US Superyaucht Association to present at Sitka Chamber Luncheon

Weekly luncheons are held every Wednesday at noon. Enjoy great food, dynamic speakers, and exciting networking opportunities. Chamber luncheons are open to the public. Chamber members receive special member-only pricing.

Executive Lunch Sponsor
Residential Mortgage
Upgrade to the Executive Lunch and receive VIP treatment including cookies and special prize drawings.

Speaker
Kitty McGowan
U.S. Superyacht Association

Biography
Kitty McGowan is the president of NautiCom Communications, Inc. an association management, public relations and marketing company, focusing on the unique needs of the marine industry.

After leaving the yachting industry in 1992 where she served as a chef aboard such high profile yachts as Octopussy, Thunderball and Moonraker, Kitty relocated stateside and took an executive position with the Marine Industries Association of South Florida- owners of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (the world’s largest).  While there, she helped grow the non-profit trade organization into the largest regional marine association in the country.  It was in that position where she developed the foundation for her own company, NautiCom Communications.

As the president and CEO of NautiCom Communications, Kitty created a company that quickly established itself as a marine industry specialist.  She was able to utilize all her diverse skills and vast experience to become one of the most sought after marine industry leaders.

During this time she took over the management and organization of the region’s oldest and most respected billfish tournament—The Fort Lauderdale Billfish Tournament.  This ailing event prospered under her guidance and grew to new heights over her ten years of leadership.  She was also hired to consult with such world-class tournaments as the Bertram-Hatteras Shootout and was commissioned to start a first-class Tournament series in Los Suenos, Costa Rica.  In addition, she spent several years as the chief consultant for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s national fishing fundraising programs.  In that role, she helped raise millions of dollars for the Charity.  She also consulted with the Miami Dolphins to help grow their fundraising fishing tournament.  Today, that event raises nearly a million dollars a year for their Foundation charities.

Kitty was also able to utilize her diverse skills to develop a strong public relations and marketing clientele—creating powerful brands and creative campaigns to promote her superyacht industry clients.

Three years ago, Kitty and her team were tapped to take over the reins of a fledgling national marine trade association, the U.S. Superyacht Association.  Over that time, she has taken this small regionally-based association from relative obscurity to a powerful national force in the industry!  She has doubled the membership to more than 250, developed a national advocacy platform, and expanded the leadership to encompass the entire U.S.!

For more than 25 years, Kitty has been a leader in all aspects of the boating industry – from fishing to yachting and everything in between.  She currently lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida—the Yachting Capital of the World.

In addition to her work with Nauticom, Kitty was appointed to the Marketing Advisory Committee  for Broward County’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, served as a board member for the Marine Industries Association of South Florida for two terms, was a member of the Class XXV for Leadership Broward, was Co-Team Leader for Broward Days, works on the Boat Parade committee and served as the MC for the VIP area, past Skipper for the Fort Lauderdale Mariner’s Club, served on the Superbowl Host Committees for 1999 and 2010 games, board member for Pinion—a fundraising organization for Special Olympics of Broward County and was appointed by the Governor to serve two terms as an industry representative on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.