The New Fundamentals: Dealer Week’s opening keynote helps marine retailers assess their business, gain clarity and make the most of emerging opportunities
MINNEAPOLIS (August 18, 2026) — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) announced that Kaihan Krippendorff, CEO of Outthinker, a global think-tank of strategy, innovation and transformation, will deliver the opening keynote at Dealer Week 2026, Dec. 6-9, at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida.
As marine dealerships encounter changing customer expectations, new technologies and increasing pressure to deliver a better ownership experience, many seek direction on how to evolve their business model. They ask: Where should we focus our time, resources and investment to create the greatest impact?
Krippendorff’s opening keynote “Start Crafting Your New Marine Retail Playbook” will help answer that question and more. Kicking off Dealer Week’s educational programming, his focused session supports the conference theme, The New Fundamentals, by guiding dealership leaders to rethink long-held assumptions and evaluate where they create the most value. Attendees will also learn to identify opportunities to better serve customers while strengthening their position in the marketplace.
Step Back and Evaluate
While technology continues to advance, success often depends less on access to new tools and more on how businesses choose to use them. Krippendorff will help dealers evaluate their business, challenge assumptions and identify where their next opportunities may exist.
“The most valuable educational experiences allow leaders to step back from their dealerships to evaluate where they’re headed and whether their current approach is positioning their business for future success,” said Liz Walz, Vice President of Education and Dealer Development at MRAA. “Kaihan helps dealers assess their business models and understand what truly deserves their attention moving forward. His keynote sets the tone for the rest of Dealer Week by helping attendees identify the questions they should be asking as they explore new ideas and begin crafting a fresh playbook for today’s marine market.”
Preview Krippendorff’s Keynote at Dealer Week 2026
Success often involves adopting a new approach to overcome pain points. At Dealer Week, Krippendorff will challenge leaders to rethink familiar assumptions and identify opportunities that can strengthen both the customer experience and dealership performance.
“The marine industry has a long and proud tradition that I believe is one of its core strengths, but at the same time it has become clear that dealers can’t continue to rely solely on their traditional playbooks and expect to find success. Customer expectations continue to increase as technology changes the way businesses operate. That creates new pressures on businesses — as well as new opportunities for dealers to separate themselves from the competition,” said Mike Davin, Vice President of Industry Relations at MRAA. “Kaihan will help dealership leaders look at familiar challenges through a different lens, providing a framework that will help them think about new ways to create customer experiences that match what they seeing in other industries. His future-thinking perspective aligns well with the rest of our Dealer Week 2026 education and our focus on The New Fundamentals.”
The New Fundamentals
Dealer Week is the MRAA’s annual conference and expo focused on dealership growth, professional development, networking and business improvement. It unites marine retailers and industry partners from across North America while helping businesses address the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of marine retail.
Register for Dealer Week during the Early Bird period to secure the best available rate, save your spot and maximize your investment.
About Dealer Week
For more than 50 years, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has delivered world-class education to marine dealers, retailers and service operations that power the boating industry. Dealer Week exists to engage, energize and empower the dealer community. MRAA envisions a brighter future for marine retail, and Dealer Week is a key part of bringing that vision to life. Learn more at dealerweek.com.
About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA)
The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is the trusted catalyst for success in the marine retail industry. Dedicated to fueling dealer growth and strengthening the boating experience, MRAA delivers industry-leading insights, expert guidance and proven solutions that assist marine retailers in navigating challenges and seizing opportunities. Through education, advocacy and innovative resources, MRAA empowers dealers to thrive, and help drive a stronger, more sustainable marine industry. Learn more at MRAA.com.
