MRAA Educational Foundation logo featuring stylized boat and wave graphics with bold blue text

Advancing Boating Through Education, Training and Career Development Opportunities

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About the Foundation
Darlene Briggs Marine Woman of the Year Award

Recognizing women who drive our industry forward

Kevin Lodder Business Management Scholarship

Delivering access to dealership management training

Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship

Developing future industry leaders

Investing in your dealership and your career is critical. MRAA's Educational Foundation can help

Does this sound familiar?
  • You and your team constantly seek growth and improvement
  • You want to develop the skills that drive your success
  • Finding the right education opportunities can be difficult
  • You don't always have the funds to access good training
  • A little financial support would go a long way toward helping

    • The MRAA Educational Foundation provides essential financial support for dealerships to enroll team members in education, training and career development, so that dealership growth and success is more attainable.

    MRAA's Educational Foundation is here to help

    For more than 20 years, the MRAA Educational Foundation has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into delivering programs and scholarships and has awarded more than 100 recipients with access to comprehensive dealership training and education.
  • Honoring outstanding women across the marine industry
  • Providing tuition for total dealership management training
  • Supporting dealership leaders to excel in their role
  • Developing service competency that leads to growth
  • Sponsoring impactful educational programming

    • Engage with the MRAA Educational Foundation today to find the training you need!

    Apply Today
    Donate Now

    NEW FOR 2025:

    The MRAA Educational Foundation, through the generous donation of The Bill & Kristen Fenech Foundation, is expanding its impact on marine industry success by supporting MRAA’s May Spotlight: Own Your Digital Marketing Strategy. This comprehensive educational program features timely and relevant webinars with marketing leaders, a vast amount of content from MRAA’s catalog of online courses, a report on the state of dealership marketing, a comprehensive list of online marketplace providers and more. View the educational programming, made possible by the MRAA Educational Foundation, here.
    See all of our contributors

    Choose Your Path

    With These Simple Steps to Impact

    1.
    Apply for Recognition
    2.
    Secure the support you need
    3.
    Grow your business through education
    Apply Today

    or

    1.
    Donate* to the Foundation
    2.
    Support educational scholarships
    3.
    Strengthen the marine industry
    Donate Now
    *Donations to the MRAA Educational Foundation can be made as tax-deductible, charitable contributions

    Congratulations!

    2024 Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year Award

    Nancy Cueroni

    NMDA
    Nancy Cueroni receives the 2024 Darlene Briggs Marine Woman of the Year Award on stage the annual MRAA awards luncheon.

    MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 10, 2024 — Nancy Cueroni, Executive Director of the National Marine Distributors Association, has been named the 2024 Darlene Briggs Marine Woman of the Year, announced the MRAA Educational Foundation. The award was

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    About Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year Award
    2024 Kevin Lodder Scholarship Recipient

    Angela Brayton

    Lakeview Marine
    Angela Brayton receives the 2024 Kevin Lodder Scholarship on stage at an the annual MRAA awards luncheon at Dealer Week.

    ORLANDO, FLA., December 10, 2024 — The MRAA Educational Foundation announced today that Angela Brayton, General Manager of Lakeview Marine in Webster, Mass., is the recipient of the Foundation’s 2024 Kevin Lodder Scholarship. This year’s

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    About Kevin Lodder Scholarship
    2024 Duane Spader Scholarship Recipient

    Jami Hirsch

    BoatCraft
    Jami Hirsch receives the Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship on stage at MRAA event.

    ORLANDO, FL, December 10, 2024 — The MRAA Educational Foundation announced today that Jami Hirsch, Co-Owner at BoatCraft in Traverse City, Mich., is the recipient of the Foundation’s 2024 Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship. This

    Read More »
    About Duane Spader Leadership Scholarship

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    Help us Grow the Marine Workforce!

    Every donation supports scholarships and training programs for the marine industry’s future workforce. Join us in making an impact with your tax-deductible, charitable donation, today.

    Donate Today
    A focused young man in a blue work shirt and beige cap uses a red power tool to work on a piece of marine equipment, highlighting his dedication and technical skills in the marine industry.

    Where Are They Now? Ashley Read

    • Checking in with 2016 MRAA Educational Foundation Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship Recipient Ashley Read, Colorado Boat Center Co-Owner A lot has happened in Ashley Read’s (Smith) career since

    Read More »
    Jerrod Kelley June 26, 2024

    Where Are They Now? Chad Taylor

    Catching up with 2018 Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship recipient, Chad Taylor, President and General Manager, Taylor’s South Shore Marina and MRAA Board Member

    Read More »
    Jerrod Kelley June 26, 2024