Active Interest Media (AIM) Marine Group held their Inaugural Editor’s Choice Awards on Friday October 26, 2012 during the 53rd Annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show where the group honored Madame Annette Bénéteau-Roux with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

AIM Marine Group, publisher of magazines such as PassageMaker, POWER & MOTORYACHT, Yachts International, SAIL and Soundings hosted the event to pay tribute to the marine industry’s best of 2012. While presenting Bénéteau-Roux the Lifetime Achievement Award, Efrem Zimbalist III, chief executive of AIM joked to a crowd of approximately 300 people, “Once in a while a resume takes 45 minutes to read, but even that amount of time wouldn’t approach explanation of the icon’s influence on our industry.”

Madame Annette Bénéteau-Roux is the granddaughter of Benjamin Bénéteau who founded the Beneteau shipyard nearly 130 years ago. Today, the company continues to thrive under the leadership of Madame Bénéteau-Roux who serves as the supervisory board vice president of parent company Groupe Beneteau. In her remarks about the many positive developments in the industry, Bénéteau-Roux stated, “The marine industry has come a long way since my beginnings in 1964.” She further acknowledged the support of industry partners and as well as Beneteau competitors thanking them for their contributions toward advancing the world of pleasure cruising.

Robert C. Arzbaecher, chief executive officer of Actuant Corp., received the Good Samaritan Award honoring his courageous efforts as the skipper of the Beneteau First 40.7, known as Sociable, for the rescue he and his crew made during the Chicago to Mackinac race in 2011.

“The Best Passagemaker” in the 30 to 40-foot category was awarded to the Beneteau Swift Trawler 34. The smallest in the range, the Swift Trawler 34 recently completed the circumnavigation of the Eastern United States, a route widely known as the Great Loop, covering over 5,300 miles in less than 4 months and documenting the journey on www.TheGreatestLoop.com.

“The Best Import Motoryacht” in the 70 to 80-foot category was awarded to the Monte Carlo Yachts 70, which debuted in Italy this past summer and is set to make her North American premiere at the Yacht & Brokerage Show in Miami Beach, Florida in February 2013.

“We’re thrilled to see Groupe Beneteau honored with three awards from the AIM Marine Group editors,” commented Laurent Fabre, president of Beneteau America. “It’s of course an immense pleasure, but also the validation of over a century of hard work and commitment to excellence,” Fabre added.

Groupe Beneteau is the parent company of Beneteau, CNB Yachts, Jeanneau, Lagoon, Monte Carlo Yachts and Prestige producing thousands of runabouts, cruisers, trawlers, sailboats, semi-custom yachts and mega yachts annually in ranges from 16 to 150 feet. The number one mono and multi-hull sailboat builder in the world, Groupe Beneteau continues development of both its sailboat and powerboat offerings. Considered one of the leading builders of motoryachts on the European stage, the Groupe Beneteau powerboat brands are now rapidly gaining popularity in both North and South America.