The 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo officially got underway with much excitement last night during the Opening Night Kick-Off Reception on the Expo Floor. MDCE runs Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla.
During the networking event, dealers were treated to their first glimpse of the MDCE Expo Hall, featuring more than 100 exhibitors. Attendees explored the 41,000-plus square feet of products and services, while entertained by the acoustic musing of the Bayside Boys.
“One of the things that makes in-person events so valuable is the opportunity to form new relationships and strengthen old ones,” says Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “Dealers learn just as much from each other and the manufacturers and suppliers here to support them as they do from our expert presenters.”
The Kick-Off Reception was sponsored by Dominion Marine Media. In addition to the live entertainment, attendees were treated to cocktails, hors d’oeuvers, and plenty of time to mingle and network before the Pre-Conference Workshops and Educational Track Sessions begin this morning.
“The 2014 MDCE is shaping up to be the best one on record,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “Dealers are excited about the start of this year’s event and eager to dive head-first into the next three days of educational content.”
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.
