25th Annual History Fort Lauderdale History Makers Fundraiser Honoring The Denison Family & Marine Industries Association of South Florida

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History Fort Lauderdale

History Fort Lauderdale’s 25th annual History Makers fundraiser will honor The Denison Family (Broward Marine) and the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF).

History Fort Lauderdale, proud steward of our community’s past by making our heritage accessible and engaging to residents and visitors, will host its 25th annual History Makers fundraiser on Tuesday, March 31, at 6 p.m., at the Superyacht Pavilion facility on the south grounds of Pier Sixty-Six Hotel & Marina (2301 SE 17th Street in Fort Lauderdale). This year’s honorees are The Denison Family (Broward Marine), Broward County yachting industry forerunners, who will receive a History Makers Pioneer Family Award and the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF), which will be honored with a Legacy Business Award for its 60 years of industry and service at the event that commends individuals and companies who have made an impact on the growth of the City of Fort Lauderdale. Previous History Maker honorees have included The Forman Family, “Alligator Ron” Bergeron, City Commissioner Steven Glassman, developer Dev Motwani, H. Wayne Huizenga, Chris Evert and Jimmy Evert, The Sun-Sentinel, Winterfest and Susan and Buddy Lochrie.

The Denison’s company, Broward Marine, and its workforce, were largely responsible for much of the marine industry that developed over the course of their 50 years of yacht construction that started on the south fork of the New River in Fort Lauderdale. In 1948, on their honeymoon, Frank and Gertrude Denison decided to buy a boat yard on the New River and shortly, thereafter, became the largest employer in Broward County, as well as the largest defense contractor in Florida. The contracts they secured for the construction of US Navy minesweepers during this time period led to the construction of large motor yachts. The Denison’s yachting business, launched in the early 1950s with the construction of the largest yacht built in the US, post WWII, the ALISA V, eventually led them to become most prolific large yacht builder in the world in 1993. The first of only two yacht builders in the US to have received this recognition.

The Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF) is the largest marine trade organization in the Southeast United States dedicated to promoting, protecting, and growing the 111,000 middle class jobs in Broward County and 142,000 jobs regionally in marine businesses promoting boating lifestyles from family cruising and fishing to yachts and the goods and services that sustain them, driving the economic output to $8.9 billion in Broward County and $12 billion regionally. Created in 1961, the nonprofit trade group is focused on the sound growth of the marine industry in the South Florida Region to benefit its members, their customers, communities and the environment. The Association has over 500 members in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties and is the owner of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Through the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, advocacy efforts, programs and services of MIASF have combined to raise the professionalism of the industry and awareness of its impact and contributions by the public, elected, and regulatory officials at the local, state, and federal levels. Members have fostered a reputation for the region to be known as the goods and service center of the world for the yachting and marine community.

This year’s event will also celebrate the city’s 109th birthday with cocktails, food stations and entertainment.

Tickets for this year’s 25th anniversary History Makers fundraiser are $100 (online service charges not included) and can be purchased online at http://bit.ly/HFLHistoryMakers2020 or via email at info@flhc.org. Tickets are limited.

For more information about History Fort Lauderdale, please call (954) 463-4431 or visit us online at historyfortlauderdale.org. Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/ftlhistory on Instagram @ftlhistory and on Twitter @FLLhistory.

RSVP Link:

http://bit.ly/HFLHistoryMakers2020

FB Event Link:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1096675254012869/