• Strong’s Marine President, and MRAA Board Chairman, Receives Dealer Ambassador Award
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – Dec. 17, 2024 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas presented the annual MRAA Dealer Ambassador Award to Jeff Strong, President, Strong’s Marine of New York, at the 2024 Dealer Week Conference and Expo in Orlando, Fla.
Throughout 2024, Strong worked with the MRAA on a variety of advocacy initiatives, including attending the American Boating Congress, testifying on Capitol Hill, hosting Representative Anthony D’Esposito at his Freeport location and joining meetings with Senator Chuck Schumer’s staff to urge the passage of critical legislation. Despite his responsibilities as Chairman of the MRAA Board and President of Strong’s Marine, which has 13 locations across Long Island, his commitment to advocating for marine retailers and the recreational boating industry was unmatched.
“From joining us at the American Boating Congress, to coming back to D.C. on short notice to testify on key legislation, and everything in-between, Jeff has continually highlighted his dedication to advocating for marine retailers and we cannot thank him enough for his efforts to ensure that decisionmakers on and off Capitol Hill understand the power and importance of our industry,” said Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager. “As we enter 2025 and the 119th Congress, a primary focus of the MRAA Government Relations team is to continue retailer engagement with members of Congress and the new administration, and Jeff sets a strong precedent for how we will continue that work.”
This annual award recognizes an MRAA Member who displays an outstanding commitment to advocating on behalf of the recreational boating industry and actively works to better recreational boating in their community. The MRAA Dealer Ambassador Award helps to highlight dealers who go above and beyond in their advocacy engagements and inspire the next generation of marine retailers to support boating activism.
“I cannot underscore the importance of engaging in advocacy enough. These opportunities allow our industry to build relationships with key legislators while educating them about the importance of the recreational boating industry and our top policy priorities,” said Jeff Strong, President of Strong’s Marine. “I cannot thank the MRAA Government Relations team enough for not only creating these opportunities, but also helping me feel comfortable, prepared and ready to engage. I encourage my fellow marine retailers to stay on the alert for these opportunities, or reach out if you are interested, as the MRAA Government Relations team will work tirelessly to help you advocate for your business and the industry at large.”
In June, Strong spoke before the House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries. Testifying in support of the MAPOceans Act (H.R. 7925) and H.R. 8705, his testimony provided key insights as to how these pieces of legislation will provide more information to recreational boaters on the high seas and how increasing the availability of information pertaining to federal fisheries regulations and the ability to locate and detect Right Whales is crucial to ensuring that recreational boaters are good stewards on the water. For a complete overview of his testimony, click here.
Furthermore, in August Strong hosted Congressman Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY-4) for a visit to his Freeport location. The visit provided a unique opportunity for Representative D’Esposito to engage with the local marine industry, discuss important issues facing small businesses and marine retailers, and continue to build the Congressional Boating Caucus. During the visit, Rep. D’Esposito toured the facility, met with staff and spoke with Strong’s Marine Owner Jeff Strong and Dante Grover, Owner at Al Grover’s Marine, about the economic impact of the marine industry in New York’s 4th district. Rep. D’Esposito also had the chance to hear firsthand about the challenges and opportunities facing the recreational boating industry.
“It can be challenging to take time away from your business in order to advocate on behalf of your entire industry, but it is a vital part of MRAA’s advocacy efforts, no one can tell your story better than your self and the personal relationships between you and your elected officials can benefit your business and industry for years to come,” said Mike Sayre, MRAA Director of Government Relations. “Jeff’s work demonstrates that value and sets an example for other MRAA members. MRAA is willing and able to help members follow Jeff’s example whether it be local elected officials, your state legislators, or your federal officials.”
As we enter 2025, we will see a flurry of activity at both the state and federal level, as we will kick off the 119th Congress and sessions in state houses across the country. With new members in Congress and in State Legislatures, now is a great time to build relationships and get engaged in advocacy. To get involved with advocacy in your local community or at a national level, email Chad Tokowicz or Mike Sayre. There are numerous opportunities to engage, so please consider signing up to be an MRAA Dealer Ambassador and filling out a prior approval form for the BoatPAC.
About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.
