NMEA & IMEA International Ambassador Program
The National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA), in conjunction with the International Marine Electronics Alliance (IMEA) has launched an International Ambassador Program which brings together outstanding professionals in the marine electronics field from throughout the world. The program is designed to strengthen NMEA’s installer training & interface standards across the globe. NMEA and IMEA are proud to introduce the following ambassadors who will proudly waive the NMEA Flag in their home country.
|
Alex Quintinailla- Costa Rica
Alexis Quintanilla Elizondo is a licensed Electrical Engineer and Marine Systems Specialist from Costa Rica with over eight years of marine industry experience and more than twenty years in electrical systems. He has extensive experience in the design, installation, commissioning, troubleshooting, inspection, and integration of marine electrical and vessel systems. His expertise includes vessel electronics, NMEA 2000 networks, refrigeration, steering systems, generators, and advanced yacht systems. He has contributed to the construction, outfitting, and modernization of custom yachts ranging from 36 to 65 feet, following ABYC, NMEA, NEC, and marine industry standards. Alexis has also worked in marine engineering, system integration, technical inspections, compliance reviews, commissioning, and sea-trial support. He currently serves as Technical Director of ENCODEM CR and CEO of ENCODEM LLC, leading engineering projects, consulting services, and international marine technology initiatives while promoting industry education and standards. |
|
|
Agusto Jovin- Ecuador
Agusto Jovin is the general manager of SKYTEC, ane the exclusive Garmin distributor for Ecuador. They have authorized retailers throughout the country, covering every corner through retail outlets and direct service. Currently, SKYTEC is the country's leading center for GPS and related technology, serving diverse fields such as recreational, personal, professional, and industrial marine applications. Agusto and his team are Garmin and Airmar certified, and want to expand NMEA awareness and training to his country. Agusto is proud to be the NMEA Ambassador in Ecuador and is backed by customized, user-friendly, and cutting-edge technological solutions and comprehensive service, warranty, and support. |
|
|
Nicolas Guerin- France
After graduating with an MSc from the University of Nottingham, UK, Nicolas joined Digital Yacht, where I have played a key role in driving innovation and global market expansion. With over 10 years of experience in marine electronics, Nicolas has built a versatile skill set that bridges the gap between frontline customer support and high-level product development. In 2020, he established and have since led Digital Yacht’s European office in Le Havre, France, the biggest boating market in Europe. In this role, Nicolas oversees not only sales and marketing activities, but also engineering and R&D, contributing to the development of innovative marine electronics. Nicolas is eager to embed NMEA technologies, training and standards into the French marine industry to make for better marine electronics integration and operation onboard. |
|
|
Geert Jan Smoulders- Netherlands
Geert-Jan has been running an RYA sail training centre in the Netherlands for the last 23 years and is an avid sailer and electronics user and trainer. Together with his experience as a Raymarine College instructor this gives a good understanding of the needs and wants of a wide range of boaters in the Netherlands. Geert-Jan has been assisting with NMEA trainings in Amsterdam during the METS show for the last 10 years. He fully understands the need for more training in his country and plans to expand this in 2027. Geert-Jan operates a Beneteau First 36 sailboat which was recently upgraded to a full electric drive and has a vast knowledge of NMEA networks and on board electric and electronics systems. |
|
|
Piotr Cywinski- Poland
Piotr Cywiński is a marine electronics specialist associated with Navinord, a company focused on marine electrical and navigation-communication systems. Peter specializes in practical onboard systems integration and effective collaboration with shipyards on marine projects across Europe, Asia, and North America. He also acts as an industry ambassador and practitioner-oriented engineer, emphasizing durable, integrator-friendly solutions used in real maritime operations. |
|
|
Luis Arzola- Puerto Rico
Luis serves as an NMEA Ambassador for Puerto Rico, bringing a decade of dedicated experience to the marine electronics industry. He is the owner and founder of Marine Revolution, a company specialized in the sales, service, and installation of advanced marine electronic equipment. Luis has been a pivotal figure in expanding NMEA's training reach to the Spanish-speaking market, actively working on translating official courses from English to Spanish. In addition to his translation work, he serves as a technical instructor for NMEA training programs in Puerto Rico and Miami, where he applies his extensive expertise in navigation and NMEA 2000® networks. |
|
|
Ruben Malvido- Spain
Ruben Malvido has nearly two decades of experience in the marine and shipbuilding industries, combining technical education, engineering expertise, and hands-on work in Spain’s key shipbuilding regions. For the past fourteen years, Ruben has been based in Valencia, where he founded RN Yacht Electric to elevate technical service standards in the yachting sector. Under his leadership, the company has grown into a rapidly expanding, full-service provider specializing in marine electrical engineering, electronics, automation, and integrated vessel systems. His career reflects a combination of hands-on technical skill and strategic leadership, with a strong focus on innovation, professional development, and industry advancement. |
|
|
Rainer Dobring- Trinidad & Tobago
Rainer Dobring, originally from Germany re located to Trinidad and Tobago over 25 years ago to focus on marine electronics sales, installation, and service. His company, Electropics is a full service dealer in his region for all major brands of marine electronics. Rainer and his focused team services both the commercial and recreational vessels that reside or traverse the islands during the seasons, especially hurricaine season. Rainer is a long time NMEA Conference attendee and fellow NMEA Dealer member. He fully understands the mission of the association, and is happy to promote the works of NMEA in his region as our ambassador. |
|
|
Mohamed Mostafa Abdellatif- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Mohamed Mostafa Abdellatif is a NavCom Engineer with over five years of experience specializing in the installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of marine navigation and communication systems, including ECDIS, Radar, GMDSS, and VDR. He is currently working for Exalto Emirates in UAE , where he handles equipment from leading marine electronics manufacturers, including Navico, Sperry Marine, Danelec, FURUNO, and JRC. Throughout his career, he has completed over 200 projects involving system installation, radio surveys, and troubleshooting of NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 networks on both large SOLAS vessels and smaller craft. Mohamed serves as the NMEA Ambassador for the UAE and is fluent in Arabic, English, and German. |
|
|
Marcelino Plazola Ortega- Mexico
Marcelino has been instrumental in expanding NMEA’s training reach throughout Latin America, helping to launch Spanish-language marine electronics installer training programs. In 2025, Marcelino helped NMEA conduct a pilot Spanish-language training program in Costa Rica. The success of this initiative led to NMEA’s recent decision to expand Spanish training offerings to Puerto Rico and Miami in May, and additional training 2026 dates planned for Mexico as NMEA continues its training expansion in Central America. Marcelino works full-time maintaining private vessels at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he applies his expertise in marine electronics systems and vessel operations. |
|
|
Octavio Guazzelli- Brazil
Octavio brings more than 40 years of technology development and implementation expertise to his role. An inventor and entrepreneur, he has consulted on high-stakes projects across automotive, aerospace, and marine sectors for clients including Ferrari, Porsche, Embraer, and others. From 1988 to 1993, he served as Telemetry Chief Engineer at Minardi F1 Team and helped Ferrari develop its telemetry system. Most recently, he has devoted his attention to the Digital Sea Project with the Brazilian Navy, developing applications for search-and-rescue and vessel tracking for leisure boats. |
|
|
Bjorn Nagelhout- Italy
Bjorn earned his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Utrecht University before joining AvMap Satellite Navigation in Tuscany, Italy, where he has built a career in international sales and business development. His work has included sales projects with Kenwood Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) technology and automotive partnerships with Citroën in the Netherlands. Since November 2009, he has managed AvMap’s Aviation Division, expanding his responsibilities in April 2020 to include the marine division. He oversees commercial operations including distribution, sales, marketing, exhibitions, product development, and customer support for projects worldwide. |
|
|
Ken Harrison– Canada
Ken brings more than twenty years of experience as a manufacturer’s representative serving Canada’s marine industry and working with leading brands including Furuno, Time Zero, Hatteland, Boeing, Veratron, and Egis. As an advocate for NMEA Standards and training across the country, he has been instrumental in promoting NMEA 2000 adoption since 2005. His expertise spans integrated bridge navigation systems and automated maneuvering systems for commercial vessels, superyachts, technical dealers, original equipment manufacturers, and boat yards. |
|
|
Mert Köseoğlu- Turkey
Mert serves as Business Development Director at Vanemar, an active NMEA member delivering innovative marine electronics and digital vessel solutions worldwide. He is also a naval architect and marine surveyor, and founder of Boreas Marine, a consultancy specializing in yacht new-build projects, technical surveys, and condition assessments with particular emphasis on electronics integration and regulatory compliance. |
|
|
Panagiotis Kosioris- Germany
Born in Athens and educated as an electronic engineer, Panagiotis built a 20-year career in automotive electronics before bringing his technical expertise to the marine industry. As System Safety Engineer at Robert Bosch GmbH, he specializes in balancing strict safety requirements with practical budgets for automated driving systems. His experience extends from complex automotive electronics to open-sea applications: as a boat owner, he leverages his background to ensure that marine innovation is both interoperable and reliable. |
|
|
Josh Keets- United Kingdom
Josh brings nearly 7 years of marine electronics expertise to his role as NMEA International Ambassador for the United Kingdom. A Solutions Engineer at Actisense specializing in NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183, he has served as an NMEA 2000 trainer for three years with plans to expand NMEA training across Europe. Based in the South of England with an electrical engineering background, Josh bridges technical standards and real-world installation challenges. His practical guidance on troubleshooting NMEA network issues is widely referenced by installers and integrators throughout the industry. |
|
|
Petar Maksimović- Malta
Petar brings more than 25 years of marine electronics expertise to his role as NMEA International Ambassador in Malta. Based in Marsaskala, he currently serves as a marine electronics specialist with Medcomms Limited, delivering installation, commissioning, and service of communication, navigation, autopilot, GMDSS, VDR, ECDIS, and advanced energy systems across vessel types ranging from small fishing boats to large container ships—more than 1,200 in his career. Before relocating to Malta, Petar spent 13 years as managing director of INFO TEAM d.o.o., the official Garmin distributor for Serbia, combining leadership with hands-on technical work. He holds certifications from more than a dozen leading marine electronics manufacturers. |
|
If you are a respected marine electronics professional with passion for your industry and an interest in representing NMEA in your region, please email NMEA President Mark Reedenauer at [email protected] for more information.
