Newport (R.I.) July 10, 2012 — When guests arrived at IYRS on the evening of July 7 for the school’s Annual Summer Gala, sponsored by The Hilton Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and the Prestige Family of Fine Cars, they came ready for a great party. But the sea of gala-goers also gathered at this waterfront school for a reason that runs far deeper than a good time through this maritime community: to celebrate the craftsmanship of IYRS students and graduates and ensure continued opportunity for the generation to follow. By the end of the evening, guests and sponsors together had raised $700,000 for the school’s educational programs.

With a theme of “Mastering the Craft: Celebrating 15 Years of Excellence,” this year’s gala focused on the evolution of IYRS since the school’s first students walked through its doors in 1997. IYRS was then a fledgling school with a handful of students. It has matured into a central player in the region’s workforce development with three full-time programs in Boatbuilding & Restoration, Marine Systems and Composites Technology; a fully restored historic Newport campus with a satellite campus in Bristol; and an international cadre of successful grads who have forged careers as craftsmen, skilled technicians and business owners. The evening was orchestrated so the story of the school and students was told through a film and exhibits.

“Our goal this year was to focus on the students and their outcomes,” said Terry Nathan, president of IYRS. “We wanted to zero in on the core value proposition for supporting the school—and there is no better way than to hear students tell their stories, and to hear employers talk about why they hire our graduates.”

Event co-chairs Jamie Hilton of Newport, who also served as a title sponsor, and Pam Rorke Levy of San Francisco worked with IYRS to orchestrate an evening that gave attendees a deeper understanding of the IYRS mission. Scattered throughout the waterfront grounds of the gala were micro-exhibits that chronicled the school’s history and student achievements. In a short film produced by Pam Rorke Levy, guests heard directly from students about the value of an IYRS education and the opportunities their training opened up to them.

“Our gala committee had a lofty goal: to bring the same standard of excellence that the school embodies and that IYRS students demonstrate in their craft to the planning of this event,” said Co-chair Jamie Hilton. “There were a lot of moving parts to the evening, but thanks to our committee of extraordinarily gifted and talented volunteers we were able to achieve that goal.” Hilton made special mention of committee member Terry Lanza, whose experience and input proved invaluable.

An opening cocktail party held in the shadow of the school’s 1831 mill building was followed by a sit-down dinner inside the gala’s big-top tent. A lively auction, conducted by Stephen Lash, chairman emeritus of Christie’s Americas, was a highlight of the evening. Top-earning items included: a Mediterranean cruise from Palma onboard the Jongert-built, 96-foot luxury performance sailboat Scorpione Dei Mari; a ten-day expedition to the Galapagos Islands, complete with knowledgeable guides and plenty of opportunity to explore the islands in small boats; and a five-day cruise onboard the beautifully restored 85-foot motor yacht Enticer, designed by John Trumpy. But the most rapid-fire bidding started when IYRS Chairman Dooie Isdale stepped up to the podium to conduct a reverse auction for Equipment, Tools & Technology for IYRS programs; this single item garnered bids totaling over $90,000.

This year’s gala marks a changing of the guard for IYRS, as Isdale hands the helm to trustee Joe Dockery. Isdale has already served on the Board for over a decade, including five years as chairman, and will remain a Board member for another term. Under his leadership, the school completed the restoration of its historic Newport campus, merged into the school the Museum of Yachting, launched two new accredited programs, and achieved student job-placement rates in the 80th percentile.

The gala crowned an entire weekend of activity—including daysails aboard historic vessels such as the 126-foot steam yacht Cangarda and the 104-foot Whitehawk, and a talk and demonstration at the restoration site of the 1885 schooner yacht Coronet. On Saturday morning, a crowd of onlookers watched as Dr. Robert McNeil and his restoration team installed a new transom on Coronet and talked about the challenges of restoring the 133-foot yacht.

This year’s gala attracted a strong lineup of sponsors. Joining title sponsors The Hilton Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and the Prestige Family of Fine Cars were: the Argo Group, BankNewport, Boat International, Condé Nast Publications, Fidelity Investments, Hinckley Yachts, Juergen and Anke Friedrich (JAH Foundation), Lexus, Mount Gay Rum, Perini Navi, Ralph Lauren Corporation, Rybovich, Three Golden Apples, Tito's Vodka, VCFA Group and Wimco Private Villas. Perfect Surroundings transformed the school from a place of industry into an elegant setting for the landmark celebration; the event was catered by Blackstone Caterers.

For more information about IYRS and its educational programs, please visit www.iyrs.org .