The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that it has opened the Call for Nominations and Applications process for the “Fork It Over” Marine Industry Talent Show. This event will be held during the second annual MRAA Opening Night Awards Celebration at the 2018 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, Dec. 9-12 in Orlando, Fla.
The MRAA Awards Celebration will not only shine a spotlight on marine industry workforce efforts, showcasing a series of awards and scholarships to be presented by both the MRAA and the MRAA Educational Foundation, but it will also wow the audience by unveiling the hidden talents of several marine industry professionals throughout the evening’s activities. Attendees will be able to vote for their favorite Marine Industry Talent Show acts through their donations, which will benefit the MRAA Educational Foundation.
Those interested in supporting the workforce development efforts of the foundation by applying for the opportunity to share their talent with attendees or nominating a colleague or partner can fill out a short form.
“The workforce challenges faced by our industry are very serious,” explains Jeff Siems, President of the MRAA Educational Foundation, “But the MRAA Educational Foundation is thrilled to be able to inspire so much fun while raising money to fund scholarships and awards that combat those challenges.”
The MRAA Educational Foundation will present several life-changing scholarships, worth a total of more than $30,000, including Technical Scholarships, the Marine Industry College Scholarship, the Kevin Lodder Scholarship, and the Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship, during the MRAA Opening Night Awards Celebration. Additionally, the Foundation will recognize the Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year. The MRAA itself will recognize Marine Industry Certified Dealerships, in addition to honoring a MRAA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
The MRAA Opening Night Awards Celebration has already generated the sponsorship support of Barletta Boats, Correct Craft, Priority One Financial Services, and Protective Asset Protection. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Allison Gruhn.
To be held Sunday, Dec. 9 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Rosen Plaza Hotel, the MRAA Awards Celebration will immediately follow the MDCE’s regular opening night poolside reception. That reception will be held from 4 to 6 p.m., after which the doors to the Awards Celebration will open to all MDCE attendees for entertainment, awards and scholarships presentations.
About the MRAA Educational Foundation
As part of its mission to create a strong and healthy boating industry, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is committed to offering training, education and professional development opportunities to its members and the entire marine dealer community. In 2004, the association launched the MRAA Educational Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c) 3 corporation, to provide financial support for education, training and professional development in the recreational marine trades. For more information or to donate to support the foundation’s mission, visit MRAA.com/foundation.
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.
