9 Highlights from a Podcast on Dealer Week

Mike Davin, MRAA’s Director of Education, was recently featured on the Boat Dealer Profits Podcast talking about our reimagined conference experience, Dealer Week. We’ve summarized the 30-minute podcast into nine key highlights listed below (with timestamps). You can listen to the whole interview here.

  1. Dealer Week is built for dealers, by dealers. (1:50) We sat down with leading manufacturers, suppliers, and most importantly dealers and asked them, “What would make Dealer Week most valuable for you?” The collaboration was amazing, and we are excited to share the many things we are implementing this year according to their feedback.
  2. We did something dorky … we studied how people learn. (2:18) A conference is more than just sitting in the room and listening to the speaker. With Dealer Week, there will be opportunities to reflect on what you learn.

  3. NEW! Mike explains Education Hosts. (3:09) Sam Dantzler, Jim Million and David Spader will serve as your guides through the education at Dealer Week. (More about Education Hosts at the 13:00 mark)
  4. Extended educational session times with built-in dealer-to-dealer learning. (5:20) Through our research as well as experience from past conferences, we know the value that comes when dealers learn from each other. These conversations about challenges and opportunities will be integrated into our Education Pathways.
  5. What will be familiar? (7:34) Our mission and focus on education, industry connections and celebrating the accomplishments of dealers in 2019.

  6. What’s a Pathway? (9:00) Previously known as “tracks,” our breakout education sessions have transformed into Educational Pathways. Rather than being focused on specific areas of the dealership, they cut across various departments and will attract a cross-section of attendees. The Pathways are: the Dealership, the Customer and the Employee. We believe if you’re successful in those three areas, you’ll be successful as a business.
  7. Sneak peek into the education! (11:47) AKA the pain points you have in your dealership.
  8. NEW! 10×10 Sessions. (16:46) 10 industry leaders will spend 10 minutes discussing their take on the hottest topics in the marine world today.
  9. The goal of Dealer Week. (20:36) Dealer success always has and always will be the MRAA’s goal. At Dealer Week, we’ve brought together partners who believe in that mission as well. You can meet them in the Expo Hall!

Be the first to know when the Educational Pathway schedules are released as well as other fun Dealer Week news by following us on Facebook. Click here to see who’s already coming!

EPA Approves Year- Round E15 Sales, Industry Opposes

Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency approved a rule allowing the year-round sale of fuel with 15-percent ethanol. Through its voice at the American Boating Congress and through numerous other avenues, the MRAA along with its coalition partners voiced opposition to this effort. The MRAA believes that poor execution of ethanol-related warning labels at gas pumps, coupled with the harmful effects that ethanol has on small gas-powered engines, puts a greater number of boaters in jeopardy on the water this summer. We continue to encourage Congress to pass the Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act, a bi-partisan legislative effort that aims to revise labeling and education requirements for fuel pumps that offer E15.

SOAR Act Introduced in Congress

Bill would simplify permitting processes for outdoor guides and outfitters.

Americans’ ability to participate in outdoor recreation on our public lands and waters took a major step forward this week with the introduction of the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act by Senators Martin Heinrich (D, NM) and Shelley Moore Capito (R, WV). This crucial piece of legislation will make world-class and close-to-home outdoor experiences more accessible by updating the permitting system that guides and outfitters need to operate trips on our treasured lands and waters.

The SOAR Act is bipartisan legislation that improves outfitter and guide permitting systems by simplifying processes, increasing flexibility in allowed activities, reducing fees and much more. All of these provisions – supported by members of the outdoor industry and conservation community – will positively impact a wide range of organizations that deliver facilitated recreation experiences, including for-profit and non-profit guides and outfitters, university recreation programs and volunteer-based clubs.

“Whether you are biking or kayaking, fishing, hunting, ATVing or riding, guides and outfitters play a key role in how Americans access the outdoors,” said Jessica Wahl, Executive Director of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “The antiquated process that these businesses, nonprofits, and education institutions have to go through to get people outside needs to be reformed so outdoor recreation can continue to be a healthy, safe and sustainable use of our public lands and waters and a significant economic driver that makes up 2.2 percent of the U.S. GDP and supports over 4.5 million jobs in communities across the country.”

“Guides and outfitters provide a key touchpoint for Americans to access boating and fishing opportunities across the country,” explains Matt Gruhn. “By reforming our processes to access permits and operate trips on our nation’s waterways, the SOAR Act provides the opportunity to introduce more Americans to the boating lifestyle and gives them the ability to enjoy boating and fishing, both of which are critical economic drivers.”

Dealer Shares His Certification Story

Jim Armington of Buckeye Sports Center has been a part of the Marine Industry Certified Dealership program for about a decade, and he recently shared his experience with us.

“Originally, we signed up for dealer Certification, to be honest, to get the dealer Certification merit badge, to get the sticker in the window, not knowing how much we’d get out of it,” he explained. “And after even going through the program the first year, we learned quite a bit about follow up and procedures that we wanted to have in place, and every year since then, it’s really been a benefit.”

Armington participated in the inaugural Continuous Certification program in 2018 and has already completed some of the requirements for the 2019 program.

“I really think Continuous Certification has most changed our dealership by making us continually focus on what we can do to get better,” Armington said. “And the topics they bring up help kind of start that discussion, start that first step for us to work with the employees, to work with the rest of the team every year on what can we do to get better every year. And Continuous Certification, as the name would indicate, just kinds of directs us towards that.”

Watch Armington’s full Certification story.

Nearly $14 Million Awarded to Schools Improve Talent Development, Education System

Thirteen talent consortia awarded Marshall Plan for Talent funds to improve state’s talent development and education system, benefiting more than 220,000 students.

LANSING, Mich. – High-caliber innovation and partnerships continue to soar as business and education leaders come together to revolutionize curriculum and support services that will address the state’s talent gap, officials from the state’s Talent and Economic Development Department and Department of Education said as they announced the latest Marshall Plan for Talent Innovation Grant awardees.

Thirteen talent consortia, representing 500 entities, were awarded a total of nearly $14 million in grants to start and grow innovative education models.

“We all win when we come together to develop solutions to set students on a path for success and invest in their futures,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said. “These investments help improve our education system and enhance talent development pipelines that we need to prepare Michiganders for the high-demand, high-wage careers of today and tomorrow.”

Of the nearly $14 million in awards, $6.89 million will go to purchasing state-of-the-art equipment students can use to learn with hands-on techniques. Another $6.14 million will help develop world-class curricula for each consortium, and an additional $150,000 going toward evolving some districts to a competency-based education model. Finally, $465,385 will go toward hiring career navigators who will help students explore career options and pathways in Michigan while providing needed support to school counselors who are overwhelmed – each serving on average 729 students yearly.

“The Marshall Plan for Talent set the stage for Michigan to bring businesses and education together and lay the foundation for a new model that will help students explore in-demand careers and ultimately address the skills gap in Michigan,” Talent and Economic Development Department of Michigan Acting Director Stephanie Beckhorn said. “We look forward to ongoing partnerships with these consortium members as we continue to build on these efforts and make sure students are equipped with successful pathways to post-secondary education and training.”

The awarded consortia represent a diverse group of businesses, K-12 districts, post-secondary education institutions and other entities, including 155 school districts – small and large – 136 businesses, 56 post-secondary institutions, 41 industry associations, 19 Michigan Works! agencies and 92 non-profit and other organizations. The funding benefits more than 220,000 students and their communities statewide.

“The Marshall Plan promotes the building of partnerships – a strategy for schools and businesses to innovate and rethink how we go about preparing our young people for the future,” Interim State Superintendent Sheila Alles said. “Communities across Michigan see the importance of connecting education directly with job providers. Today, we celebrate their efforts that will make tomorrow brighter and ensure Michigan becomes a Top 10 education state.”

Consortia shaped their applications around five key high-demand, high-wage sectors: healthcare, information technology/computer science, manufacturing, Professional Trades and other business trades.

The Talent and Economic Development Department of Michigan (Ted) allows the state to leverage its ability to build talent with in-demand skills while helping state businesses grow and thrive. Joining job creation and economic development efforts under one umbrella, Ted consists of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan State Housing Development Authority, Michigan Strategic Fund, Talent Investment Agency and Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority.

Learn more about Ted by visiting our website, michigan.gov/ted.

MRAA Launches Marine Industry Guide to Apprenticeship

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas recently published its latest white paper, “The Guide to Apprenticeship,” in conjunction with the Marine Industry Certified Dealership program.

The 21-page digital publication was created to help address one of the most commonly shared pain points of today’s marine dealers — a shortage of qualified technicians. The guide walks through the process — and potential advantages — of growing your own technicians rather than hiring “hard-to-find” veteran techs. The guide provides examples of real-world apprenticeship programs that have led to employees who outperform their peers and deliver increased levels of profitability, while at the same time increasing employee satisfaction and improving the customer experience.

“We were lucky to have a lot of great contributors to this publication, including a number of dealers who were willing to share both how they built their apprenticeship programs as well as the results they’ve seen,” says Mike Davin, MRAA’s Director of Education. “We know that workforce issues remain a top concern for many industry dealers, so it’s encouraging to read about some success stories that have resulted from attracting and developing inexperienced workers into skilled technicians.”

MRAA’s “Guide to Apprenticeship” was designed as supplemental reading for the first quarter course of the 2019 Continuous Certification curriculum, “Develop Your Dealership’s Workforce Outside In,” presented by Jim Million. The online training course introduces the concept of filling in the “gaps” of your workflow by incorporating and training your current employees. For those not enrolled in Continuous Certification, it also serves as a valuable standalone resource for anyone interested in exploring an apprenticeship program.
 
“Dealers, including those in the Certification program, have told us time and again that finding qualified technicians is a struggle,” says Liz Keener, MRAA’s Certification Manager. “While it’s meant to build off the coaching and mentoring skills Certified dealers learned about in the first quarter of this year, this guide will be an extremely useful tool for any dealer looking to add an apprenticeship program. It walks dealers through the entire process of developing an apprenticeship program, offering an easy-to-implement system.”

MRAA members can login and access the full publication at MRAA.com/guides and non-members can download an excerpt of the guide here. The Guide to Apprenticeship and Quarter One of the MICD Continuous Certification program are available now.
 

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.

Dealers Climb Capitol Hill at American Boating Conference

Last week, MRAA and other representatives of the recreational boating industry convened in Washington, D.C. for the annual American Boating Congress. ABC is the industry’s primary political and legislative gathering, where all sectors of recreational boating work for three full days to present a unified front to Congress on the critical issues impacting our industry. 2019 was the largest ABC on record, with more than 350 attendees gathering to discuss important topics such as trade, recreation, conservation, and blue-green infrastructure. Industry representatives held more than 200 meetings with congressional offices. MRAA staff and members were there to learn, engage and meet with their individual members of Congress as constituents. Here’s what they had to say about their ABC experience:

Chris Butler, Butler Marine
“This was my first year at ABC and discovered the importance of letting our elected officials know how important the boating and recreational fishing industries are to our economy.  I will definitely be back next year.”

Joe Lewis, Mount Dora Boating Center & Marina
“This past ABC was a brilliant example of persistence paying off.  The people I met with on Capitol Hill were informed and understood our issues. In years past meetings were a monologue. We explained who we were, what we faced and how they could help. Fast forward to 2019, legislators knew us, our issues and asking us how they could help. Night and day difference after years of work. Finally recreational boating can play a little offense and we did just that in December of 2018 with passage of the Modern Fish Act. We still have many challenges but at least today we have people who are really listening.”

Matt Gruhn, MRAA President
“ABC, with its focus on meeting with Congress Members, can feel like an intimidating process. But the Members and their teams are incredibly engaged in listening to the issues, particularly when we have such a large contingent of industry participating in the dialog, and particularly when they get the chance to talk to one of their own constituents. This year, after meeting with Rep. Jim Hagedorn, along with Alumacraft Boats President James Irwin, we actually received a follow-up phone call from the Representative himself, which we took as a nod to the positive reception we received when presenting our issues. We make a real impact when we participate in this event.”

Liz Walz, MRAA Vice President
“One of the highlights of my experience at ABC this year was the opportunity to meet with Congressman John Katko, who represents New York’s 24th District, where I live. We spoke about the workforce challenges that so many MRAA members face – and particularly the opportunity to reauthorize the Higher Education Act with a provision that reduces the classroom hours necessary for Pell Grants, so that more of those training for careers as marine technicians would be eligible. I was impressed that he knew of many of our marine dealer members based in the district. And he even offered to put me in touch with someone in his office who could help us determine whether there was federal grant money available to support the development of local marine technician education programs.”

Mike Davin, MRAA Director of Education
“It’s easy to feel like casting a ballot on Election Day is the only chance you have to make your voice heard in Washington. Visiting Capitol Hill is a good reminder that Congress is there to represent us, and the Senate and House buildings are both open for visitors. The Hill visits during ABC were a highlight, and all the Members of Congress and staff who met with us seemed engaged and eager to listen.”

MRAA Partner Interview: Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation

We had the chance to ask Stephanie Vatalaro, of the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, a few questions about their newest campaign and the other efforts RBFF is taking in order to increase the number of people getting out on the water and participating in outdoor recreation.

To get started, we would love to hear about you and what you do at the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation.

I am the Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications at the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF), where I lead the organization’s outreach strategy to recruit new participants to fishing and boating through our Take Me Fishing™ and Vamos A Pescar™ brand campaigns.

The RBFF is currently working to increase the number of fishing participants from the existing 49.1 million to 60 million by 2021. What efforts are you taking in order to reach the goal in the next two years?

We’re working to achieve 60 in 60 using a three-pronged approach – recruitment, retention and reactivation (R3). The main focus for RBFF is on recruitment, but we also work with industry and state agencies on retention and reactivation. We offer many tools and programs for our stakeholders to get involved. The latest – our Fishing License & Boat Registration Website Plugin – connects your customers with fishing license and boat registration information in just one click. With the plugin on your website, you’ll lower the barriers to participation by facilitating license sales, increasing the number of fishing trips and anglers, and positioning your business as a trusted resource for the items needed to fish.

Not only is RBFF focusing on increasing the number of anglers in general, but also it is working to increase the number of women who participate in the sport. Tell us about the Women’s Initiative and how MRAA readers can get involved.

Nearly half of all newcomers to fishing last year were female, and today, Moms are fishing with their kids more than Dads. But only 19% of women see themselves in the sport, and women drop out of fishing at really high rates. That’s why we launched the #WomenMakingWaves campaign last year to empower women in fishing and boating. We are encouraging all women to go out and create unforgettable memories on the water. If you’re a beginner, we’ve got everything you need to get started. If you’re an avid participant, you can help us spread the word. The marine industry can do its part to support Women Making Waves by featuring women in their advertisements and social media campaigns, learning how to better engage women in the sales process and hosting female-focused events.

Access to water is an issue that affects all aspects of the marine industry. In addition to the License + Registration PlugIn, RBFF offers other plugins that help lessen the hurdles to boating. How can the Places to Boat & Fish embeddable map help retailers get people out on the water?

Having easy access to the water is critical for a successful day of fishing. Our embeddable Places to Boat & Fish Map is a free, interactive tool that makes it easy for boaters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts to find bodies of water, specific types of fish and various destinations including camp sites, restaurants, picnic areas and other outdoor retailers.

Thank you, Stephanie, for all of your time and talking us through the offerings that RBFF is delivering to the marine industry.

The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation continues to create resources that support the growth and participation in boating and fishing. Click to access free resources to help grow boating and fishing on from the RBFF Resource Center.

Op-Ed: National Infrastructure Conversation Must Include Recreation

This op-ed originally appeared in the May 16th edition of The Hill. Jessica Wahl is executive director of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), America’s leading coalition of outdoor recreation trade associations and organizations working to promote the policy and legislative reforms needed to enhance the outdoor recreation economy. MRAA is a founding member of the ORR.

When outdoor enthusiast Mikah Meyer arrived in Washington, D.C., this month, it wasn’t just another typical springtime tourist visit. As Meyer climbed the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, he was completing a specific quest — to visit all 419 National Park Service sites three years to the day after he began.

Inspired by his late father’s love of road trips, Meyer, 30, set a Guinness World Record by becoming the youngest person to visit all National Park Service locations, as well as becoming the first to visit those 419 sites in a single continuous road trip.

While Meyer’s journey was extraordinary, it’s important to remember that millions of Americans visit our public lands and waters every single day of the year, totaling over one billion visits annually. Whether it is a family vacation to an iconic national park, weekly fishing trips or part of a daily commute, our public lands play an essential role in supporting quality of life, local jobs, and a vibrant national outdoor recreation industry.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, outdoor recreation makes up 2.2 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product and supports more than 4.5 million jobs across the country. The outdoor recreation industry — which is growing faster than the economy as a whole — contributes $734 billion to the U.S. economy. This is more than other major sectors such as mining, utilities, and computer and electronic products.

The same day Mikah Meyer arrived at the Lincoln Memorial, two other Americans paid a visit to a national park site about a mile away. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) entered the White House to discuss infrastructure, and they emerged with good news: a “general agreement” with President Donald Trump that $2 trillion should be made available to fix our nation’s roads, bridges, rails, ports, airports, water and sewer systems, and energy and telecom grids.

We agree that support of “traditional infrastructure” is vital for America to remain competitive, prosperous and safe. We also believe that an infrastructure package represents an extraordinary bipartisan opportunity to not only rebuild our crumbling roads, bridges and airports, but also to improve the beloved infrastructure on federally managed lands and waters — our green and blue infrastructure.

Sadly, many roads, trails, marinas, campgrounds, and other outdoor structures and natural infrastructure are desperately in need of care. Simply put, we have Eisenhower-era recreation infrastructure at a time when visitation has increased and visitors depend on safe roads and bridges, attractive open spaces, clean public waters, and 21st century amenities. The national parks alone are facing a $12 billion maintenance backlog.

The benefits of encouraging the outdoor recreation economy are clear. When Americans participate in outdoor recreation, they purchase gear, equipment, food, lodging and more, and contribute $65.3 billion in annual tax revenue to federal coffers. Investing in our natural recreation assets and building recreation infrastructure is a smart investment, with a recent study confirming that every dollar invested in the national parks returns $10 to the U.S. economy.

Additionally, much of America’s recreation infrastructure on public lands and waters is already associated with revenue streams from recreational activity — fishing and hunting licenses; entrance and activity fees; campground, slip and launch fees; recreation permits and registration fees; and excise and fuel taxes.

Outdoor recreation is paying into the system and we must be part of any legislation to address the nation’s crumbling infrastructure. We look forward to working with Congress on opportunities to address the maintenance backlog and to implement policies that allow for public-private partnerships to help ease the backlog and significantly enhance the experience for visitors to public lands and waters.

As Congress tackles our nation’s infrastructure challenges, outdoor recreation needs to be at the table. Mikah Meyer — and all Americans who enjoy our National Park Service sites and other public lands and waters — deserve contemporary and thoughtful solutions that will improve the health and vibrancy of communities and economies across the country.

This week is Infrastructure Week, a period of education and advocacy that brings American businesses, workers, elected leaders, and citizens together around one message: America’s future will be shaped by the infrastructure choices we make today. If members of Congress choose today to make investments in outdoor recreation enjoyment and stewardship of America’s iconic public lands and waters, then they will, at the same time, be supporting and expanding American jobs, our economy and priceless outdoor experiences for generations to come.

If you have questions, please contact MRAA Public Policy Manager, Will Higgins.

Be, Do, Get

I recently completed Skills for Success, a Dale Carnegie course, and one of the many things that I learned was the “Be, Do, Get” concept. The idea is to craft a short statement that outlines the growth you are interested in achieving. I thought this was pretty cool, and could be applied to all areas of my life. My “Be, Do, Get” statement is, “Be authentic, Do the work, Get continual improvement.”

I purposely left mine to be vague as I wanted to be able to apply it to several facets of my life. Here is an example of how I am applying my statement:

I want to show up to work every day with my true self, and be able to treat others with humility and respect. I want to do the work, which can take a different shape depending on the day and needs of the members and organization. Continual improvement, if we are not working on something to develop our tools as professionals, we are complacent with change and not able to move with new opportunity.

I would like to challenge you to think of a “Be, Do, Get” statement that you can apply to yourself or your dealership. Staying focused on how you need to show up, what needs to be done and focus on the outcomes desired will help shape the future you want.

Share your statement in the comments. We would love to see what is fueling your personal growth!