Gary Jobson and Ken Read to take part in Sailing Leadership Forum 2014

by Jake Fish on 21 Nov 2013 Former US Sailing President Gary Jobson will be taking part in the first-ever Sailing Leadership Forum 2014 at the Hilton San Diego Resort on February 6-8. The 2011 National Sailing Hall of Fame inductee will be making opening remarks as the official MC, and participating in several of the forum’s panel discussions and breakout sessions with attendees.

Jobson has championed a number of sailing industry education and networking events, including the first-ever Yacht Club Summit in 2011, which brought together leaders from sailing organizations around the country for a unique opportunity to learn from industry leaders. In many ways, the momentum built from the Yacht Club Summit inspired the creation of the Sailing Leadership Forum that will connect sailors from all areas of our sport.

Jobson has won multiple one-design class championships, the America’s Cup in 1977, and the infamous 1979 Fastnet Race. The Annapolis, Maryland native is a renowned sailing author and television commentator. Most recently, Jobson covered the 34th America’s Cup for NBC. In 1988, Jobson won an Emmy for his production of sailing at the Olympic Games in South Korea, and won an Emmy for the 2006 Volvo Ocean Race on PBS.

Jobson has been the National Chairman of The Leukemia Cup Regatta program since 1994. He was elected President of the National Sailing Hall of Fame in January 2013.

It has been announced by US Sailing that Ken Read will be a featured keynote presenter at the inaugural Sailing Leadership Forum 2014.

As an elite active sailor today, Read came up through the ranks like so many others. Read will share new ideas from the knowledge he has gained throughout his diverse sailing career, both on and off the water, and bring a fresh perspective on innovative ways to grow the sport. Read will encourage Sailing Leadership Forum attendees on how to break the mold with an energized approach that will set the stage for this signature US Sailing event.

Read’s impressive resume includes 46 World, North American, and National Championships in a variety of classes. He is a two-time America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race helmsman. The Newport, Rhode Island native was named US Sailing’s Rolex Yachtsman of the Year in 1985 and 1995.

Read delivered live commentary this year for the 34th America’s Cup and Louis Vuitton Cup for the NBC and NBC Sports networks. He was also named President of North Sails in January, Sailing Leadership website