Annapolis Boat Shows, the organizer of some of the nation’s biggest in-water boat shows, is saying goodbye to its longtime General Manager, Paul Jacobs.
Jacobs announced his retirement ahead of the busy fall boat show season, saying, “It has been an honor to
have been the caretaker of these iconic events for the past dozen years. I have always considered Annapolis a magical place and the boat shows to be the best of their kind….50-plus years of assembling a large temporary marina and a city of tents in three days to then make It disappear just as quickly takes incredibly detailed planning, capable supervision, and a Herculean effort from a large group of dedicated workers.”
Show Manager Sheila Jones has been promoted to General Manager, and Annapolis Boat Shows is confident she won’t miss a beat leading up to the United States Powerboat Show running October 7-10, and the United
States Sailboat Show on October 14-18.
“I am thrilled to continue the time-honored tradition of the Annapolis Boat Shows,” said Sheila Jones. “Working side by side with Paul was an absolute pleasure and I look forward to continuing on the legacy of these iconic shows.”
Jones has already weathered major challenges managing the shows over the past year and a half, after the pandemic forced all 2020 shows to be canceled, and the 2021 spring sailboat and powerboat shows were combined into one Bay Bridge Boat Show on Kent Island for the first time.
Show owners Peter Trogdon, Bob Crain, and Mary Ewenson say Jones has more than proven herself: “She’s the face of the Shows and has provided excellent leadership through the pandemic and the difficult cancelation of the 2020 shows. Naming her as General Manager was the obvious choice. She’s hit the ground running, and we’re looking forward to excellent fall shows on her watch,” Ewenson says.
Annapolis Boat Shows has hosted in-water boat shows for decades in Annapolis, with the iconic sailboat show dating back to 1970. CBM is a proud media partner and longtime exhibitor at the fall shows. We’ll be hosting our traditional seminars together with our sister company Annapolis School of Seamanship—stay tuned for schedules.
–Meg Walburn Viviano
