Roderick Jacobs has joined Expoships LLLP as chief executive officer. Jacobs served as a senior executive with the $20-plus billion Compass Group for more than 15 years.
The 43-year-old Dutch native is a graduate of the International University of Hospitality Management at The Hague in the Netherlands.
Jacobs’ initial focus will be on the summer launch of Expoships’ flagship, Seafair, showcasing not only art, but also the finest in luxury goods.
Expoships LLLP, a Florida-based company, organizes land- and sea-based luxury expositions.
LaserPerformance has appointed Devin Kelly as president and Jim Forrest as chief financial officer.
Kelly has a background in management and international sales. He was recently with INBEV, where he served as vice president of marketing for the U.K. and Ireland. INBEV is a global brewer of well-known brands such as Beck’s and Stella Artois. A resident of the U.K., he will relocate to LaserPerformance’s North American offices in Portsmouth, R.I.
Forrest brings 25 years of financial and managerial experience to the company. He has held leadership roles with several organizations, including CEO of Standard Electric Supply.
Aqua Marine Partners has hired Michael Shanley as vice president of marina management. He oversees operations in the firm’s marina management division. Shanley, a South Florida native, has been in the boating industry for more than 20 years. He earned his Certified Marina Manager (CMM) designation from the Association of Marina Industries in 2006. He currently serves on the board of directors of The Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament and is the chairman of the Association of Marina Industries’ 2008 National Marina Day.
Aqua Marine Partners is an integrated marina investment company based in Aventura, Fla. The firm owns, develops and manages marinas in the United States for itself and its equity partners.
Channel Blade has appointed Tom Heron to the newly created position of vice president of operations.
He is responsible for leading operational and customer support functions, including product development, process redesign, product management and customer satisfaction.
One of Heron’s first initiatives is to launch a Client Advisory Council.
Heron’s previous experience is in finance, engineering, operations and marketing in the publishing and financial services industries. He most recently served as vice president-production services at Harris Connect, a membership and alumni directory publishing company.
Heron spent 20 years in the Navy as a submariner. He has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University.
Rolf Eckert has joined Stengl Marine as customer service manager.
Eckert is the primary point of contact for customer service needs and coordinates the service and parts departments’ daily activities.
His previous experience includes manager and director positions with Princess Cruise Lines, where he was responsible for the food and beverage operations aboard various cruise liners.
Stengl Marine is a dealership in Minocqua, Wis.
Gina Wicker, director of design for Glen Raven Custom Fabrics-Americas, has been promoted to design and creative director.
Wicker continues to direct Sunbrella fabric design, while also managing creative elements in Glen Raven’s marketing communications programs, including photography, advertising, collateral, Web site design, sample books and custom sampling programs.
Wicker, who has served as design director for Glen Raven for five years, has more than 20 years experience in textile design. She earned a bachelor’s degree in textile design from North Carolina State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Duke.
Bruce Grout was appointed general manager of New Port Cove Marine Center in Riviera Beach, Fla.
The marina features 45 boat slips up to 70 feet, as well as dry docks for 300 vessels up to 38 feet. The marina was recently renovated and features state-of-the-art docks and equipment.
Grout brings to his position experience as a marina manager and boat racing team member, garnering a number of national and world racing titles.
He holds an advanced degree in marina management and is a candidate for Certified Marina Manager.
Old Port Cove Holding’s also owns Old Port Cove and North Palm Beach Marinas.
The Hatteras Collection announced that Jose Vicente has been named Latin American regional sales manager, reporting to Brunswick Latin America group president William J. Gress.
Before joining the Hatteras Collection, Vicente held a number of marketing and sales positions of increasing responsibility. He holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Bentley College.
The Hatteras Collection, a unit of the Brunswick Boat Group, manufactures offshore fishing boats, sportfishing convertibles and luxury motoryachts through the Albemarle Boats, Cabo Yachts and Hatteras Yachts brands.
Michael Fabbri has joined King Plastic Corp. as national product sales manager for the marine and building product lines. He brings with him 24 years of experience in sales and sales management in distribution and manufacturing.
Fabbri is responsible for building and supporting the company’s sales and distribution channels.
Founded in 1968, King Plastic Corp. is a manufacturer of polymer sheets, slabs and massive shapes.
Teleflex Marine recently promoted Aldo Mastropieri to product manager, hydraulic steering and custom marine.
Mastropieri previously was product manager for the customer marine group.
Prior to joining Teleflex in 2005, Mastropieri was territory sales manager in the hydraulics division of Parker-Hannifin Corp. He has 18 years of hydraulic experience in design and sales. He also has a degree in mechanical engineering from Lakehead University in Ontario, Canada.
Teleflex, headquartered in Litchfield, Ill., manufactures engineered products for the medical, aerospace and commercial markets worldwide.
Bradford Marine has named Craig Miser its purchasing manager.
Miser served in the Navy on the USS Orion, a submarine tender stationed in Charleston, S.C. Upon completion of his tour in the Navy, he began working in the yachting industry at Broward Marine. He then worked in the parts and purchasing department at what was then Florida Yacht Basin and its sister company Florida Ship Yard.
Fort Lauderdale-based Bradford Marine is an undercover yacht repair facility.
Monterey Boats recently named Kirk Lewellen regional sales manager for the Mid-Atlantic region, which includes Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. Lewellen worked for seven years as a regional sales manager for Wellcraft Marine, as well as 13 years prior to that as a sales manager and regional sales manager for Hydra-Sports. He attended the Nashville State Technical Institute.
Monterey Boats specializes in sport boats, deck boats, sport yachts and cruisers, featuring 24 models ranging from 18-41 feet.
Christy Short has joined Digital Switching Systems LLC as sales coordinator.
Short provides logistical product coordination for various clients, as well as supports new business development for markets within the United States.
Before joining DSS, Short spent five years as regional sales coordinator with the DNA Group, the parent company of Digital Switching Systems, as well as six years on the sales/product management team for a global distributor of integrated circuitry and semiconductors.
Digital Switching Systems, headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., sells elec- tronic and mechanical switching solutions for the marine and transportation marketplaces.
Kent Ollis was appointed vice president of business development for Canada Metal (Pacific) Ltd.
Canada Metal manufactures and markets Martyr anodes, Octopus autopilot drive components and Intellisteer remote steering systems.
Ollis will work with Canada Metal&apos;s senior management team to develop and expand sales for existing marine products, and research and identify needs for new products and services. He previously oversaw the product management of mechanical and hydraulic steering systems at Teleflex Marine.
Yamaha Marine Group announced several promotions. Kyle Rippe was promoted to assistant division manager of marine finance and accounting. Rippe joined Yamaha in late 2002 and has played a key role in expanding the business while keeping the focus on financial planning and accounting. Yamaha has also added Earl Small to its accounting team. Small will be rejoining the team as the marine accountant/department manager, reporting directly to Rippe. Stacy Folan was promoted to assistant division manager of marine supply chain operations. Under her leadership, Yamaha will work to further integrate Marine Rigging and Parts Operations. In the last 10 years, Folan has proven her leadership skills with supply chain management, inventory control and forecasting. Jonathon Burns was promoted to supervisor of business/market planning for marine. Burns started with Skeeter Boats in 2000 and joined Yamaha in early 2004 as a market analyst for business planning.
Morse Industries recently announced two personnel changes at its Kent, Wash., headquarters. Tami St. John, an employee for more than 17 years, was promoted to inside sales manager. St. John has won numerous customer advocate awards during her time with the company and has an extensive background in customer service. Angel Yeh joins Morse Industries as purchasing manager. In addition to domestic and off-shore procurement for the company’s three warehouses, Yeh will continue the development and expansion of existing supplier networks. Prior to joining Morse, Yeh served as purchasing manager for Ocean Alexander, sourcing and exporting materials for the manufacture of luxury yachts. Morse Industries provides aluminum, stainless steel, plastic and custom parts and extrusions for the marine, architectural and fixture industries as well as other industrial manufacturers.
Mike McGarry, of McGarry Marketing, was named the Midwest and Canadian representative for Southport Boat Works.
McGarry has served as a sales representative for ProLine and Ebbtide Boats and was recently director of sales and marketing for Ebbtide before forming McGarry Marketing.
Southport Boat Works is based in Leland, N.C.
ACR Electronics appointed Charles Speakman technical sales representative, outdoors and marine.
Speakman will train outdoor and marine retail associates for ACR dealers throughout North America.
Most recently, Speakman served as a general manager for West Marine.
ACR Electronics manufactures safety and survival products, including EPIRBs, PLBs, AIS, SARTs and safety accessories.