Tuesday, December 08, 2015

2015 National Marina of the Year

MARINA JACK SELECTED as 2015 National Marina of the Year

Iconic Sarasota Facility Chosen for its Continuous Investment, Attention to Customer Service, and Partnership with the City of Sarasota.

Sarasota, FL--- December 7, 2015 Marina Jack is honored to announce it has been selected as the 2015 National Marina of the Year by Marina Dock Age magazine, the marina industry’s leading publication. This highly competitive accolade is awarded to one small marina with under 250 slips, and one large marina with over 250 slips each year. Marina Jack was selected in the large marina category. This year’s Small Marina of the Year award went to Harbour Town Yacht Basin located on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. The winning marinas are selected by achieving success through exemplary business practices, contributions to the marina industry, commitment to customer service and environmental responsibility.

Bob Soran – President, Marina Jack
Sam Chavers – Director of Marina Operations, Marina Jack

“This award is truly a testament to, not only our ownership, but our staff and customers,” said Sam Chavers, Director of Marina Operations at Marina Jack. “We’re honored and proud to represent the marina industry, the City of Sarasota, and our community with this nationally recognized distinction. Our business plan has always been to create points of difference for the customer in order to build one of the best marinas in the United States, and this award exemplifies our efforts towards that goal.”

Marina Jack’s submission data highlighted it’s partnership between public and private sectors, strong ties in community events, highly experienced staff, industry involvement with boat shows and local brokerage affiliations, development of the City’s first mooring field, and it’s certification as a Clean Marina for the past 12 consecutive years. Marina Jack also highlighted their reinvestment within the marina, creating a hospitality-based marina center by providing first class amenities and services to a wide variety of customers. Marina Jack is one of only a few marinas on the West Coast of Florida with the capacity to accommodate luxury mega-yachts up to 228’ in length.

Marina Dock Age Magazine is the only business-to-business publication serving the U.S. waterfront facilities segment of the marine industry. Marina Dock Age’s publication provides industry professionals, suppliers, and marketers with clear and practical advice, information, and education.

“What struck me most about Marina Jack was how much it had changed over the last fifteen years or so, continuing to evolve when many marinas were struggling with the economy,” said Anna Townshend, editor of Marina Dock Age Magazine. “The marina invested a lot of money in its facilities, but it also listened to its customers and partnered with the City of Sarasota on important projects. The growth and success at Marina Jack over the last ten years is no surprise, when you read about all the marina has done to get there. The hard work is important, but each facility needs the right vision. Marina Jack is so tuned into its market and its possibilities, I’m sure the facility will only continue to grow.”

Anna Townshend – Editor, Marina Dock Age Magazine
Joe Catell – Yacht Services Manager, Marina Jack
Sam Chavers – Director of Marina Operations, Marina Jack
Kat Wilson – Associate Manager of Public Services/Marketing Director, Marina Jack
Kim Eaton – SVP, Marinas.com
Annie Wilson – Transient Manager/Retail Merchandiser, Marina Jack

Marina Jack’s Owner Robert L. Soran, and Director of Marina Operations Sam Chavers, accompanied by the Marina’s Management Team (Annie Wilson, Kathryn Wilson, and Joe Catell) were on hand to accept the award at the inaugural Docks Expo industry conference in St. Louis, MO on December 3rd.

ABOUT MARINA JACK

Since 1968, Marina Jack has been the premier marina and waterfront dining destination on the West Coast of Florida. With direct, no bridge access to the Gulf, Marina Jack is an iconic marina-based hospitality center with 316 wet and dry slips, full service fuel dock, ship’s store, and on-site Yacht Services department. Additionally, Marina Jack offers three unique dining experiences overlooking Sarasota Bay as well as Sarasota’s best sightseeing and sunset dinner cruises aboard the Marina Jack II. Marina Jack’s Boutique Gift Shop offers a wide variety of nautical gift items, locally made souvenirs, and Marina Jack merchandise for land and sea lovers alike.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact:
Kathryn Wilson (Associate Manager of Public Relations) at (941) 914-9150 or via email at kat@marinajacks.com
Sam Chavers (Director of Marina Operations) at 941-955-9488 or via email at sam@marinajacks.com