Captains Michael Schueler and Ian Bone have recently announced that the Yacht Captains Association, Inc. (YCA), a non-profit association dedicated to professional yacht captains based in Florida‘s Fort Lauderdale, has formally initiated a partnership with Ziebart Consulting, LLC to provide management services associated with the formation as well as launch of the YCA. Ziebart Consulting is owned by Geoff and Lori Ziebart and has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Washington, DC.

“Geoff and Lori’s impeccable track record providing management consulting services for associations and major corporations is a perfect strategic fit for the next stage in the formation of the YCA,” said Captain Schueler. “We are extremely pleased to make this announcement to the global yachting community in connection with the 2014 Palm Beach International Boat Show.”

Working with YCA’s founding Management Committee the Ziebarts will finalize the governance structure, manage print and digital branding initiatives, oversee budget and planning, establish a full range of member benefits, coordinate educational programming, and launch a comprehensive membership campaign. “For nearly a year, Captains Bone and Schueler diligently have explored with captains and industry leaders the need for and prospects of an association solely dedicated to professional yacht captains. The response to their discussions has been universally positive, and we are proud to partner in the launch and management of this exciting initiative,” said Geoff Ziebart.

“We always have maintained that we seek to form this organization with the input of yacht captains as well as other sectors of the yachting industry,” said Captain Bone. “Our position of a measured approach to its formation has not altered, and we will work carefully and diligently with Geoff and Lori to advance our vision.”

In addition to Bone and Schueler, Captains Wendy Umla, Chris Lewis and Michael French are members of the YCA founding management committee. In the coming weeks, they will begin recruiting members worldwide.

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.

Ziebart Consulting, LLC is an association management and strategic public affairs consulting firm with offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Washington, DC. Principals Geoff and Lori Ziebart possess more than 50 years of combined experience in public and private sector engagement.