02/01/2022

Gary Smith, CPYB, Sarasota Yachts Presented the Vincent J. Petrella Chairman’s Award

 

(Annapolis, MD) On January 27, 2022, during the International Yacht Brokers Association’s (IYBA) 2022 Annual Dinner in Sunrise, Florida, the Certified Professional Yacht Broker (CPYB) program presented the 2021 Vincent J. Petrella Chairman’s Award to Gary Smith, CPYB, owner of Sarasota Yacht and Ship in Sarasota, Florida. Vin Petrella presented the award which was accepted by Staley Weidman on Gary's behalf.

The CPYB Chairman's Award, first presented in 2019, was renamed in 2020 for Vin Petrella, honoring him as  the founding member and first chairman of the Certification Advisory Council. Awardees represent individuals actively engaged in boating and sailing activities on a local, regional, and/or national level; exemplify professionalism, ethical behavior, and business practices that are the trademark of the CPYB certification; actively promote the CPYB program as a way for industry professionals to demonstrate their knowledge and professionalism; and serve the community to help those in need.

“Gary Smith is a certified professional yacht broker who exemplifies a true leader in our profession and a dedicated volunteer to the needs of the community,” said Vincent Petrella, who presented the award to Smith. “He is a past member of the Certification Advisory Council, a current member of the Yacht Brokers Association of America (YBAA), and a long-term board member and past president of IYBA. He is a humanitarian whose efforts include flying personal aircraft for relief missions to the Bahamas and the Caribbean and enlisting the help of the aviation community to fly their planes for relief efforts. He is also supporter of the K1 Britannia Foundation, a thoughtful leader who instigated the enhanced working relationship between sister organizations YBAA and IYBA, and a leader, mentor, and great friend to the yacht brokerage industry.”

Visit www.cpyb.net for more information about the award.

 

About CPYB:

In January 2000, the Yacht Brokers Association of America (YBAA) held a series of focus groups at its annual conference to discuss the development of an industry-wide professional yacht broker certification program. In spring of that year, the YBAA Professional Development Committee kicked off the certification program design with the goals of raising the professional image of yacht brokers with the boating public and setting an appropriate standard for professional behavior.

Two years later, the Certified Professional Yacht Broker (CPYB) program was unveiled, and six prominent yacht broker associations joined YBAA as partner associations to promote and manage this program in collaborative alignment. Since then, hundreds of qualified yacht broker professionals have earned their designation. Learn more about the CPYB program at www.cpyb.net.