In order to take care of your business and dealership team members, you need to first understand what’s happening in the government and the industry. Matt Gruhn, president of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, and Jeff Englander, senior vice president and senior research analyst at GE Capital, will lead the MRAA Special Presentation “Caring For Your Team and Your Dealership,” being held in conjunction with the 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla.
The hour-long presentation, which takes place Monday, Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. in the Rosen Centre Hotel’s Junior Ballroom, will provide insights into how the Affordable Care Act impacts marine retailers. It will include an update of revisions to ACA deadlines, requirements that apply to employers contained within the act, and strategic considerations around ACA planning, administration and coverage.
“The employer mandate to comply with ACA will officially become law on Jan. 1, 2015, and despite the fact that more employers appear to be aware of their requirements under the law, a recent study by the Transamerica Center for Health Studies found that almost one-third reported being ‘less than satisfied’ with their level of knowledge about the law,” says Gruhn. “This informative MDCE presentation seeks to educate dealers about what they can expect their legal responsibilities to be under the law and also provide them with the tools they need to ensure compliance.”
With the Jan. 1, 2015 deadline fast approaching, it is incumbent upon marine retailers to ensure they’re ready to either implement the employer mandate, or take advantage of the potential incentives in the ACA that apply to them.
“Small and mid-sized businesses — which encompass many of today’s marine retailers — should take steps now to ensure they’re prepared for the upcoming changes set out in the ACA,” explains GE’s Englander. “There’s a lot to consider, so it’s crucially important for each business to get up to speed on ACA employer requirements and consult legal counsel for specific guidance. It’s also important for dealers to implement cost management strategies that can potentially help ease the burden of implementation.”
The 2014 MDCE features more than 30 educational sessions in all, the most the event has ever offered, including seven Pre-Conference Workshops. The conference has traditionally included three educational tracks, but in 2014, it has expanded to four tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus. A Closing Keynote address also has been added this year.
The MDCE has attracted an increasing number of dealers every year since 2007. MRAA’s goal is to grow the event to more than 1,000 dealer attendees. To learn more, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.
About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ annual conference and member meeting. As the marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, the MDCE offers an in-depth lineup of educational topics, a full-featured expo hall and a series of fixed networking opportunities, all of which are designed to help marine dealers connect with and learn from others who can foster their success. The MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features Pre-Conference Workshops, Opening and Closing Keynote presentations, four tracks of educational content and more than 30 sessions. It will be held Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.
