Chairman’s Award

Vincent J. Petrella Chairman's Award

The Vincent Petrella Chairman's Award is given to nominees who meet the following criteria:

A CPYB in good standing
Actively engaged in boating/sailing activities on a local, regional and/or national level
Exemplify the professionalism, ethical behavior, and business practices that are the trademark of the CPYB certification
Actively promote the CPYB program as a way for industry professionals to demonstrate their knowledge and professionalism

About Vincent J. Petrella

Vin, as he’s known to those in the boating world, became active in the Yacht Brokers Association of America (YBAA) in the mid-1980s. He served on the Board and as YBAA President for two consecutive terms. In 1999, he proposed, and the YBAA Board approved, the CPYB concept.

As the first chairman of the Certification Advisory Council, Vin and representatives from six partner associations began the daunting task of determining the skills required of a professional yacht broker.

The program took several years to develop, creating a body of knowledge that brokers should know—as well as setting up the testing process. In 2002, the first broker was certified. There are now hundreds of Certified Professional Yacht Brokers in the United States and Canada.

In late 2010, YBAA offered Vin the Executive Director position. In that role, which he relinquished in 2019, Vin worked tirelessly to raise funds for YBAA and the CPYB program through sponsorships and scholarships, promoted the industry through the adoption of high business standards, a strict code of conduct, and ensured brokers had access to quality continuing education.