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Emmy Award-Winning Host Kevin O’Connor to Deliver IBEX Keynote Address

Kevin O'Connor

Aug 12, 2025

The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX) has announced that Emmy-award winning host Kevin O’Connor will deliver the keynote address during its annual Industry Breakfast, taking place on October 7 from 7:30-9:30 a.m.

Kevin O’Connor is the Emmy-award-winning host of the PBS series “This Old House and Ask This Old House” and has been on the shows since 2003. In 2022, This Old House received a Lifetime Achievement Emmy and joins only two other series awarded with this honour – 60 Minutes and Sesame Street. Prior to his television career, Kevin practiced finance and most recently was a Senior Vice President at Bank of America.

Drawing on over twenty years of experience on job sites, Kevin O’Connor will offer an insider’s perspective from his work on the longest-running home improvement television program. He shares transformative methods and innovative concepts derived from working with hundreds of companies and contractors. These organizations navigated uncertain times, embraced significant change, and achieved success.

Through insightful examples and practical recommendations, Kevin will address key industry challenges—including labour shortages, mentorship, productivity, and the drive for innovation. His compelling keynote encourages audiences to welcome change and strive not just for conventional standards, but for the continuous improvement the industry truly demands.

IBEX’s Industry Breakfast kicks off the three-day event and will also feature a State of the Industry address by NMMA President & CEO Frank Hugelmeyer and the Innovation Awards. Registration is required. Questions about the Industry Breakfast? Contact Rachel Harmon, rharmon@nmma.org.

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