Speakers: who's hot right now?

[ReefTECK]

We're planning our area's upcoming biannual frag swap/trade show (the Greater Iowa Reef Society) and I'm looking for a speaker who will draw a big crowd. I'm probably as familiar with the all stars of the trade as anyone, but I'm into who I'm into because of what I know about them, not necessarily because they're popular right now. Also, I don't know who's available for speaking engagements (Martin Moe? Delbeek?)

I'm thinking Tony Vargas is probably as big as anybody right now. We just had John Coppolino (who was incredible!) and Mark Vera (remarkable, totally down to earth guy!).

Who would you want to see?

(PS we're already working on bringing in Jason Fox as a vendor to bolster our vendor list (which is pretty amazing to begin with!))

Shoot me some ideas guys!

[ReefTECK]

bump

[TealCobra]

Sanjay Joshi always draws a crowd. Tony is a great speaker and a nice guy.

[dannyp02908]

CTARS just had Brett and Wade from Tanked at the CMAC convention recently. Sanjay was just in Brooklyn for Manhattan Reef as well. I missed Sanjay unfortunately, but it was really neat to see Brett and Wayde. I also saw Marc Levenson (melev) twice last month and find him to be very informative and just a genuinely friendly person. Also, we had Matt Perderson do a talk about breeding that was pretty good. He is the person breeding the lightning maroon clowns. Could see him easily drawing a crowd of people who are aware of his project.

[ReefTECK]

Originally Posted by dannyp02908

CTARS just had Brett and Wade from Tanked at the CMAC convention recently. Sanjay was just in Brooklyn for Manhattan Reef as well. I missed Sanjay unfortunately, but it was really neat to see Brett and Wayde. I also saw Marc Levenson (melev) twice last month and find him to be very informative and just a genuinely friendly person. Also, we had Matt Perderson do a talk about breeding that was pretty good. He is the person breeding the lightning maroon clowns. Could see him easily drawing a crowd of people who are aware of his project.

hah! yah so that's what it's come to unfortunately huh? Brett Raymer is a legitimate player in our community eh? I got in to it with him pretty hot at MACNA 2011 unfortunately and my club was a little ****ed with me. But I have to conscientiously object to his show and their antics. I think his arrogance precludes his intentions, yet I digress! lol (if you ask me the entire Discovery network is destroying the good name of science).

Matt Pederson is great, I've met him personally and saw one of his presentations in the last year. That would be a good one! Our club hasn't seen him yet.

Originally Posted by TealCobra

Sanjay Joshi always draws a crowd. Tony is a great speaker and a nice guy.

Sanjay we've had a couple of times in the last couple of years so I think we'll give that a break.

Tony might be a real player on this one if he's available. His book is a little unlike many I've seen in the past 15 years.

Does anybody talk about Martin Moe and Bob Fenner, and Ron Shimek, and Delbeek these days? Any of them available for speaking engagements?

[TealCobra]

Matt Pederson is very good as is Bob Fenner. Love Fenner. Martin Moe (IME) has never been easy to book for speaking engagements. I don't think he is a regular on the circuit these days. Ron Shimek is good but can be very dry.

[dannyp02908]

Originally Posted by ReefTECK

hah! yah so that's what it's come to unfortunately huh? Brett Raymer is a legitimate player in our community eh? I got in to it with him pretty hot at MACNA 2011 unfortunately and my club was a little ****ed with me. But I have to conscientiously object to his show and their antics. I think his arrogance precludes his intentions, yet I digress! lol (if you ask me the entire Discovery network is destroying the good name of science).

Matt Pederson is great, I've met him personally and saw one of his presentations in the last year. That would be a good one! Our club hasn't seen him yet.



Sanjay we've had a couple of times in the last couple of years so I think we'll give that a break.

Tony might be a real player on this one if he's available. His book is a little unlike many I've seen in the past 15 years.

Does anybody talk about Martin Moe and Bob Fenner, and Ron Shimek, and Delbeek these days? Any of them available for speaking engagements?

I can easily see where you are coming from with the tanked guys as i agree wholeheartedly. However, they did explain that its Discovery that edits the show and that most people dont want to see the work behind the scenes the way the hobbiest does. They also said they are trying to be more involved with the hobbiest community by speaking and atending conferences in order to at least make point that they are in fact doing the things we hope they are doing.

[dannyp02908]

Another good speaker I forgot to mention is Christine Williams. She is on Manhattan Reef I think. If you can get her, ask her to do the dangers of the auarium. She is very informative.

[ReefTECK]

Originally Posted by dannyp02908

I can easily see where you are coming from with the tanked guys as i agree wholeheartedly. However, they did explain that its Discovery that edits the show and that most people dont want to see the work behind the scenes the way the hobbiest does. They also said they are trying to be more involved with the hobbiest community by speaking and atending conferences in order to at least make point that they are in fact doing the things we hope they are doing.

Yea I def understand that it's not ALL on them as far as what they portray on tv. I do feel like that is a crutch for the truth of it: they're making a buck off perpetrating the hobby as a novelty/status symbol. Knowing what kind of a guy Brett is personally I can tell you he has nothing but his own pocket in mind. I suspect he's engaging in the community in order to launch their new line of liquid additives. Again I digress! lol (I can't bite my tongue sometimes).

Originally Posted by dannyp02908

Another good speaker I forgot to mention is Christine Williams. She is on Manhattan Reef I think. If you can get her, ask her to do the dangers of the auarium. She is very informative.

Yah I've heard her name mentioned before, somebody in our club suggested her. I'm not familiar with her otherwise but I will look into that.

Thanks for some feedback guys!

[dannyp02908]

Christine is great. Her presentation on dangers in the aquarium is one of the best I've seen. Again, very informative. Greg Hiller or Steven Pro are good too.

[ReefTECK]

Hey! Steven Pro! Now that piques my interest!