In 2012, John Adey became the President of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), having served in several staff positions since 2002. John has his MBA with a specialty in nonprofit organization management and is an ABYC Certified Master Technician.  John is a member of the USCG Boating Safety Advisory Council, a Red Cross certified lifeguard instructor trainer, US Masters swimmer and an avid Chesapeake Bay boater.  In his spare time he enjoys inventing new swear words while working on he and his daughters 24 year old jeep, Taylor ham egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches, dunkin’ donuts coffee and anything cooked on a weber charcoal grill.

With a decade of training experience in the marine industry, Holly Ashton joined Safe Harbor Marinas in June 2019 as the Director of Workforce Development. Prior to that, she was the Director of Program & Career Development at IYRS School of Technology & Trades.  Holly has a BS in Marketing and Masters of Education in Counseling both from Providence College.  She serves on the RI Marine Trades Association Board as the Chair of the Education and Training Committee and advises on local high school marine trades programs.  Holly lives in Newport, RI and enjoys sailing, cycling and family time.

Rob is the instructor of the Marine Service Technology program at Ocean County Vocational Technical School in Toms River, NJ. He teaches high school and post-secondary students and is a SkillsUSA advisor.  Rob has been employed in the marine industry for over 29 years, and has held many positions during his career such as: technician, service manager, and owner. He has earned numerous industry certifications from Yamaha, Mercury Marine, Evinrude, ABYC and NMEA.  Rob also works for ABYC as an Adjunct Technical Instructor. Rob and his wife LaRae have 3 children and live in Forked River, NJ. 

Fun Fact: Rob enjoys long walks on the beach, unicorns, lollipops, puffy clouds and dolphins.

Rob can be reached at:

• rberenwick@gmail.com

Mike Bonicker worked with Tidewater Yacht Service in Baltimore for over 20 years, starting as a tech for 5 years doing general repair, electrical and sailboat rigging. He climbed the ranks and became production manager for the remaining 15, still  doing hands-on electrical and sailboat rigging work throughout his tenure.

He received his first ABYC certification, Electrical, under the instruction of Ed Sherman at New England Institute of Technology in 2000 and became a Master Tech with Standards and Corrosion by 2005.

Additionally, he has served with pride on the board of the Marine Trades Association of Maryland for over 12 years.

Boating started as a teenager for Mike when he learned to sail at 13 and raced for over 20 years and he's been a life-long fisherman from the age of 5 owning several boats both sail and power along the way.

Mike can be reached at:

• mbonicker@abycinc.org
• (410) 990-4460 x121

Dave is responsible for management of all ABYC education courses as well as developing future programs. Prior to this, Dave was in our Tech Department, helping to develop ABYC standards. He worked as a FedEx account manager and as an officer in the US Army before returning to his nautical roots.  Dave is a University of Rhode Island graduate, as well as a graduate from the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) Marine Systems program in Newport. He is a USCG Licensed Captain and has experience with both near and offshore yacht delivery. In his spare time David spends time with his wife and dogs as well as sailing in Sandy Hook Bay. He enjoys sanding old wood floors and craft beers.

David can be reached at:

• dbroadbent@abycinc.org
• (410) 990-4460 x119

Kelly Cater is the Director of Human Resources for Groupe Beneteau America.  Her facilities are located in Cadillac, MI, Annapolis, MD and Marion, SC.  Kelly has been in the Marine Industry for 25 years and has served as Board Chair for the Cadillac Chamber of Commerce.  She has worked with ABYC to train existing and the next generation of boat building professionals.  To gauge her employee’s moods, Kelly has a set of “toys” on the corner of her desk that consist of:  An Easy button, a Hoptimist and a T-Rex with chomping mouth.  If an employee gravitates to the T-Rex, she knows she may be in for a “biting” conversation.

Since 1997, Ted Chamberlin is a Marine Technology/Automotive Assistant Professor at New England Institute of Technology (NEIT). He graduated from FL Institute of Technology (1985) with an Assoc of Science degree in Marine Tech, and Univ. of RI, BS Aquaculture and Fisheries (2012).  He has worked in the marine field as a service technician and service manager, including at Port Edgewood Marina, East Bay Yacht Sales, and Norton’s Shipyard & Marina.  He is an ABYC Master Tech certified in Gas Engines, Electrical, and Marine Systems, with experience and certifications from manufacturers including Mercury/MerCruiser, Yanmar, Westerbeke, and Volvo Penta (trainer since 2004). He specializes in marine technical courses, creation and education and still works on boats in his spare time.   

Lia Jaros is the Workforce Development Coordinator for the Marine Trades Association of Maryland (MTAM). She manages an On-the-Job Training Program funded by a workforce development grant from MD’s Dept of Labor.  Jaros has expanded awareness of career opportunities in the boating industry among high schoolers, college students, and career seekers since 2017. Her efforts range from classroom presentations, career fairs, and press, to the advancement of the ABYC curriculum in community colleges statewide, the creation of a state-approved marine service technician apprenticeship program, and retention methods for young workers entering the industry. When she is not convincing young people to work on boats, she tends to travel the world.

A native of Vancouver BC, Blake Jensen was raised in a boating family and after graduating from Simon Fraser University, worked in the paint industry until turning his love of boating into a career in 2004.  After completing his marine certification at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Blake worked at a local marine dealer, eventually becoming their lead technician and general manager. In 2010 he joined the Technical Support team at Volvo Penta Canada. Soon after, he began instructing technical classes and in 2017 transitioned to Product Training. He has been instructing dealers on Volvo Penta products ever since. Blake is a subject matter expert in Volvo Penta Industrial & Marine engines (gas & diesel), catalyst emissions systems, marine drives, and marine electronics. Blake is easily identifiable in any group as the individual wearing shorts regardless of the season or weather.

Matt Jones is the Restoration Division Manager for Diversified Marine Services in Annapolis, MD, a mobile services company with more than two dozen employees. Matt’s 20+ marine industry career started by building boats, learning fiberglass lay-up to yacht carpentry to gel coat to electronics/mechanical and even design and mold making. Since then, the last 11 years have been spent in the field focusing on every aspect of yacht repair and restoration.  Matt is extremely passionate about bringing up the next generation of professionals in the marine industry, and he’s an active member of the local high school’s marine service program advisory council.  In his spare time, you’ll find Matt on a tractor on his family’s farm. His (and the deers’) favorite crop is sunflowers.

A San Francisco native, Paul Kaplan’s early ambitions as a marine biologist were altered when he took a part time job and became the youngest licensed yacht broker in California. With the success of City Yachts, a company now owned by his wife, he went on to found ProPark, a parking management company. Selling ProPark in 1995 provided the time and resources to develop KKMI. Paul's passions for all things nautical and marine environment are served by his position on several Boards. KKMI has been recognized by the CA Water Environment Assoc and ABBRA for its leadership. Paul and his family are active boating enthusiasts, if not fanatics, and do so as often as possible.

Steve Kitchin is VP for Corporate Education and Training at the New England Institute of Technology. He directs their Center for Technology and Industry, with programs on and off site for companies like General Dynamics, Blount Boat, Hasbro, and ABYC. Prior to joining NEIT, Steve served for 10 years in the RI Dept of Economic Development’s Division of Job Development /Training where he worked with businesses and organizations developing on-the-job and classroom training programs.  He’s served on the Governor’s Workforce Board and several other Boards for 10 years or more, and serves on the Board of Selectmen for the town of Swansea, Mass.  He has been voted “most likely to wear a tie to the ETC.”

It all started with a college summer job.  Randall Lyons was named Exec Director of Mass. Marine Trades Association in 2017, following more than 20 years at the Nantucket Boat Basin, Russo Marine, and Newburyport Marinas. He is also President of the New England Marine Trades Association and a Trustee with the Mass Marine Trades Educational Trust, holds a Certified Marina Manager designation, and is a strong advocate of all things regarding the marine workforce.  Randall lives in Foxboro, MA (home of the New England Patriots) with his wife and two kids and boxer named Peanut. As a can-do anything kind of guy, always with a smile on his face, Randall has also received recent designation as “the speaker who most resembles Buddy the Elf.”

Since 2014, Joe Maniscalco has been Yamaha’s Marine Service Division Manager, supporting Outboards, and in the last 3 years also Wave runners and Sport boats. Joe attended Milwaukee Tech and Trade High School, starting as a Technician Apprentice at age 16, then a high school graduate and journeyman technician. He moved to NW FL in the early 90’s because the water not only doesn’t freeze, but it produces lots of money for a service tech due to its corrosive properties. He was promoted to shop foreman and became a mentor for a technician apprenticeship program. He kept mentoring as he became a service manager in AL and developed 5 apprentice technicians at 2 dealerships before finding his home at Yamaha in 2003, starting as a District Service Rep, progressing through increasing roles.

Maurice Marchand has spent his life in the Marine and Maritime Industry. He's spent 32 years as a full-time Marine Technology Educator: 11 years for Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) in Kingston, Jamaica and 21 years for H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Prior to being an educator, he served as a Marine Engineering Officer in the Merchant Fleet, and as a Systems Technician for the US Navy. Maurice brings real-world experience and knowledge to the young and aspiring workforce-in-training, and was awarded Runner-up for the 2019 ABYC Educator of the Year Award. Maurice has also attained the title of “Most likely to catch a 20# snook on 10# monofilament” in Tortola with a motto of “Born to fish, forced to work.”

Ryan Ramsay is in his 10th year of teaching at the secondary level at Impact Institute. He is a graduate of the program, who then worked in the field, developing many boating industry connections, and subsequently returned to teach. This allowed him to align the curriculum and training with industry needs. He helps his students obtain entry-level certification by multiple engine manufacturers, and instills a training environment of quality work ethic, good attendance, constant learning and overall life skills. Ryan was Runner-up for ABYC 2020 Educator of the Year, and loves to travel, fish, camp, and boat with his family.

Mark Reedenauer has logged over 20 years in the marine electronics industry with areas of focus around technical support, product marketing, and executive leadership. At the helm of National Marine Electronics Association since 2015, NMEA is a member driven trade association focusing on Marine Electronics Installer Training, Interface Standards, including NMEA 2000, and an annual conference strictly focused on marine electronics.

Ed has been actively involved in the education business for over 35 years. He recently retired from ABYC where he was the Vice President of Education. Ed is a frequent contributor of technical articles for periodicals such as Boating, Boat US Magazine, Cruising World, and Marine Electronics Journal.  Earlier in his career he was a frequent contributor to Professional Boat Builder magazine.  His work has earned him multiple awards with Boating Writers International. Ed is the author of 4 best-selling marine trade titles and co-authored the ABYC textbook, “Fundamentals of Marine Service Technology.”  He is the past chairman of the Marine Technology department at New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) in Warwick, RI. Ed has developed curriculum for NEIT, The International Yacht Restoration School IYRS, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the US Navy as well as the ABYC.  He is an avid fly fisherman in both fresh and salt water and fountain pen aficionado.   

Stephen Spencer is the recipient of the first ABYC Educator of the Year award, and started teaching in 2001. Prior to that he rose to be the first African-American Command Master Chief in the US Coast Guard, with a 31-year career. Stephen helped launch the new Marine Service Technology Program at Palm Beach State College (FL), and has just graduated his first students from the 1350 hr program. He is an Automotive and Diesel ASE Master Certified Technician and with his ABYC Diesel, Gas, Electrical and Systems Certifications he is an ABYC Master Tech. He and his wife enjoy traveling with their dogs in the RV while trailing the Slingshot for local travel.

Justin Taylor worked in the marine composites industry for approximately 10 years as a composite technician, a process specialist, a laminate supervisor, and a process engineer with specific focuses on prepreg and vacuum infusion, before joining The Landing School in southern Maine as the primary Composites Instructor last year. An ABYC-Certified Composites Advisor, Justin teaches his students all facets of composites construction and repair, and instructs on the fundamentals of composites to marine systems students at the school.

Chelle Travis is the executive director of SkillsUSA, a national organization of nearly 400,000 teachers and students operating within the framework of career and technical education (CTE). Travis was appointed in 2019 to lead a staff of 35 that manages a federation of 52 state and territorial SkillsUSA associations, one of which (Tennessee) Travis formerly led as its director. The work she's accomplished in nearly two decades of advancing the cause of career and technical education makes Travis a perfect fit to help SkillsUSA continue to achieve its mission: to empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible citizens.