The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program and the Yacht Brokers Association of America’s Certified Professional Yacht Broker Program today announced a collaborative effort to further the development of their respective members.
CPYB certification is the boating industry’s brand of excellence for yacht sales professionals throughout North America. The CPYB designation is the most prestigious accreditation a yacht sales professional can earn within the recreational marine industry and CPYB professionals must attain a minimum number of educational credits in order to maintain their Certification.
“The CPYB program raises the level of professionalism throughout our industry,” says Colleen McDonough, CPYB program manager. “The program gives yacht sales professionals a benchmark against which to measure their skills, abilities and overall performance, while at the same time enhancing their value in the market.”
Similarly, Dealership Certification is the highest level of business accreditation that marine dealers can achieve. The program drives excellence in operations, customer service and employee engagement at the dealer level through a series of requirements, and the all-new Continuous Certification curriculum helps dealers grow their business with quarterly educational courses once they’ve become Certified.
With the introduction of the MICD Program’s Continuous Certification curriculum, the CPYB announced that it will award continuing education credits to any Certified Yacht Broker that completes a quarterly MICD Continuous Certification course. Additionally, the CPYB Program will award credits to MRAA members that are CPYBs, just for participating in association membership. And, finally, yacht brokers that have achieved Dealer Certification are eligible for member pricing on the CPYB exam, offering savings of $550 on the testing itself.
“Dealer Certification and the CPYB Program share the goal of raising the professionalism and sophistication of our industry’s front lines,” explains Matt Gruhn, President of MRAA. “We see this collaboration as a great way to strengthen the marine industry’s sales and customer service efforts in delivering the boating lifestyle to today’s boaters.”
“CPYB Certification is a great opportunity for Marine Industry Certified Dealerships’ sales personnel to solidify their namesake among the industry’s elite,” McDonough adds.
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.
About the Certified Professional Yacht Broker Program
The CPYB certification program, created in 2002, is a growing trend among professional associations nationwide to identify those within their ranks who have mastered the core competencies in their respective fields. Upon approval by the CAC (Certification Advisory Council), exams are offered to yacht sales professionals who have at least 3 years experience in the field of yachts sales. After passing the exam, recertification takes place every 3 years and requires a minimum of 30 Continuing Education Units.
The CPYB program is endorsed by the seven major yacht sales professional associations in North America: Yacht Brokers Association of America; International Yacht Brokers Association (formerly Florida Yacht Brokers Association); Northwest Yacht Brokers Association; California Yacht Brokers Association; Boating Ontario; British Columbia Yacht Brokers Association; and Gulf Coast Yacht Brokers Association. If you are serious about your profession and our industry, visit the CPYB website, CPYB.net or contact Colleen McDonough, CPYB Program Manager, at 410-940-6349.
