The NMMA and Boating Writers International (BWI) announced today the panel of judges set to evaluate product entries for the 2025 Discover Boating® Minneapolis Boat Show® Innovation Awards. Innovation Award winners will be announced Wednesday, January 22 at 6:00pm at Booth 803 – Plants & Things Lake Lounge.
The Innovation Awards judges’ committee is comprised of BWI members who perform product testing throughout the year and have specific expertise in marine products and equipment.
Judges for the 2025 Minneapolis Innovation Awards are:
Brady Kay (Chair): Kay is the executive editor of Pontoon & Deck Boat magazine and has been at the helm of the publication for 25 years. During his tenure, Brady has tested and reviewed countless pontoon and deck boats, traveled to all 50 states for feature profiles, and has taken thousands of photos. He served three years as president of Boating Writers International.
Bill Gius: Gius has been in the marine industry for over three decades. He has worked in brand and product management at Pabst Brewing, Mercury Marine, Kohler Company, Turning Point Propellers and iboats.com. He owns “Country Consulting,” a marine industry consulting firm recently retired from working with Great Lakes Marine Marketing, a long-standing, Midwest manufacturers rep company. Gius is also a contributing writer to Pontoon & Deck Boat magazine.
Charles Plueddeman: Plueddeman is a self-employed writer and photographer based in Wisconsin. A staff editor and contributor to Boating Magazine since 1986, he is the author of its "Off My Dock" column. His editorial work has appeared in many national publications, including Popular Mechanics, Men's Journal, Playboy, Popular Science, Cycle World, and Harley-Davidson Enthusiast. Charles is an avid road and mountain bicyclist and collects vintage Arctic Cat snowmobiles.
The Innovation Awards are one of the industry’s most prestigious honors, recognizing manufacturers and suppliers who bring new, innovative products for the boating industry to the market.
Entrants to the 2025 Minneapolis Innovation Awards include:
- Barletta Boats represented by Erickson Marine — Booth 1702
- Bennington — Booth 702
- Sea-Doo Pontoon represented by St. Boni Motorsports — Booth 113,114
- Harris — Booth 1201A
- Premier — Booth 1001
- Princecraft — Booth 203
- Skeeter — Booth 101A
- Sylvan represented by 61 Marine & Sports — Booth 2003
- Smoker Craft — Booth 202
- Viaggio — Booth 602B
For more information on the awards, visit MinneapolisBoatShow.com/Innovation-Awards.
