MRAA Board of Directors Announces 2023 Advocacy Priorities

MINNEAPOLIS, January 27 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ Board of Directors announces its 2023 legislative and regulatory advocacy priorities as recommended to them by the Advisory Council of Marine Associations’ (ACMA).

ACMA, an integral part of the MRAA’s advocacy efforts, was created to advise the MRAA on its annual policy agenda and is comprised of state, regional and national marine trade associations. ACMA helps highlight the MRAA’s collaborative approach to working on issues impacting the industry at large and its dedication to championing the dealer voice.

The 2023 resolutions are as follows:

  • Create an Advocate for state and federal programs to assist with marine industry workforce development.  
  • Support and inform preexisting external workforce development efforts.
  • Seek marine industry and dealer exemptions from proposed overburdensome legislative and regulatory action.
  • Advocate for waterways access and policies to minimize user conflict.

* Download the 2023 Advocacy Priorities for a full overview

“These resolutions represent significant input from ACMA members and I am eager to work with our marine trade association partners on priorities across the country,” said Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager. “As the MRAA continues to grow, it is imperative we stay true to our mission and work collaboratively with partners throughout the country while leveraging dealer voices.”

Chad Tokowicz, MRAA
Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager

The ACMA resolutions provide direction and guidance for the MRAA’s advocacy efforts and highlight the importance of collaborative between state and national organizations in tackling overlapping priorities. State marine trade association involvement allows for direct stakeholder input, providing MRAA staff a comprehensive understanding of the issues impacting dealers throughout the country.

“Working in a collaborative manner with our national partners at the MRAA has been extremely important to how our association is able to support our member businesses,” said Randall M. Lyons, Massachusetts Marine Trades Association (MMTA) Executive Director, a member of the ACMA council. “The MMTA looks forward to continuing this relationship in the future, with the common goal of supporting the recreational boating industry.”

Email Tokowicz to learn more about ACMA or to get involved in the MRAA’s government relations efforts.

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.