Tom Deans

Succession Planning & Wealth Management Expert

Planning for the Future: Achieving Business Longevity Through Succession Planning

Over the next 20 years, Canadians will have $1 trillion passed on to them as inheritance. Award-winning speaker and Globe and Mail bestselling author Dr. Tom Deans explains how this unprecedented wealth transfer will transform lives, culture, and Canada itself. In this thought-provoking keynote presentation, he will outline the most difficult yet crucial questions business owners in the recreational boating industry must ask as they consider their exit and succession planning strategies while ensuring wealth preservation and businesses that last for generations to come. Dr. Deans is the President of Detente Financial Press, specializing in offering advanced executive training for family and independently owned businesses, financial institutions, charities, as well as legal and accounting firms.

Martina Beck

nvasive Mussel Program Manager | BC Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy

BC’s Invasive Mussel Program; How Can the Recreational Boating Industry Help?

Quagga and zebra mussels are not native to North America and pose a serious threat not only to B.C.’s aquatic ecosystems (the waterways the recreational boating industry relies upon) but also salmon populations, hydro power stations and other infrastructure facilities. In response to this threat, the Province of BC launched the Aquatic Invasive Mussel Defence Program in 2015. The program requires all boats crossing into the province be inspected, and, in 2016 alone, 24,500 boats were inspected along our borders. Martina Beck is the Invasive Mussel Program Manager with the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. Attending the Boating BC Conference for the first time, she will provide an overview of the Province’s aquatic invasive species program to ensure our industry is well-informed and is happy to answer any questions delegates may have.

TINA VARUGHESE

President, tWorks

50 Shades of Beige: Communicate with the Cross-Cultural Advantage in the Boating Industry

Twenty percent of Canada’s population is foreign-born, and that number is even higher in urban centres like Vancouver. Successful organizations understand that being able to communicate cross-culturally in the workplace and through their sales efforts leads to enhanced productivity, performance, employee engagement and increased sales. Managing diversity drives profitability, leads to innovation and promotes an inspiring workplace culture. Tina Varughese, President of t Works, is a professional speaker and trainer specializing in cross-cultural communication and inclusive leadership. She ran her own successful relocation and settlement firm working with expatriates from all over the world. Prior to t Works, Tina worked with Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, where she spearheaded international recruitment missions in response to Alberta’s labour shortage. In her keynote presentation she will demonstrate how businesses in the recreational boating industry can only benefit when it comes to learning how to communicate with culturally diverse clients, venders, and an increasingly multicultural workforce.

JOHN GULLICK

President, Canadian Safe Boating Council

Introducing the Safety First Marine Certification Program

Did you know that 40% of boaters head out on the water without the legally required safety equipment? Safety First Marine is an online certification program developed by the Canadian Safe Boating Council, in partnership with Public Safety Canada and offers education modules on the choosing, care and maintenance of basic boating safety equipment. John Gullick, President of the Canadian Safe Boating Council, will explain how this valuable program came to be, how to access the program and a brief demonstration following by an audience question and answer period.

JIM HARRIS

Principle, Strategic Advantage, Author, Speaker

Thriving in the Era of Disruptive Innovation

In today’s rapidly changing business environment, innovation is an essential strategy for continued relevance and to grow the top line of your business. But innovation isn’t easy – if it was, everyone would be doing it! Innovation requires a discipline, it requires a process for gaining insight, evaluating possibilities and placing strategic bets. Gain insights into these essential strategies for the recreational boating industry from expert innovation speaker Jim Harris, Principle at Strategic Advantage. Jim works with organizations to address issues of most concern to executives: leadership, change, Customer Relationship Management, and creating learning organizations. His over 20 years of independent research, has led to his standing as a renowned speaker on innovation. He has authored six business books, three of which have been national or international bestsellers, and has appeared in Time Magazine, The Globe and Mail, Profit Magazine, Macleans, CBC, BBC, CTV, and Global.

Robert LEWIS-MANNING

President, Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia

Navigating BC's Waters Together: An Update from the BC Chamber of Shipping

BC is amidst an unprecedented investment in ports, terminals and infrastructure to support relentless growth in trade with Asia. An increase in trade brings newer and larger vessels into our waters – balanced with the need to ensure our local waterways, environment and communities are sustained for generations to come. Robert Lewis-Manning is the President of the Chamber of Shipping, which represents commercial marine interests in Canada. Based in Vancouver, the Chamber works closely with legislators, industry partners and stakeholders, like Boating BC, to facilitate collaborative solutions. Robert will share an update on the deluge of activity in the commercial shipping sector, including initiatives in which the recreational boating community shares common interests.

ANTOINE Lejeune

Commercial Leader, Dealer Relationships, Wells Fargo Commercial Distribution Finance (CDF)

2017 Economic Overview of the Recreational Boating Industry

We are extremely pleased to welcome Antoine Lejeune, Commercial Leader, Dealer Relationships at Wells Fargo Commercial Distribution Finance who will kick off this year’s Boating BC Conference. Antoine is a CPA, CMA with a Business Administration Degree from the University of Montreal Business School ( HEC), and has been with Wells Fargo (formerly GE Capital) for 16  years. His internal and external commercial team members service CDF’s network of over 3,400 dealers across Canada ensuring dealers have the necessary credit facilities in place to meet their business targets. Antoine will share insights on the current economic status of the Canadian recreational boating industry.

MARTIN PAISH

Director, Business Development, Sport Fishing Institute of BC

2017 Sport Fishing Report

Fishing and recreational boating are directly connected: we know that 50% of people who own a boat use it to go fishing! Martin Paish, Director of Business Development at the Sport Fishing Institute of BC (SFI), and a seasoned professional in both the recreational boating and fishing industries, will join us at the 2017 Boating BC Conference to share an update on SFI’s latest initiatives, trends and forecasts for the 2018 fishing season and key issues and opportunities facing the fishery over the longer term.

BEN NEMTIN

New York Times #1 Bestselling Author and MTV Personality

What Do You Want to Do Before You Die?

Ben Nemtin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Do You Want To Do Before You Die, the star of the MTV show The Buried Life, and an internationally renowned keynote speaker. As the co-founder of The Buried Life movement, Ben’s message of radical possibility has been featured in major media including The Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, FOX, ABC, CBS, NBC News, and more. Oprah Winfrey called Ben’s life work “truly inspiring.”

In a pit of depression, Ben and his three best friends decided to create the world’s greatest bucket list to make them feel alive. They bought a rickety old bus and criss-crossed North America, achieving the unthinkable. And most importantly, every time they accomplished a dream, they helped a complete stranger cross something off their bucket list. From playing basketball with President Obama to streaking a soccer field, from raising over $400,000 for charity to placing a record-breaking $250,000 bet on roulette—Ben’s bucket list quest has inspired millions to chase their dreams and to help others along the way.