A Rewarding Experience For All

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is the opportunity to connect our industry’s manufacturers, suppliers and service providers to the great work that our MRAA team does in fueling dealer success.

As a testament to the importance of that work, one dealer went out of his way last week to tell us “I’m so proud to be a member of the MRAA. It is very obvious that you are not only concerned for the industry, but for me as an individual. You don’t come to me asking for money, you come with solutions for my business and to make me better.”

One glance at one of our most recent posts on the Dealer Week Facebook page demonstrates that this is not just one person’s sentiment. Dealers rave about their excitement to attend and participate in the most visible solutions-providing service we provide on a yearly basis: MRAA’s annual conference.

But here’s the thing: None of our team’s work would be possible without the support of our partners — the manufacturers, suppliers and service provider members, and the exhibitors and sponsors who invest in our annual conference. They make the literal world-class education possible at Dealer Week, in our Certification program, and throughout the many products and services our team creates and offers all year long.

The rebranding and relaunch of our annual conference and expo has given us the ability to connect with our partners on a much deeper level. At this year’s Dealer Week, we’re thrilled to welcome 106 exhibitors and sponsors, some 60-plus of whom are current MRAA Partner Members, which means they support MRAA’s tools, resources and educational programs on a year-round basis. They invest in MRAA Membership to help our dealer members grow and find greater success.

Within the Dealer Week Expo Hall, you’ll find MRAA partners who are ready to help you tackle the issues you are facing, and to offer tools and resources to help you reach for new opportunities. It’s rewarding for me to help them deliver on their business goals, but it’s even more rewarding knowing that their investment fuels the positive impact MRAA can have on its members, the entire dealer community and ultimately, today’s boaters.

New York State Expands Lawsuit Against International Commission Following Record Flooding

On November 15, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Attorney General Leticia James expanded the state’s lawsuit against the International Joint Commission (IJC) for failing to implement proper flooding protocols for the Moses-Saunders Power Dam along the St. Lawrence river. This filing builds on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s lawsuit against the IJC, now including damages from all state agencies. The state is seeking compensation totaling over $50 million for damages that include: damages to state property; New York State payments to repair damages to property, municipalities and residents; damages to natural resources, including value of lost recreational activities. The full press release can be found here. 

Are you being affected by flooding?  Please contact our Government Relations Manager, Adam Fortier-Brown at adam@mraa.com for more information.

NOAA Designates Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary

On Saturday, November 9, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recognized an 18-mile stretch of Maryland’s Potomac River as the Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary. In attendance was Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, and senior NOAA and U.S. Department of Commerce officials. The sanctuary’s formal designation took place on September 3, 2019. This is the first such designation since 2000.  The national marine sanctuary protects remnants of 118 World War I-era wooden steamships and vessels dubbed the “Ghost Fleet.” 

More information can be found on the sanctuary’s website.

American Boating Congress 2020 Registration opens with Early Bird Pricing

Registration is now open for American Boating Congress (ABC), which will be held Tuesday May 12 – Thursday, May 14, 2020.  The event will be held at the InterContinental at The Warf in Washington, DC.  This event is open for U.S. members, and provides attendees with the opportunity to meet their elected officials, hear from influential guest speakers, attend useful workshops and seminars, and let their voices be heard with key policymakers.

Click here to register.

U.S. Senate Holds Hearing on Outdoor Recreation, and Passes Amendment Supporting the Outdoor Economy

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee held a full committee hearing on three outdoor recreation bills that would support the outdoor recreation economy. The three bills together would help expand access to public lands for recreational use. The hearing can be found here. 

Separately, the Senate passed an amendment to direct the government to study each line item in each land and water management agency that funds recreation. This will allow policymakers to track the outdoor recreation economy, which makes up 2.2% of GDP, to guide future investments into the outdoor economy.

If you have any questions, please contact MRAA Government Relations Manager, Adam Fortier-Brown.

MRAA joins with Recreational Fishing and Boating Community to applaud Atlantic Striped Bass Decision

On October 30, members of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Striped Bass Management Board voted 11-4 in favor of requiring an 18% reduction in striped bass harvests in the commercial and recreational fishing sectors from North Carolina to Maine. The MRAA supported this decision after being presented with evidence that the species was being overfished. 

If you have any questions, please contact MRAA Government Relations Manager, Adam Fortier-Brown.

MRAA Member Testifies before U.S. House Committee

On Wednesday, October 30, River Valley Companies President, John Wooden was invited by the U.S. House of Representatives to testify before the Committee on Small Business at a hearing titled “Force of Nature: The Power of Small Business in America’s Recreational Infrastructure.”  Wooden’s testimony proposed actions that included improvements to recreational infrastructure and a recommendation for a more comprehensive approach to federal infrastructure policy that addresses outdoor recreation needs, including the importance of establishing federal funding for this cause.  Each of the priorities are further detailed in Mr. Wooden’s written testimony and recoding of his testimony, both of which can be found here.

If you have any questions, please contact MRAA Government Relations Manager, Adam Fortier-Brown.

Rock Outdoors Partners with Barletta Boats

Barletta Pontoon Boats, located in Bristol, IN and Rock Outdoors located in Lexington, NC have joined forces to bring Barletta pontoons to the heart of the state.

Founder of Easter Creek Partners and longtime bass fisherman, owner Steve Summer opened Rock Outdoors in May 2018. Summer wasn’t thrilled with the climate of the boating industry as it stood, and his purpose revolved around creating a culture that would be customer focused.  He decided to create his own 35,000 square foot boating and outdoor lifestyle retail store to improve matters in the industry.

As an experienced boater himself, Summer thought, “I’m going to try to change the business model and change how the industry works and make it more accommodating to customers instead of accommodating to the store.” Sharing Barletta’s same passion for the customer experience was a key ingredient in the partnership.

“Barletta’s emphasis on customer focus and their commitment to the customer is what I am doing with Rock Outdoors and it seems like a great fit. Changing the industry to fit the customer’s needs to better serve them and provide them with a high-quality boat makes for a successful business,” said Summer.

Barletta has continued to provide a world-class customer experience and that aligns perfectly with Rock Outdoors mission for the industry. “As Barletta continues to build on a bright future, there’s no doubt that the customer experience will stay at the top of our priority list and that’s exactly why we believe this will be such a successful and fulfilling partnership with Rock Outdoors,” stated Jeff Haradine, VP of Sales at Barletta Pontoon Boats.

Together, Barletta Boats and Rock Outdoors will bring a customer focused approach to the boating industry and continue to exceed expectations with quality products, customer focused service and a partnership built on sharing the same mission.

About Barletta Pontoon Boats

Offering a customer-focused/dealer-centric approach, Barletta Pontoon Boats brings a unique approach to the marine industry. Barletta is partnered with Mercury Outboards and Yamaha Outboards. To learn more about Barletta Pontoon Boats, visit www.BarlettaPontoonBoats.com or get engaged with us on social media.

Epic Finance Partners with Source One Financial Services, LLC.

Source One Financial Services, LLC, a leading originator, underwriter and processor of consumer marine and recreational vehicle financing, announced that, effective October 1, 2019, the Company has entered into an agreement to partner with Wilmington, NC.- based Epic Finance, LLC., a leading provider of financing, insurance and warranty-related services to marine and recreational vehicle dealerships nationwide. Under the partnership, Epic will remain under the leadership of Donnie Cole and Ray Keziah, who co-founded the business in 2012 and will maintain loan underwriting and processing operations within its Wilmington, NC office. Regarding the Epic partnership, Source One President and CEO Matt Nelson stated “we are continuously looking for ways to create more value to our dealerships and lenders; to that end, the Epic business model is highly complementary to Source One’s existing service offering and we are excited about our future prospects. We welcome Donnie Cole, Ray Keziah and the entire Epic team to the Source One Family.

“The value proposition for all constituents involved in the financing process is unmatched in our industry,” said Epic Co-Founder Donnie Cole, “we are now able to offer our dealers, lenders and consumers with the most competitive financing solutions in the market, within a technology framework that supports a national footprint, all with the same, if not better, customer service our dealers expect.”

To ensure Source One and Epic are providing exceptional customer service, with our
end to end financing solutions, the Company will be consolidating the sales and marketing personnel across the country

Dealer Week Field Trip to Visit Oldest Fla. Restaurant, NHL Arena, Largest Recreational Dealership

The Field Trip, guided by industry trainer Valerie Ziebron, will highlight lessons in great operations, employee relations and customer experience from three Tampa-area businesses. And include some fun surprises.

Dealer Week, the newly reimagined MRAA Conference & Expo, has announced the final locations of the Dealer Week Field Trip, a new all-day interactive learning opportunity. Led by industry trainer Valerie Ziebron, the Field Trip will take Dealer Week attendees on a tour of three Tampa-area businesses that exemplify great operations, employee relations and customer experience. The three businesses are Amalie Arena, home of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning; The Columbia, the oldest continuously operated restaurant in Florida as well as the oldest Spanish restaurant in the United States and one of the largest restaurants in the world; and Lazydays RV, which operates the world’s largest recreational dealership on 126 acres outside Tampa.

The Field Trip takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8. Attendees will be transported by bus to each location, and lunch will be provided at The Columbia. During the visits, attendees will be given a workbook to guide their learning. Later that evening, attendees are welcome to attend the Dealer Week Opening Celebration from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Conference and Expo kicks off the following morning.

“When you’re in a business where customer experience and loyalty are paramount for success, it’s wise to look for inspiration from other businesses, both in and outside of the marine industry,” Ziebron said in a video announcing the Field Trip. “What are they doing, or not doing, to find and keep great talent? How do they train and motivate their teams, and create the sort of culture that drives success? What are they doing to set themselves apart from the competition and to carve out their future for the next decade and beyond?”

The cost to attend the Field Trip is $229 for MRAA Members and $249 for Non-Members. Attendance at the Field Trip is limited to 100 participants due to space constraints.  

Dealer Week will be hosted Dec. 8-11 at the Tampa Convention Center. For more information and to register, go to DealerWeek.com. To add the Field Trip to a pre-existing conference registration, follow the instructions in your confirmation email or contact Michele Rosacker at 763-333-2425.

About Dealer Week
For more than 40 years, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has delivered world class educational programming to dealers, retailers and service operations that power the boating industry and serve today’s boaters. Dealer Week evolves as MRAA’s rebranded and reimagined annual conference and expo, a profoundly new event experience designed to engage, energize and empower the dealer community. The MRAA envisions a brighter future for marine retail, and Dealer Week is the preeminent means for bringing that vision to life. Learn more at DealerWeek.com.

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, contact us at 763-315-8043.