ORR Members to Testify Before U.S. Trade Representative; Oppose Tariffs that will Hurt Outdoor Rec.

Members of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) will make their case before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), and describe just how proposed Section 301 tariffs will hurt the outdoor recreation industry and American consumers. Tom Cove (President and CEO, Sports and Fitness Industry Association), Glenn Hughes (President, American Sportfishing Association), Scott Schloegel (Senior Vice President for Government Relations, Motorcycle Industry Council) and Nicole Vasilaros (Senior Vice President for Government and Legal Affairs, National Marine Manufacturers Association) will all testify at public hearings in the next 10 days.

Outdoor recreation relies on free and fair trade to sustain the thousands of businesses that make up an industry that accounts for 2.2 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, supports 4.5 million jobs, contributes over $734 billion in goods and services and is growing faster than the economy as a whole.

The current administration’s practice of levying tariffs on a wide variety of products has had an adverse impact on the recreational community. From running shoes to boats, RVs and other motorized and non-motorized equipment, recreation is being caught in the crosshairs.

Outdoor recreation is also facing tariffs on raw materials such as steel, aluminum, fiberglass and upholstery as well as component parts essential to manufacturing countless products.  In addition, our allies have retaliated against key American-made recreational products, with devastating export tariffs. Recreation is being squeezed at both ends, with higher input costs and lost export sales.

“These tariffs have placed an unnecessary burden on our member dealers and manufacturers, as well as the consumers who choose to participate in outdoor recreation,” says Matt Gruhn, President of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “We continue to urge our leaders to find a speedy resolution of these trade issues so we don’t hamper the growth and enjoyment of the outdoor recreation industry, which is such a critical contributor to the U.S. economy.”

Ultimately the consumer will pay the price as most manufacturers are unable to absorb all of the recent additional tariff costs. This will make outdoor recreation less affordable to Americans and could stymie economic growth in a vibrant manufacturing and retail sector.

ORR supports the protection of intellectual property rights and leveling the playing field to unfair competition, but these tariffs threaten the health of our robust outdoor economy. History has shown that tariffs are ultimately counterproductive and injurious to American companies, workers and consumers. 

Member Spotlight: Roxanne Rockvam

Roxanne Rockvam, of Rockvam Boat Yards, located in Spring Park, Minn., continues to be a strong advocate for boating and water preservation. We had the chance to ask her a few questions about working in her family’s business and her new initiatives, Pontoongirl.com and the Clean Boater Pledge.

Q: First of all, tell us a little about yourself and how you got your start in the boating industry.

Rockvam: I’m told my first boat ride was at 6 days old. But as a 3rd generation in the boating industry, I’ve been told “the water is in my veins”. We have a family marina and with a family business I’ve always been around it. In fact, I started on payroll at age 7 and I remember having to stand on the edge of the showcase to reach the cash register.

Although I’ve had other jobs including College Admissions, I worked holiday retail, I was the Easter Bunny at the local mall, and we can safely say after working at a family restaurant… you don’t want me as your table server, haha. The nice thing is the experience gained at these jobs has helped me with our marina, which I joined full time in 1999.

Q: Your parents, Jerry and Joyce, opened the marina over 50 years ago. Do you have certain family values you carry over into your business?

Rockvam: Absolutely. Work hard! My parents started the marina and carefully grew the business. The story is quite inspiring. Looking back at what they developed from our house with the store in the lower level, one dock, and a warehouse, to the four warehouses, repair shop, fifteen pontoons, a boat club, dry stack for 120, two docks, and three forklifts and a full time crew of 6 and part time crew of over 30! That’s your work hard inspiration story that transcends all generations. Every day when you come to the marina you get to experience it, first hand. That’s a great motivator.

Q: Rockvam Boat Yards is one of the founding “First Five” of the Minnesota Clean Marina program. Explain what it means to be a Certified Clean Marina in the state of Minnesota. What has the certification means for the team at Rockvam Boat Yards?

Rockvam: The Minnesota Clean Marina Program was a journey.  It took a working committee of about 18 business and agencies to formulate and launch. Without the help of the DNR, MN-Tap, and founding partners, it would have stayed a great idea. The idea came to life when Jerry was at CMM training in 2001 and learned about the Florida program from another classmate. That’s when Jerry pitched the idea to his MInnesota colleagues, but it wasn’t until 2008 when Sunnyside, Afton, Windmill, Bayport and Rockvam’s got together and started the plan. The collective collaboration and industry contacts brought the team to 18. The “other team” includes the Clean Marina Programs before us and their ability to guide and advise us, which greatly reduced our launch time to success. That happened when we were able to certify the first five marinas in 2010! It’s a fantastic program where each marina need to meet criteria concerning 300 Best Management Practices, things from proper hazardous waste disposal, environmental spill equipment, and the education of boating public. Next is a visit from the certification committee. We are now over 20 marina’s that fly our Minnesota Clean Marina flag. Our goal is to continue to grow our certified marinas and achieve a revenue source to help us move forward!

Q: You are involved in many initiatives that focus on educating boaters on the importance of protecting our waters. Recently, you launched Pontoongirl.com and the Clean Boater Pledge. Tell us about the programs and how they came to be.

Rockvam: Pontoon Girl focuses on the boating lifestyle for women… the “Water, Sun, Friends” aspect.

For the past 30 years I’ve watched people rent our pontoon boats. Paying attention to why they’re taking a cruise, what they bring, and how much fun they have.

Pontoon Girl captures the essence of how to enjoy your boat. The things “they” don’t tell you… such as appetizers that are boat friendly, festive drinks including non-alcohol ideas, super cute boat clothes. There’s a weekly theme in the free ToonDay Tuesday newsletter and even more ideas in our members VIP Pontoon Girl group.

Here’s the cool thing, the success of Pontoon Girl has given way to an amazing platform called CleanBoaterPledge.com and over 500 boaters in one month have taken the pledge! Get your customers to take the pledge, it’s super easy and it’s a wonderful way to engage the boaters across the country to be involved in clean habits. ALL boaters are welcome! In fact, I want them ALL to take the pledge and start practicing simple things, like using a mineral based sunscreen. Really, if you change one thing… this is it. The “footprint” of sunscreen in the water is devastating and it is HUGE. Research it, use mineral based sunscreen.

Q: Lastly, what are 5 things that people may not know about you?

  1. I’m a former national champion at baton twirling, I can twirl fire baton, and I performed at the Super Bowl.
  2. I can solve a Rubik’s cube, nerd alert… I have over 100 different types.
  3. I speak Japanese and I lived in Japan.
  4. Diet Pepsi and Chocolate Chip Cookies are one of the four food groups!
  5. My dog is big, fluffy, white, and his name is Mr. Pancake – but not because he’s big, fluffy, and white… he was actually named after the restaurant in the Wisconsin Dells (long story).

All-New Field Trip Experience to Kick Off Dealer Week 2019

As part of its re-imagined event experience, MRAA’s all-new Annual Conference and Expo, Dealer Week, will kick off with an immersive field trip opportunity on December 8th in Tampa, Fla.

Participants will tour local businesses and gather lessons on customer experience, business operations and employee relations from brands that are innovating in those areas.

“The field trip will provide perspective from outside the marine industry on how marine retailers can best serve their customers,” says Mike Davin, MRAA’s Director of Education. “Our hope is that attendees will walk away with inspiration and ideas that they can go back and implement in their own businesses.”

MRAA conference veteran Valerie Ziebron of VRZ Consulting will act as host and provide additional insights throughout the experience. During the site visits, Ziebron will help participants draw connections between what they are learning at the Tampa-area businesses and the marine retail industry. Ziebron has spent more than two decades helping businesses through education and motivation, and she makes it a point to uncover best practice “golden nuggets” that help people flip the switch from reactive to proactive for greater profitability and customer loyalty. Over the years, she has delivered over 5,000 presentations and helped more than 1,000 small businesses.  Her clients have included Chrysler, General Motors, Yamaha Motor Company and many others.

“When developing the field trip concept, we wanted ensure that we created an opportunity for exeperiential learning that would compliment the educational lineup attendees will experience throughout Dealer Week,” says Liz Walz, MRAA Vice President. “We are confident that with Valerie leading the way, not only have we done that, but this will be a highlight for anyone who is able to attend.”

The field trip is $249 for MRAA members and $299 for non-members. Attendees can register for the field trip by adding it to their cart at checkout or by editing their current event registration. Please reach out to the MRAA if you have any questions at 763-315-8043.

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.

MRAA Announces Commitment of Six New Education Champions

Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announces the edition of six Education Champion partners in 2019.

Education Champions agree to support the educational programming that the MRAA delivers to its members by leveraging their industry expertise and resources. Additionally, they help fuel the execution and creation of the Association’s education products through a year-round sponsorship. Education Champion is the MRAA’s second-highest level of Partner Membership.

ARI Network
ARI Network Services produces an award-winning suite of tools and services, including industry-leading data feeds, lead management tools and digital marketing services to help dealers reach their target audiences.

“ARI Network Services is honored to partner with MRAA,” says Robert Jones, Vice-President of Sales. “ARI and MRAA share the common goal of educating dealers on best practices, the latest technologies and how to succeed in today’s digital era.”

Chris Craft
Chris Craft, a Florida-based manufacturer of recreational powerboats, has been contributing to the success of the marine industry since 1874.

“We are excited to participate in Dealer Week, and look forward to welcoming the best dealers in the world to our local area,” says Gavan Hunt, Vice President of Sales at chris Craft Boats, “Consistent improvement is the key to success, and the best dealers, and manufacturers implement team training programs each year. We support and applaud the efforts of the MRAA.”

Dealer Profit Services
Dealer Profit Services is a full-service provider of F&I service, training, consulting and compliance support company focused on delivering dealers the consulting, training and services needed to increase their overall earnings.

“After working with so many dealers over the years, Dealer Profit Services firmly believes that there is an exponential relationship between dealer education and training and dealer profit,” says Myril Shaw, Chief Operating Officer at Dealer Profit Services. “The largest part of the DPS mission is to help train dealers to be their best and to strive to help dealers continually improve their results through our education, training, support and services.  We have long believed in and supported the MRAA Educational efforts and are excited to help enhance and advance those activities through our participation as an Education Champion.”

DockMaster
DockMaster is a leading marina and marine management software company that provides the marine sector with the ability to streamline processes and drive greater efficiencies through the use of its software, the new DockMaster Mobile app for marine technicians and the services delivered by its team, with well over 100-years of combined marine industry and accounting expertise.

“We are thrilled to see the MRRA’s growth in its educational programs and the tremendous support they provide dealers year-round,” says Cam Collins, President of DockMaster. “DockMaster has been part of the MRAA family for over 15 years and we’re excited to participate as a technology innovator in simplifying the boating experience.”

National Marine Distributors Association
The National Marine Distributors Association is a national trade association that represents marine accessories wholesale distributors. NMDA has been a strong proponent of the MRAA since 2013.

“MRAA’s efforts, especially with the new Dealer Week, to educate their dealer members and help them grow their businesses represent a goal that NMDA is proud to support,”  said Nancy Cueroni, Executive Director of NMDA.

Vantage Resource Group
Vantage Resource Group is a North Dakota-based 3M National Market Developer and distributor of marine protection film, pontoon wrap kits and protective coatings, in addition to providing marine dealer profit programs.

“We are excited to partner with the MRAA to support marine dealers through education, training and implementation of our proprietary Vantage Profit System,” says Ross Solwold, President of Vantage Resource Group, Inc. “Process-driven  programs based on  innnovative products, education and training at the dealership level are the cornerstone of our business model, which aligns well with the MRAA mission.”

Education Champions make it possible for the MRAA to work with many of the industry’s top subject matter experts and instructional engineers to create education that will make a lasting impact within marine dealerships, whether through Dealer Week, the all-new MRAA Conference and Expo; MRAATraining.com; or the numerous other publications the Association produces annually.

“We are excited to announce the 2019 MRAA Education Champions,” says Allison Gruhn, MRAA Director of Business Development. “We look forward to further utilizing the expertise of the association’s Education Champions in order to deliver timely and relevant information to the industry.”

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.

June is Great Outdoors Month!

The weather is warming up and that means summer vacation is right around the corner. Great Outdoors Month® 2019 is a great way to experience healthy, active outdoor family fun in your great outdoors! Public and private organizations from across the country are coming together as members of the Great Outdoors Month® Council to help all Americans Escape the Indoors and celebrate the educational, economic, health, and social benefits of active fun outdoors. 

Be a part of Great Outdoors Month in 2019!  Events like Kids to Parks™ Day, the American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day®, Bike Travel Weekend, National Fishing and Boating Week, National Get Outdoors Day, National Marina Day, the Great Outdoors National Day of Service, the Great American Campout and more are great ways to #EscapetheIndoors and discover new ways to have fun with family and friends this June.

“The month of June is always an exciting time for the many facets of the outdoors recreation industry. With the weather heating up and schools concluding for the summer, we can count on the number of boaters on the water to increase,” says Matt Gruhn, President of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “The Great Outdoors Month celebration, particularly National Fishing and Boating Week, is the perfect way to kick off the summer and remind everyone to disconnect and spend time outside with family and friends.”

America’s kids face an outdoor crisis. A generation ago, kids spent more than four hours a day outside — now, it’s less than 40 minutes per week. Being outside has a multitude of health benefits. Children who engage in active fun outdoors are more likely to be physically fit, have better eyesight, improved cognitive development and more. And, the closer we feel to nature, the greater our concern for it becomes.

“All of the organizations involved are in the business of family fun, togetherness, adventure and making memories, and there’s no better way to accomplish these things than spending time together outdoors,” said Great Outdoors Month Council Chairman Frank Peterson. “We’re inviting Americans to Escape the Indoors during the month of June and throughout the year to disconnect from their hectic lives and take in all the wonderful things nature has to offer.” 

More information about Great Outdoors Month and events taking place across America can be found at www.greatoutdoorsmonth.org

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.