Yacht Captains Association Announces Memorandum of Understanding with Nova Southeastern University’s Hudson Center of Entrepreneurship and Executive Education

Non-profit Association Dedicated to Professional Yacht Captains Launches Partnership with NSU to advance initiatives in executive education, leadership and management training, and research.

FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla – The Yacht Captains Association (YCA) has executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) Hudson Center of Entrepreneurship and Executive Education to provide executive education and leadership training programs for yacht captains and crew.  The partnership also will provide opportunities for collaborative research initiatives on issues of importance to the global yachting industry.

“From the outset, our founding leadership team has been dedicated to developing innovative opportunities for captains and crew interested in enhancing their careers through continuing education and executive leadership training,” said Captain Ian Bone, co-founder and Board Chair of YCA.  “Providing our member captains a pathway to complement their already extensive on-board management experience with tertiary academic credentials and specialized executive programs – while connecting them into the worldwide network of NSU alumni and faculty – can only expand their options in the future,” said Captain Bone.

John Riggs, D.B.A., NSU’s director of the Hudson Center, a division of NSU’s H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship, added, “We are proud to partner with YCA to leverage our existing programs and develop new offerings that meet the needs of this diverse professional community.”  Riggs added, “As a South Florida academic institution, we are based at the epicenter of North American yachting and understand the importance of the multi-billion dollar industry.  We are excited that through our partnership with YCA, the professionals who operate and maintain these yachts for high net worth individuals and companies will have access to the best research and ongoing educational opportunities available, and our faculty and student body will gain valuable insights into the industry.”

In addition to ongoing education, YCA’s partnership with NSU will focus on conducting research addressing yacht industry priorities.  Captain Bone and the YCA leadership team hope such research will be developed in concert with a variety of industry partners to improve the base of knowledge for the growing industry.  “There are dozens of surveys conducted each year in this industry, but the data often is incomplete or unscientific.  Captains are arguably the best conduit for obtaining empirical information about the thriving industry, and we all can benefit from a more professional approach to research,” said Captain Bone.  “We are confident NSU can help us achieve these goals and look forward to our partnership.”

For additional information contact Brian Morgan, M.B.A., NSU’s Business Development Specialist at briamorg@huizenga.nova.edu or 954-262-5161 or Geoff Ziebart , YCA Executive Director at  YCA@yachtcaptains.org or 877-333-0702.

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Formed by and exclusively for professional yacht captains, the Yacht Captains Association, Inc. (YCA) is a non-profit association dedicated to providing a wide range of services to a global membership, including: advocacy, regulatory monitoring, career development,  and educational training, and peer-to-peer networking opportunities.  For more information, visit: www.yachtcaptains.org.

Nova Southeastern University’s Hudson Center of Entrepreneurship and Executive Education is part of the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship – one of the few schools in the nation with entrepreneurship in its name.  Huizenga serves more than 6,600 students providing undergraduate degrees, master’s programs, and graduate certificates. It offers a variety of business degree programs including accounting, finance, marketing, human resource management, public administration and more.  For more information on the Hudson Center and NSU, visit: http://www.huizenga.nova.edu/ExecEd/. 

Media Contact:
Julie Spechler | Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5348 (office) | 954-591-3361(cell)
julies@nova.edu

Geoff Ziebart  l YCA Executive Director
877-333-0702
YCA@yachtcaptains.org