Martin Boyer, President of Austin Boats & Motors, Austin, Texas, has been selected as the recipient of the fifth annual Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship, announced the MRAA Educational Foundation yesterday. This year’s scholarship recipient was unveiled on Sunday evening, Dec. 10, during the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas Opening Night Awards Celebration at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla.
Devoting his career to his family’s business, Boyer began by washing boats and worked his way up through the dealership over the past 20-plus years. He credits his knowledge of the industry not only to his father, but also to those who managed him in each role as he ascended the rungs of his career ladder.
Armed with a persistent desire to learn and hands-on experience from multiple roles within the company, Boyer has been able to successfully lead and grow Austin Boats & Motors into a dealership ranked in the Top 20 of Boating Industry magazine’s Top 100 Dealer Program.
The Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship was founded by Spader Business Management and the MRAA Educational Foundation in 2013 to honor the marine industry service of Spader founder Duane Spader, as well as his leadership philosophy of lifelong learning. The recipient receives full tuition to attend the Spader Leadership Development Program, valued at $14,875. Applicants must be employees of a Marine Retailers Association of the Americas retail member.
“Unfortunately, we ran out of time before my father passed in January 2014 to impart all of his extensive knowledge and critical wisdom of the marine industry and our family’s business on to me,” wrote Boyer in his application. “This is why I wholeheartedly think the Spader Leadership Development Program is the perfect opportunity for me to be able to gain that next level of critical operational knowledge and management expertise.”
His involvement in a Spader Marine 20 Group, the MRAA Young Leaders Advisory Council, and the MRAA Board of Directors, combined with multiple letters of recommendation, confirm Boyer’s continuous and passionate dedication to the growth of the marine industry and his role within it.
The Spader Leadership Development Program is a 15- to 18-month program for current and future leaders that involves five, three-day sessions in Sioux Falls, S.D. In between sessions, participants are tasked with putting what they’ve learned to work in their dealership and tracking the results of those efforts.
“It’s a pleasure to award this scholarship to someone who is the next generation of a family business, and already so highly regarded and involved in the marine industry,” states Jeff Siems, president of the MRAA Educational Foundation Board of Directors. “It will contribute tremendously to his already highly evolved skill set.”
About 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 (MRAA), we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the companies that interact with the boater in their community must thrive. Those businesses determine the boater’s experience and are the leading factor in the industry’s success. MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those businesses, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com.