Our Wonderful Sponsors

Certina watches are known for their precision, reliability and sporty character. The sport watch brand has an international reputation built on quality Swiss workmanship, throughout its 125-year history. Water is the source of all life. Perhaps this is the reason why humans have always been so fascinated by this element. Certina also succumbed to the magic of the oceans long ago, dedicating a series of timepieces to life above and under water. Certina’s passion for the world’s oceans dates back to the 1960s, when the brand equipped two underwater projects that aroused international attention. Certina’s maritime models are the ideal companion on holiday, but they can also be much more than that. Thanks to their dynamic design they look great both at the conference table and at a smart dinner. They are reliable and elegant sport watches – and radiate a lust for life.

At Fahlo, we partner with non-profit organizations to create cause-related bracelets that come with an animal to track, while helping give back to the various organizations actually doing the tracking and research. By combining a tangible bracelet and interactive tracking experience, our goal is to educate customers about wildlife and excite them about conservation.

Atlantis, Paradise Island is a unique, ocean-themed destination located on Paradise Island, The Bahamas, and features a variety of accommodations, all built around a 141-acre waterscape comprised of over 20 million gallons of fresh and seawater lagoons, pools, and habitats. Home to the largest open-air marine habitat in the world, there are over 50,000 marine animals in lagoons and displays, including The Dig, a maze of underwater corridors and passageways providing a journey through ancient Atlantis. Atlantis supports multiple Bahamian and Caribbean marine conservation programs through the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation and has helped preserve over one million acres of marine habitat in The Bahamas. Learn more at BlueProjectAtlantis.

Turtle (Formally Turtle & Hughes) has close to 100 years of market experience and ranks among the top 20 electrical distribution companies nationwide. With over 800 employees, it is an independent, woman-owned business that services the industrial, construction, commercial, electrical contracting, export and utility markets. It leads in sustainable products and solutions. Turtle Green is one of the industry’s first sustainable electrical/industrial e-commerce product catalogs. Turtle services Fortune 100 companies operating nationwide, and in Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico. www.turtle.com

Saving our oceans one paddle board at a time! GILI Sports was founded for two reasons: to help save the world’s oceans and sea creatures in a sustainable way, and to design and build the best stand up paddle boards possible. They manufacture high quality paddle boards and sell them direct to you – cutting out the middle men. When you purchase a GILI Paddle Board, a portion of that board sale goes directly to saving our world’s oceans and sea creatures. Check out their Save The Turtles products or Teal SUPs to help support STC at www.gilisports.com

The Disney Conservation Fund is committed to saving wildlife and building a diverse global community inspired to protect the magic of nature together. Since 1995, Disney Conservation has directed $125 million and the expertise of our dedicated teams to support organizations working with communities to save wildlife, inspire action, and protect the planet. (www.disney.com/conservation)

Graft was created by siblings Kyle & Sara Sherrer to develop a new kind of cider company. Their concept was two-fold: paying respect to old-world style of cider making while simultaneously experimenting with modern brewing techniques. All of Graft’s ciders employ century-old European traditions of using wild yeast and bacteria to ferment to dryness. They then harness the flavor profiles created from this style of natural cider and develop unique and innovative styles which take a nod from some of the best craft beer producers in the world. They are a small company with a big dream of bringing sour cider to the masses and have assembled an amazing team of people to help bring it to you!

The Disney Cruise Line vacation is an experience of a lifetime and a voyage like no other. Cruising with Disney creates fun and adventures for every age group young and old. Disney Cruise Line promises to bring out your “kid at heart” and build memories of a lifetime. Disney Cruise Line gives its guests the opportunity to embrace the spirit of imagination with cruise entertainment for every member in the family. The journey begins here at Disney Cruise Line, the most exciting, magical cruise line in the world. There is nobody who creates magic like Disney.

Gimme is an eco-conscious choice. The entire product line is made with premium USDA Certified organic and Non-GMO Project Verified seaweed sustainably cultivated and harvested. From our sustainable practices to our commitment to using the best ingredients, together we can help keep your diet and our environment healthy. We’re a family company with a real passion for creating healthy superfood snacks that taste great. Together, we founded gimMe to share our passion and love of healthy snacking with you and your family.

Inspired by sea turtles, NaVetor veterinary cloud software is beautifully designed to be the most intuitive software available, balancing advanced features with ease of use. For every sale of NaVetor, we donate to the Sea Turtle Conservancy to support sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation. NaVetor is part of the software portfolio available through Patterson Veterinary.Patterson helps practices of all sizes and connects them with the equipment, technology, expertise and solutions to help them practice extraordinary medicine and take their businesses to the next level. With over 75 years in the animal health industry, we have become one of North America’s largest providers of veterinary products and solutions. https://www.navetor.com/

World Nomads assists independent and adventurous travelers to get the most from their travel experiences and explore their boundaries. Stay safe on the road with global travel insurance and the latest travel safety tips, plan your trip with insider destination guides and recommendations from other nomads, explore your passion for storytelling on a travel scholarship and give back to the places you love through our Footprints charity program.

The Turtle Hospital in Marathon in the Florida Keys opened its doors 1986 with four main goals: 1) rehab injured sea turtles and return them to their natural habitat, 2) educate the public through outreach programs and visit local schools, 3) conduct and assist with research aiding to sea turtles (in conjunction with state universities), and 4) work toward environmental legislation making the beaches and water safe and clean for sea turtles.

Four Seasons is dedicated to perfecting the travel experience through continuous innovation and the highest standards of hospitality. The company’s guiding principle is the Golden Rule, and as such Four Seasons strives to have a long-lasting, positive influence on the communities where we operate and on the people we employ and serve around the world. We believe that this is integral to our success as a company. Four Seasons involves employees and guests in the common goal of preserving and protecting the planet. We engage in sustainable practices that conserve natural resources and reduce environmental impact. As importantly, sustainable tourism will enhance and protect the destinations where Four Seasons operates for generations to come.

Shark Reef is dedicated to establishing and maintaining the highest standards of animal care, to providing its visitors with an entertaining and educational experience, and to the practice of meaningful research and conservation initiatives. Several initiatives are taken by Shark Reef to encourage the message of conservation and preservation. Recycling facility water and implementing imitation coral into exhibits to preserve natural resources are just two ways Shark Reef sets the example..

Hurricane Hanks, located in Holmes Beach has been proudly serving locals and tourists alike since 2000. Our focus is on great food built with fresh high-quality ingredients and a causal and fun atmosphere for all. As a locally owned and operated business we wanted our charitable giving to reflect our local roots. As a result we are a co-founding sponsor of Turtle Watch Wednesday, an annual fundraising event for Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch & Shorebird Monitoring. The funds raised support efforts to maintain a suitable habitat for sea turtles, shorebirds and the island ecosystem.

Waterline Villas & Marina, Autograph Collection®, is the only full-service resort on Anna Maria Island, Florida. The boutique waterfront hotel offers exclusive amenities, distinctive services and numerous opportunities for guests to enjoy the authentic, laidback, beach town vibe of Anna Maria Island. The resort features 37 stylish two-bedroom villa-condos with gourmet kitchens; a 50-slip marina offering a variety of water activities; the French-inspired signature restaurant, The Chateau Anna Maria; and a resort style swimming pool with oversized sun deck extending into the marina. Through a partnership with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch & Shorebird Monitoring, the resort supports efforts to maintain a suitable habitat for sea turtles, shorebirds and the island ecosystem through special guest programs, promotions and messaging. Learn more at WaterlineResort.com.

Event Sponsor

Avanti is a mid-sized agency that builds brands from the ground up. With clients ranging from Fortune 500 multinationals to innovative SMBs and not-for-profits, there is no project too big or too small. We get excited by the prospect of seeing our clients go from Concept to Creation with their go-to-market launches and beyond. We are a sounding board for our clients that drives loyalty and continued relationships that span years and even decades. We source our talent based on their unique set of skills and imagination to build an environment that has cultivated the best minds in art, design, technology, and innovation. We don’t measure our success based on the time-clock. We believe that the greatest measure of success is in the product we deliver. Avanti means moving forward in Italian— and that is exactly what we do. We identify opportunities to drive business forward. Visit Avanti Branding to learn more.

Research Partners

Leatherback sea turtles are an endangered species. They are very vulnerable to fisheries bycatch, marine pollution and coastal development. In Florida, their nest counts and the number of individual nesting turtles are increasing. Florida Leatherbacks Inc. conducts an intensive night time study utilizing mark recapture, satellite tracking, and genetic studies to unravel the mystery of the leatherback sea turtle. By tagging individual turtles and documenting every encounter, we can better understand the size and health of the population as well as basic parameters like nest frequency, individual size, migratory patterns, and survival rates.

For 30+ years Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch (AMITW) has coordinated conservation efforts for 12 miles of Manatee County shoreline. In three decades, we monitored 7339 turtle activities, protected 4454 nests, 301, 694 turtle eggs, and watched 271,680 hatchlings depart to become a future generation of loggerheads that will return to the region as they reach maturity.

The Marine Turtle Research Group is a group of UCF professional scientists and student volunteers dedicated to undertaking fundamental and applied research on marine turtles whilst supporting local capacity building and environmental awareness efforts necessary for successful conservation. The group of UCF graduate and undergraduate students study sea turtles along the Atlantic shores as the females return to the beach to nest and juvenile green turtles gather in the nearby Indian River Lagoon.

The Nevis Turtle Group (NTG) is dedicated to the development of a Sea Turtle Conservation Program for Nevis that involves local communities, and ensures that sea turtles will be there for the use of present and future generations. NTG was formed in 2003 by Lemuel Pemberton. Once formed, NTG gathered together a number of concerned volunteers to help monitoring the nesting beaches on Nevis. NTG volunteers work at night on beaches around Nevis to tag sea turtles and collect information about the nesting and movement of Nevis’ sea turtles. Additional information, such as levels of nest predation and poaching are collected during morning surveys. NTG also gives presentations about sea turtles at local schools and works to involve children in sea turtle related activities.