Maine Boat & Home Show Names New Manager for 2025

Marine industry marketing and communications veteran Kate Holden has been named Show Manager for the 2025 Maine Boat & Home Show, which returns to the Rockland waterfront August 8 to 10.

Holden brings more than 25 years of experience working for a range of companies, from small Maine-based businesses to large international associations and companies, including a 13-year stint on the executive management team for IBEX, an international trade event that serves the North American recreation marine industry. At IBEX she oversaw the company’s overall brand development, marketing and communications strategy, analytics and reporting, and managed a team of internal and external vendors and colleagues. 

The Maine Boat & Home Show, a production of Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine, is a celebration of life on the coast.“We’re excited that Kate’s joining our team well ahead of this year’s show,” said Ted Ruegg, owner and publisher of MBH&H. “She brings the skills and energy needed to put on a topnotch event, and her deep connections to Maine’s waterfront industries will be vital in helping us attract a diverse range of exhibitors to the state’s only in-water boat show and expo of coastal lifestyle companies.” 

“I look forward to working with Maine boatbuilders and craftspeople to create an engaging event that celebrates our coastal lifestyle,” Holden said. “This unique opportunity allows me to bring my experience in the industry back home to the coast of Maine to benefit the people and businesses here. As I navigate the next few months, I look forward to meeting the people involved in this annual show.”

Holden grew up in Brooklin, Maine, the self-proclaimed “Boat Building Capital of the World.” She spent her childhood there, playing on the beaches and in the ocean, before going on to earn degrees in ecology, marketing, and media studies from the University of Maine and the University of Southern Maine. She began her professional career at WoodenBoat Publications, where she worked in circulation, advertising sales, marketing, and show management. 

Now a Portland resident, Holden currently serves on the American Boat and Yacht Council’s Board of Directors. In her spare time, she enjoys cruising Penobscot Bay with her partner, Aaron, in their 34-foot Webbers Cove lobsterboat, Runaway. She still enjoys beaches and swimming in the ocean, loves to travel, and teaches yoga in her free time. 

The Maine Boat & Home Show, held on the waterfront in downtown Rockland since 2003, is a showcase of new and used boats, marine gear, fine arts, jewelry, furniture, crafts, food, and family fun. It attracts thousands of visitors annually to Midcoast Maine. 

For attendee and exhibitor information, contact Holden via email at showmanager@maineboats.com or visit maineboats.com/boatshow. She can also be reached at 207-632-7369. 

Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors, “The Magazine of the Coast,” is celebrating its 38th year. Noted for eclectic award-winning coverage of all aspects of coastal living, the magazine is for people who love Maine, the water, and boats, with articles and images about life along the Maine waterfront, whether on the ocean, lakes, or rivers. To subscribe, or to view past issues of the magazine visit maineboats.com.