May 5, 2026

The National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) is proud to launch 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 is proud to introduce the following eight ambassadors:

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. 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.

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.

Marcelino Plazola Ortega-Mexico

Marcelino serves as a board member of the International Marine Electronics Alliance (IMEA), a supporting organization of NMEA. He 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.

Become an NMEA International Ambassador
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 mreedenauer@nmea.org  for more information.