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#FLIBS2015 Boat Show Recap: Thank You Fort Lauderdale! 

After five days of fun (November 5-9), the 2015 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) is over. FLIBS is the world’s largest in-water boat show. Thousands of exhibitors and approximately 100,000 attendees took away memories and possibly even a boat or accessory with them.

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show Booth Frigibar

Even after over a dozen FLIBS’ as an attendee and exhibitor, Frigibar President Shuly Oletzky couldn’t have had a better time at this year’s event. “It was a great show! The weather was great (for the most part), there were fantastic receptions, and once again, the show was even better than I had imagined.”

Asked about her favorite part of FLIBS 2015, Shuly said, “My favorite part is seeing our customers and meeting new ones. I love seeing all the people who knew my dad and tell me stories about how they used to work with him. Other favorite encounters are when customers share how well their (Frigibar freezer/refrigerator) units are still working 20-30 years after purchasing.”

This year Shuly will exhibit at six shows around the world, but FLIBS is a unique show. “I love this show because it’s consistently great and the whole community comes out to support it. The show is well laid out, easy to get around, and there is everything you’d want to do or see at a boat show.”

One of the unexpected bonuses of attending shows is that you never know who you might run into and the relationships you may form. When asked about the most memorable moment of the show, Shuly shared this story:

“I met a friend who I had only previously spoke to on the phone. We were introduced about a year ago when she moved from California to South Florida and was looking to get back into the marine industry. A few months back I introduced her to a female captain who is a friend and customer of mine. I felt it was beneficial for them to know each other and hoped it would be a good connection between them. My friend from California came to FLIBS and surprised me with a visit! I was so excited to finally meet her and took advantage of the fact that the Captain I had introduced her to was at the show. They got to meet in person for the first time too. This is a perfect example of how unexpected opportunities arise at events like these. If you ever wonder how memorable and valuable boat shows can be, this experience sums it up.”

Shuly didn’t take much time to relax before leaving the following week for METSTRADE, the world’s largest marine equipment trade show, held in Amsterdam November 17-19. Stay tuned for a recap of this event as well. Follow Frigibar on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to see what we’re up to, news updates, new products, and more.