here this weekend and throughout the show, number one, Miami is about small businesses and the and the heritage of business and people working together, and and our theme has been that Miami is a lifestyle powered by industry, and nothing is more indicative than coming to the show and speaking with small businesses, but all of them are very encouraged by they love the connectivity, having the the yacht collection down on Collins. It seems to see people crossed together. Now, I will say I did do a little empirical analysis. Now it's it's done be via hats. Okay. We found that the more hats we gave away here, we were finding them on Collins Avenue. So we've been tracking the percentage of people that are going to both locations. I haven't I haven't tracked it over to IGY, but I'm gonna do so to soon. No, no air tag, no air tag, but it's just my own observations. That there's plenty of hats. If you go into the uh lobby of the Fountain Blue, there were plenty of that. So people are my point in saying that is that it was a very good to see that people were leaving from the convention center and and activating all sites, and it's truly been a success.

SPEAKER_00

You nailed it. That was the biggest reason. You know, the the travel

Why Connectivity For Attendees Matters

SPEAKER_00

times between the sites had had become, you know, a real deterrent, let's be frank. You know, the travel in and around Miami, South Florida. We need to connect, and you said lifestyle and being able to connect people on the water is what we do. That's why we're in this business, it's what we do, um, and that's what drives everything. You know, the ability to connect the people on the water. But the connectivity between certainly the convention center and Collins, that time, you know, is time much better spent when you can connect in 20 minutes versus 45 or an hour. So we're proud to say, hey, we're, you know, it's not perfect. We know there's congestion, we know there's traffic, but we were able to reduce the travel times between these two venues by at least half. So that is a you know something we can say, you know, we're we're proud we're able to bring the sh the portion back and to see people back and forth in the same day.

SPEAKER_01

Same day, I will tell you, because it's been a high-speaker. When we had it the other day, a very strong partner with Epic is your is your golf carts and the buses, but I will say that I personally have been going back and forth on a daily basis, and it has been an excellent experience. I think that um people are really engaging in that, and so therefore they're they're able to get more out of the show. People are coming multiple days to the show, but going to multiple locations too. So I think you guys have done a great job. And I think that our our visitors, listeners, whatever we call thank you. Um our guests are tell a little bit about so we talk about this yacht collection that is on Collins

Building A Marina From Scratch

SPEAKER_01

Avenue, but you this is just uh Indian Creek. If you come there uh next Wednesday when all the boats are gone, it's just gonna be a nice little waterway that doesn't necessarily have a show. You guys completely build all that out.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, and we did it in a way that we've never done before. So we kind of we were kind of flying the plane and building it at the same time. We use that analogy. So previously, you know, up and through 2018, we were able to always uh shut down one of the roads, shut down a southbound lane on Collins Avenue, and bring everything, you know, all the infrastructure could come in over the road, you know, the floats, the electrical equipment, the tents, all of that heavy equipment that we build basically a permanent marina out of temporary docks. So it's a real living, breathing marina. Correct. There is nothing there. There is seawall.

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_00

So one of the parameters that the city of Miami Beach insisted upon, and they were correct, in order to mitigate the traffic concerns by the residents and everyone else, we get it. I live here, I've lived here for 51 years. I can't imagine taking one of those lanes away.

SPEAKER_01

I get it too.

SPEAKER_00

So the agreement was okay, we'll we'll let you guys pursue this. If you can make the commitment that you can do it without shutting down a street, a Collins Avenue, so it's almost like a challenge, like a dare.

SPEAKER_01

Like a little bit.

SPEAKER_00

It was like a dare. And it was one of those where you're like, all right, this is our inflection point. Is it something that we can do? We've never done like that. Bringing in everything via water. So uh, you know, we talked to our operations team and we have a fantastic team, top to bottom. Uh and we're like, all right, here's what we're faced with. Our exhibitors, our attendees, everyone is asking, can we bring it back to Collins? And the city of Miami Beach said, yes, you can. But you have to do it without shutting down a street, not only for mobilization, but for the show and the mobilization out. And so we said, yes, we'll find a way. And we spent the next 12 months learning how to find a way. And you did find a way though. And we did, and and we were able to work with the city or Miami Dade County, and we leased a small piece of land on um on 79th Street Causeway, Pelican Harbor Marina. We mobilized five, I don't know, 500 trucks load of equipment. Um well, say this there's a half mile stretch of docks that go out three or four hundred feet. So, you know, the volume of docks is impressive, but it's not just the docks, it's all the electric equipment, the tents, and everything else that that goes with it. So we were able to mobilize 80% of what we do uh via water, which you know was incredible. Um but then that take coordinate that took coordination from Marine Patrol, from local residents, you know, the rowing club to talk about all right, when are your rowers in the water? When's the best time to mobilize this? So not only was it a mo a water mobilization, but it was over a finite number of hours every day.

Water-Only Mobilization And City Coordination

SPEAKER_00

So we as we're learning, we're okay, we got to do the show in a in a in a very tight time frame under new circumstances.

SPEAKER_01

Only by water.

SPEAKER_00

Only by water. Now we're as we got closer to what I'll call the kickoff of the show, like February 2nd, we were able to mobilize using the street, but only from a certain area and only during certain time hours. But during through during none of this process, through none of this process, were we ever able to stop traffic. So we had to work our um mobilization in with the traffic. So that all being said, a very long uh story, but so we completely changed how we mobilize a show, and we proved yes, we could do it. Um and I, you know, a thank you to to our operations team and the men and women that work behind the scenes, because you know, a lot of times they don't get the credit. And you know, I get to you know spend time with you and hang out here, but it's really, you know, the the the guts of our team really are the ones who who make the sacrifice to do this and work extremely long houses.

SPEAKER_01

I think people, um, unless you're involved in the actual event, I don't I don't know, and not because people are trying to be um not thoughtful, but I just don't think people are aware of everything that goes into what puts these shows on. And and the other thing I want to compliment Informa on is that you do this. Um, for example, I know specifically in Fort Lauderdale um at that particular show, and I'm sure it's the same here that it's not a cost to the city. You're you you take care of your garbage, you take care of all of your infrastructure, everything that goes in and out of all of these locations is not a burden on the city or the taxpayers.

SPEAKER_00

No, you're right.

SPEAKER_01

It's only an economic uh input into that.

SPEAKER_00

From stem to stern, we do everything. You know, we engage with the police and the fire department and everybody else that that helps us put the show together, but it's not gift in kind. You know, this is this is something that that we put together because we want to do it right. And you know, you have to invest. You do, you have to invest a lot of money and time to do it right. But you know, the partners that help us um are they know how passionate we are about the show, they see how much we care about what we're doing, and it's almost like infectious. And you start working with these teams and

The Invisible Workforce And True Costs

SPEAKER_00

it just kind of you know, you get to build these relationships with police and commissioners and and politicians and everybody that kind of helps row the boat, if you will. Um, and it's 40,000 hours of work for 40 hours, if you think about it that way. If you added up all the time and the energy to put on, we're open for 40, 44 hours, depending on, you know, sure hours and after hour priorities. But you're talking a 40-hour event that's open to the public. And behind the scene is 40,000 hours of preparation, if not more. Well the real joke was. The real joke was, you know, I would leave a show and they're like, oh, what do you do for the rest of the year? I'm like, oh, well, I'm already on the next show. It only takes a a day to plan. You know, that was the joke. No, I mean you you you spend 360 days to plan an event for a five-day execution.

SPEAKER_01

So Well, and I and and I know for a fact and speaking with some of the some of your personnel, and as we're breaking down and we're gonna do, is it correct that a lot of things are being broken down from here and heading right into the next show?

SPEAKER_00

Oh, yeah. There's barely a 30-day show. So there is the next show is there is always the next show.

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_00

You know, there's always the next show. So we have the pleasure of of moving out the Miami International Boat Show when we move a lot of this product or you know, our dock inventory in the tents and everything, the backbone of the show, that will go to Palm Beach, and that's four weeks from now.

SPEAKER_01

And the reason I share that is because it isn't like you get this six-month break, let's do an after action, let's regroup what worked, what didn't. You really have no time. It's down and it's start that show because if you wait any amount of time, in fact, you probably already have people there on site.

SPEAKER_00

We have advanced teams setting up, you know. There's there's there's a lot of uh advanced work that goes on behind the scenes, even before we mobilize, you know, as far as setting up staging areas and preparing sites and making sure that everything is ready. So when we do hit the ground, we're we're rolling in. Um but you're right, there it's this is really year-round because we not

Year-Round Show Cycle And Palm Beach Move

SPEAKER_00

only go from from Miami to to Palm Beach, but then we have Sarasota in April. Um I'm helping lead uh the charge. We're doing a new show in Chicago. Oh, wow, that's exciting. You heard it here, new show. Yeah, new show. So I'm excited. I have several team members that work on Miami and work on Palm Beach. That yeah, we're it's a launch.

SPEAKER_01

What's different about Chicago?

SPEAKER_00

What here's the biggest thing. I I'm I'm lifelong Miami, and I take boating, I guess, for granted in a sense where I can go out any day.

SPEAKER_01

It's true.

SPEAKER_00

We are South Florida is 365. We are. So um Chicago may have four months. Okay. So their boating season is very constricted in a sense where they've got June, July, August, September, and by October they've got to think about getting out of the water and winterizing it. So their their boating cycle is so much different than I'm used to. Um and how they prepare for boating season. They they really they they have a very small window to get all their boating in.

SPEAKER_01

And you can if you waste any of that time with repairs and it's a little bit more. It's amazing.

SPEAKER_00

But when you talk to the dealers, and they will they will work around the clock from May, early April into May, getting boats ready to get in the water by June 1 or even sooner, depending on the weather, but like that June 1 date is kind of the target date. And you're talking thousands of boats, all I mean, tens of thousands of boats in Chicago, on Lake Michigan, and then around all the the Great Lakes that are aren't in the water in April. And then you go back four, five, six weeks later and it's like, what happened? It's just it's it's fascinating because you're right, we're used to it here. You don't see that. You know, you see

Launching A New Chicago Show

SPEAKER_00

migration and you see certainly, you know, boats moving in and out of South Florida, but the marinas don't empty. Never. So it's it's it's almost like a psychological change where you're like, okay, now I get it, because uh I again I I'm used to being able to go out in December. That that's not a reality. So we're we're really happy and pleased that we're able to do that event. Uh you know, it's gonna be a combination of of out uh what I'll call upland space, and then we are uh partnering with Burnham Harbor. Okay, and have a uh a permanent structure that will be uh building temporary docks. So it's kind of a a hybrid approach to how we do things, but super excited. It's mid-June and Okay, mid-June. Okay, so it is right in like the peak of their boating season. It's kind of when the boating season starts there. So everybody can buy their gear and get ready, and so it's you know, and that's another one. You know, we we we haven't done a show in Chicago. So uh but we got the right team, we got the right experience. Of course. And we have our dealers and our manufacturers supporting it.

SPEAKER_01

So that's well, and I have to say, I I in in speaking with um exhibitors here and many of my customers as well, there is such a love for Miami and the Miami boat show. Now, how did you get into the uh Informa? When did you start with Informa?

SPEAKER_00

So it's a really good, really good question. I um As a lifetime Miami. Yeah, as a lifetime, so I'll I'll but back up a little bit. You know, I I graduated from I'm gonna it's gonna date me here. I graduated from school, yeah. You don't have to tell dates, you can make them up if you want. Yeah, we'll just say, let's say in the 90s. Um and I decided to go back to uh school to pursue an MBA. Uh and I applied for the University of Miami. And MBA was super expensive. And I was like, well, I gotta I gotta get a job there and it was a tuition remission. So I ended up getting a job at the athletic department in the late 90s, and um let's see how this pursued. The way it unfolded, there was a couple coaches there, and I was working in the athletic department, and I actually changed majors instead of an MBI, I went to get a master's of sports administration. Okay. So I was like, well, I'll I can apply that to the marine industry somehow, because that was always the goal. Wow, that's the way that's a good idea. But I wanted to, you know, you wanted to get that additional degree. Well, one of the coaches there knew I was really into fishing and boating and diving because he heard all the stories. And his girlfriend at the time was working at National Marine Manufacturers Association. And she was gonna take a job in New York. And he's like, You'd be great for that. You should you should apply for that job. I had never heard of NMMA. I'd been to the boat show since I was, you know, before I could walk.

SPEAKER_01

Right, but you still know.

SPEAKER_00

But I had no idea who NMMA was or that they produced the show.

Seasonal Boating Culture In The Great Lakes

SPEAKER_00

So I'll fast forward, I send in the resume, and then you get the, you know, we'll keep it on file. And so about six months later, I'm with a group of friends and we're sailing around the Bahamas. Okay. And this is before, you know, cell phone connectivity was the way it was. And I get back after two weeks being gone, and I play my the old recording machine rewind. Okay, yep, I had one. And the first message was in the NMMA saying, Hey, we have your resume, and we'd love for you to come in for a sales coordinator job. And I'm like, I've been gone for two weeks, I haven't called them back. It's it's filled. Yep. There's my chance. So um called, and I was like, no, the job's still available. We'd love for you to come in for an interview. That was 27 years ago.

SPEAKER_01

Wow.

SPEAKER_00

So I start off as a booth sales guy, you know, and and I helped sell the accessory space, which is kind of you know the fun stuff of the boat channel.

SPEAKER_01

All of that experience.

SPEAKER_00

So and then I've just you know, what's the biggest booth?

SPEAKER_01

Biggest booth you sold.

SPEAKER_00

Well, that's that's a mask. I know. Yeah. Not now. I think I was the first to say, can we put an airplane in the show? Um Well, there you have it. Which was Atlanta. Um but it was a stepping stone for me because you know, you you start off with the with with what we'll call the accessory vendors, and then like, hey, you can do boat. Of course I can do boat. I you know, that was kind of you know my thing. Yes. Um and it just kind of elevated from there. And then it was like, well, if he can do accessory sales and boat sales, can you help with maybe the marketing and the production of the show? Well, yeah, I can do that too. And then it just, you know, every three or four years I added you know, a little joke. The more you do, the more the other thing.

SPEAKER_01

Because then you have a complete understanding of how the ecosystem works.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, and it's a blessing because I did start off, you know, uh, you know, it I won't call it entry level, but I started off um I did too with my own family business. So it's okay. Helping out in the area that that they felt I I would I would help the most and it just added to it, added to it, added to it. But yeah, you get a full perspective of how it works and an appreciation for those who work, you know, with you, around you, um, because you've done it. And I don't see respect that, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

I don't see how you could be in your position without all of that experience because understanding how a show works, understanding the ingress and the egress and

Larry’s Path Into The Marine Industry

SPEAKER_01

and how each business, because people talk about shows and booths, but every one of those is a business that you have to build a relationship with, that you have to continually number number one, you want to build confidence that they're getting in here, that they that they can build their business and confidence that their stuff will be there when they leave at night and and back and then and and have it come back, and that they had a really good show. And that's that's you selling a lot more than just I I knew how to sell booths.

SPEAKER_00

That's you selling confidence and an experience. You know, people say, Well, what do you sell? I I sell opportunity, you know. Opportunity is better than that. We build friendships, you know. We everything that I do is friendships, relationships, partnerships. And if your customers know you care about them, then they will care about what you're doing or asking them to do or encouraging them to do. And and everything that that I've tried to share with my team is you know, um be passionate about what you do, be good at what you do, um, but show people that you care. That's true. And then they will know and they will follow. Um, and if they know, like, and trust you, chances are they'll do business with you. 100%. And and that's how I, you know, I've asked my team to approach everything, like get to know your customers, get to really know your customers. You know, I've worked with uh I'll I'll drop a name, Scott Cohen. You know, he is my right hand. Uh he knows he knows this customer base inside and out, their family, their kids, where they went to school, their report card. I mean, like, there's no depth of information that Scott doesn't know. But it it it it's amazing because we've we've kind of you know gone through this journey together. And if I don't know them, he knows them.

SPEAKER_01

That's wonderful.

SPEAKER_00

And it it it just creates, you know, and I've got so many other fantastic team members, but um I have had people that have been working with me for you know 25 years, you know.

SPEAKER_01

But I think you just hit on something that you you build opportunity. I feel that in Forma through every show is you provide an opportun you build an opportunity for every business here. So the role of the show is for you to create a space for us to do our business and for us to develop relationships and for us to to prosper. But you're creating the opportunities that we need to take. So what what are some of your tips you think for and I I'm not talking about your displays or or where you put your brand, not branding, so to speak, but what makes a successful boat show to to let's say an exhibitor here in the convention center, things that they could do, but how do you see people?

SPEAKER_00

There's such a dynamic mix of products here, you know. For for let's just say for a sunglass vendor, their metric is you know, how many sunglasses that I sell, and and if they're able to achieve a certain volume of sales, then it's a great show for them. But then, you know, you have manufacturers that have 15, 20, 30 million. Dollars worth of product here, their metric may be a little bit different. So, I my biggest thing is

Relationships, Trust, And Selling Opportunity

SPEAKER_00

if you create an experience for your customer, whether it is selling sunglasses and you can create a small experience for them, um, or you're selling a 50-foot center console or a hundred-foot, yeah. The experiences and the connectivity to your customer, in my opinion, are what is a different differentiator. Um, creating an opportunity that we talked about, that we give the opportunity, it's you know what you do with it. But I I see the come uh the companies that are most successful, certainly the product is you know what drives people here, but it's the connectivity and the experience that a lot of these manufacturers and dealers and booth vendors they create something special within their square footage, like we're here, like this is super cool.

SPEAKER_01

Um it's hard to sell electric, by the way. I mean, breakers, you can't stand in a booth and be like, here's my breakers.

SPEAKER_00

So, but this is the prime example. We're you've created an experience. Yes, it's gonna translate into business. Absolutely. They're not here because of the plug, they're here because of wow, this is something cool within the booth. So that would be my advice to everybody. And and create a unique experience. Create a unique experience in in and around your display that you know that is immersive, that is interesting, that people say, Hey, did you see that booth?

SPEAKER_01

Do you like new ideas? Do you like it? If uh if a if a an exhibitor says, I know you're gonna think I'm crazy, because I've been that person that says, I know you think I'm crazy, but can I try this? I will say, in my experience, and not even directly with you, I've asked other people, I've never had anybody from Informa go, absolutely not. They're always like, that pause right there of the immediate is how do we do that? What is it you want to create? Let's let's figure it out.

SPEAKER_00

So sometimes I've had that okay. And there's a pause, and you're like, okay, explain that to me one more time. Just one more, right. Um I always like to say, let's not say no, let's say let's find a way.

SPEAKER_01

Find a way, right.

SPEAKER_00

Sometimes the ideas are if somebody wanted to land a helicopter.

What Makes Exhibitors Succeed

SPEAKER_01

Okay, safety issues, I get it. FAA issues.

SPEAKER_00

What would you feel if I land a helicopter, you know, in and around the property? I'm like, well, n we can land a helicopter somewhere. So I'm just give a funny one. But it's not on the roof of the MBCC. Like, we're not gonna be.

SPEAKER_01

So somebody came to you and said they want to land a helicopter.

SPEAKER_00

I'm using an example from an older show, so I don't want to throw anybody, I don't want to I don't want to uh get anyone in trouble, but they're a good friend of mine. Uh and they're still here in this building. Wonderful. But yes, they wanted to land a helicopter in our staging yard. You know who you are. You know who you are.

SPEAKER_01

Why did they want to do that? What was the it's just a shock value? Okay, good.

SPEAKER_00

So there are things that you immediately have to say, okay, perhaps we have to go a different direction. But most of the ideas our exhibitors have, um, if they give us time to prepare and say, all right, this actually makes sense, uh, we always want to encourage creativity. And that's the bottom line.

SPEAKER_01

And I see that everywhere. I mean, yes, we we're doing a podcast here, but I'm not alone. And I've seen some people do wonderful um coverage of different. I've seen um, oh, for example, Hughes had their hundredth anniversary party here. That's amazing that they chose to have their 100th anniversary as a fourth generation company, and I got to I got a chance to meet Chrissy, which by the way, I think we're like sisters somehow.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, she's a she's amazing. Her dad, Jim Weiborg. I was able to go to the party. Uh and that's just a testament to the.

SPEAKER_01

But they chose to do that here because that's how important, as founding members of Miami International Boat Show, to do that here.

SPEAKER_00

So that's a that's a big Well, in you talk about that. The show track tracks 85 years of history. This is our 85th Miami International Boat Show. Their family and their products have been in that show, our show, 85 years.

SPEAKER_01

Isn't that amazing?

SPEAKER_00

Isn't that amazing? And still here today, isn't that amazing?

SPEAKER_01

Super excited, yes, throwing a party, which was amazing. And and everybody, they have like some of the greatest shirts and stuff, just really, but that's because they feel that experience and they feel the family. 85 years to commit through through every economic downturn, through, and that's what I try to say. We're only we're the babies here, you know. I've realized as as uh 75 years old,

Big Ideas, Safety, And “Find A Way”

SPEAKER_01

between Hughes is 100, I'm getting Zodiac is 130, um, all these other people, so it's interesting perspective. But people to share that with you, that you should feel honored with that, that they wanted to have that moment here.

SPEAKER_00

I was, and she called several months back and it's like, hey, we're planning on doing this. See, that's there any way that you can help? I said, I'll help you in every way possible. So we encouraged them to bring some older, you know, older boats, so we put them right in front of the botanical garden. Um, you know, of course I helped with security and police making sure that you know people could come and go to the party seamlessly because it it it is part of the Miami boat show campus, but it is a you know the botanical garden is a great area to host a party. They did a first-class job and the outpouring of love, respect, like honor, you could just feel it in the room or in the park if you're they had a board that's almost the size of this that everybody and I was one of them.

SPEAKER_01

I was up there with my Sharpie trying to find a spot that's maybe this big because it's full.

SPEAKER_00

But if you lived, eat, breathe, boating in South Florida, you knew who Bob Hughes. Exactly. You knew Bob Hughes.

SPEAKER_01

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00

You knew Bob Hughes, and you know that name and that legacy continues on.

SPEAKER_01

So that's also due the the the core of that also is the show, is the connectivity that has kept that going. Yes. And been a part of their family history. Yes.

SPEAKER_00

And you can see when you talk to them, you know, the passion exudes.

SPEAKER_01

It was one of her first couple of sentences to meet my my great it's her great-grandfather because it's her father, because Fort's father's father was was the original exhibitor here, and this is this is how they did it and why they did it. And I mean, there was just an extreme amount of pride. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00

Passion, um, and you know, that's is they're an amazing family, they did an amazing job. And the fact that they did it here, like you said, you know, at this show is you know, it's a testament to the show.

SPEAKER_01

And I did want to touch on one thing which is a little bit bit more serious, but I wanted to talk about it for all of these years. You know, people boats are an option, boat shows can be an option. These are, you know, we're not we're not selling health care, we're not selling medical needs. So all of these things are options, but there is such a love and passion that if you can stay consistent 85 years, and I'm gonna go to other shows, whether it's been, I I can tell you that

Heritage: 85 Years And Hughes’ Centennial

SPEAKER_01

whether it was COVID, you know, a pandemic, you know, you still kept the shows going. I can remember I was an exhibitor both at uh Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach, where you know you had to do the distancing, you had open air space, and and I'll and I'll get to the reason why. And many people will say things like, Well, of course there's a boat show, you know, there there would always be a boat show, everybody wants to make money. It's not about that. I can tell you as an as an exhibitor, it's about the fact that the minute a show doesn't go on because there was a hurricane, I was involved with Wilma came. Um if the minute a boat show is not on a schedule, boat shows become optional. And and I think Informa's done a very good job of saying we will make sure that it doesn't matter what the economic crisis is going on at the time. In 85 years, we've had a lot go on. You know how many different administrations you can have pandemics, you can have, you know, obviously global unrest. There are a million things, but the show goes on. The industry stays strong.

SPEAKER_00

And you mentioned something, you know, the word healthcare. Boating is a lifestyle. And it's a healthy lifestyle. And for many people, of course, you know, uh it's a choice. But I would make the argument that this industry is critical for so many people. It is critical to the lifeblood of this city. I mean, Miami was built on the water because of the water. And certainly the commitment from our exhibitors, from Informa to keep those shows going in tough times, yes. Because it's critical to the lifeblood and the fabric of South Florida. Correct. Like without boating. I mean, I mean, there are probably some cities in the United States you could say, all right, the boat show could skip a year. Not South Florida. No, not Miami. 138,000 jobs. Um and and this whole, you know, what we'll call South Florida area, um, I can't imagine what would what would this city look like without the boating industry. Absolutely. It would be a completely different city. So for me, it's must-have.

Why The Show Must Go On

SPEAKER_00

Now, it may not be must-have for everybody. No, but it's just for getting the exhibitors. Yeah, yeah. For the people that are passionate and love whether it's outdoor recreation or if you're on a boat or not, but the connectivity to the water brings us together.

SPEAKER_01

But also, I think that you know, your shows, um, and and I know I've heard this many times, there are there are businesses that plan for these shows, and some some of them, 50 to 60 percent of their revenue for the year comes out of a show. And so imagine what that would do to a business if you said, well, it's a little hard. I don't know how we're gonna deal with six-foot spacing, or I don't know how we're gonna have clear air, or I'm not sure tariffs, I mean, for that matter, if you just read the newspaper, people would say, Well, there's a lot of foreign boat manufacturers here, so tariffs is just gonna kill the show, nobody you figure it out, you still show, you still work, you come up with options. There's so many different partners that you have to keep people in the industry, but keep the economic impact going.

SPEAKER_00

100%.

SPEAKER_01

Show up to Collins Avenue at four in the morning, how many companies are there washing those boats?

SPEAKER_00

Several.

SPEAKER_01

And and I would say show up here after seven o'clock when this is all over, how many people are security and cleaning in here? And the booth cleaning and the wash every ecosystem.

SPEAKER_00

And it's kind of come whole full circle now. We we find ways to persevere, we find ways to push through, we find ways to improve. You know, and that's you know, we kind of talked about that at the beginning, you know, and this is why we do things. Um but I'm extremely grateful. You know, I again I you know, I'll say team, um, it does take a commitment from the team to to do things differently, to think about things differently. But that that's indicative of the entire marine industry. Um we're constantly evolving, products are getting more advanced, safer, uh, more efficient. Uh and you know, we it it kind of helps we help the industry push forward, they help us push forward. It it's like we're in lockstep together.

SPEAKER_01

Well, and also you sit on boards, for example. So I know the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, they do a lot of a legislative work. Um, for example, you know, you want to make sure that you have a regulatory environment, either for your builders or for boaters. You know, there were some offshore

Economic Impact And Jobs In South Florida

SPEAKER_01

things that uh rules that were gonna limit speeds for sport fish boats that were gonna be up and down the East Coast. Well, if you can't, if you can't travel up and down or it's gonna limit your fishing or any of that, you know, that could be hard for the industry. But Informa does even sit on boards that help with legislative activities to keep and support the industry.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, 100%. And and that's where your industry partners really can mobilize and amplify the message. You know, when when you're talking about taking away access or reducing speeds for really nonsensical reasons, um, or anything that would impact uh what I'll consider recreational um significance on the water. Or water access, I think. Or water access or any of those, uh the industry comes together united, and we have partners, you know, in DC, certainly the owner of this show, National Marine Manufacturers Association, has a tremendous GR team in DC regionally. We talked about that here today with their legislative conference coming up in May. And they do a tremendous job communicating to uh our men and women in Congress about how significant the boating industry is for the United States. I mean, you're talking about an economic driver over two trillion or whatever the number is, I'll probably misquote it. But this is not insignificant numbers. Um and and the taking away people's ability to recreate and enjoy, I mean, everyone works so hard. Right. You know, if you can only have a day or two on the weekend and you get one day to boat, and imagine not being able to go out because of a nonsensical rule. So NMMA, our Marine History Association of South Florida, and all the other ones that we work with, yes, they are they are advocates, they're our they're our front line. And um without them, it probably wouldn't be as easy. But I do think to do this because we can focus on our job as a show producer because they're helping us fight another fight to make sure that we're gonna be able to do that.

SPEAKER_01

We can focus on our business while everybody's able to put these together.

SPEAKER_00

It's critically important. And again,

Advocacy, Access, And Policy Partnerships

SPEAKER_00

it you know, it it's all these different tentacles, all this connectivity that helps push this industry forward uh and keep it thriving. And uh I'm just I'm just thrilled to be a small part of it.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, absolutely. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of it. Thank you for allowing us to have our Wards Way podcast here and being a part of it. Wow, I'm actually cool. It's on record. My kids can see it. I was called cool.

SPEAKER_00

No, super cool. But no, I I can't thank you enough. And it has given an opportunity, you know, kind of thank my team and thank you. Wonderful, but also thank you to bringing our exhibitors come out and let them talk about their products. It has been a lot of people. You know, talk about their passion about what they do and and why they're here. So um that for me is is huge, and I'm very appreciative.

SPEAKER_01

And we we thank you. Thank you so much, Larry. Thank you for the entire Informa team and giving us the opportunity, and thank you for being part of the Wards Way.

SPEAKER_00

Well, maybe I'll be invited back next year. You will be. Thank you guys.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you. Thanks for joining us. Make sure you subscribe to the Wards Way podcast. We're just getting started.

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Kristina Hebert

Host