MINNEAPOLIS – Barletta Boat Company, LLC, manufacturers of Barletta Pontoon Boats, an all-new entry into the pontoon segment of the marine industry, has become the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ newest Platinum Partner Member, the MRAA’s highest level of support.
“We are entering the marine business with an all-new approach to dealer and customer relations,” says Bill Fenech, President and Co-Owner of Barletta Boats. “As a long-time participant in the RV industry, the partnership we developed with our dealer network was absolutely the difference between being a good company and being a great company. It seems a natural starting point to engage with the MRAA and all that it does to support the growth and success of the marine industry dealer body. This is an important step for us to take.”
Based in Bristol, Ind., Barletta Pontoon Boats is the newest, and maybe the most anticipated, entry into the pontoon boat segment in years. President and co-owner Bill Fenech, a long-time boater, brings nearly 30 years of RV experience to Barletta. Bill, along with brother Ron and good friend Don Clark, was part of the ownership group that led Keystone RV Company to become the largest travel trailer and fifth wheel company in the world. In 2012, the three of them created Grand Design RV (GDRV) and led that company to $500 million in sales in just four short years.
With a customer-focused/dealer-centric approach, high quality products and truly partnering with the dealer network, GDRV achieved record setting scores from RV dealers on the Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) survey. The success of GDRV, along with Bill’s experience and leadership, has provided a road-map for Barletta’s future. Bill is developing an all-star team of industry professionals to help him build a solid foundation for Barletta, with the goal of launching the company’s first model later this year.
“Bill and his team have demonstrated a passion for a dealer-centric approach to conducting business,” says Matt Gruhn, President of MRAA. “We are encouraged by the thinking that this business model has been built upon, and we’re very much looking forward to partnering with Barletta Boats on dealer development projects.”
Barletta Boat Company, LLC, joins a rapidly growing roster of boat manufacturers, vendors and suppliers that have chosen to support the dealer community through partnership with the MRAA. The support of these organizations enables MRAA to expand the products and services it offers to dealers, with the goal of providing them with more tools, resources and educational opportunities to fuel their success. Find a full menu of partner benefits here.
About the Marine Retailers Association
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.
About Barletta Boats
Barletta Pontoon Boats, built by Barletta Boat Company, LLC, will be a leading manufacturer of outboard powered (Yamaha & Mercury) aluminum pontoon boats. For more information about Barletta Pontoon Boats, visit our website at BarlettaPontoonBoats.com, or email us.
