Say YES to Amendment 43 – Limited 2018 South Atlantic Red Snapper Season

NOAA Fisheries is considering new regulations that would open the door for a 2018 limited season for red snapper in the South Atlantic. Called Amendment 43, it would allow recreational anglers to harvest one red snapper per person per day. Fishing would be allowed on weekends only and the season start and end dates would be announced if the amendment is approved.

The South Atlantic red snapper stock has increased in abundance over the last several years at an even faster rate than predicted. All signs point to a quickly rebuilding fishery. By allowing a limited season, the amendment will reduce the socio-economic hardships experienced by fishermen and fishing communities while continuing to rebuild the fishery. It would also provide much needed harvest and discard data for stock assessments.

Tell NOAA that you support Amendment 43 and a limited 2018 red snapper season in the South Atlantic. TAKE ACTION HERE.

Industry Gathers in DC for American Boating Congress

Starting today, MRAA and other representatives of the recreational boating industry will convene in Washington DC 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. Top issues this year will include addressing the workforce crisis in the marine industry, getting the Modern Fish Act passed, and stopping the year-round sale of E15.

Read more about the ABC program here: http://www.nmma.org/government/abc

Regardless of whether you are or are not registered to attend, participating in our digital conversation will help elevate our policy priorities to Member of Congress. We encourage you to engage with us on social media and help spread the word about the most important issues facing the recreational boating industry. You can access sample tweets and posts, images and videos here.

Make sure to use the hashtag #ABC2018 and share the link above with your entire team. Elected officials and their staff pay close attention to social media, and engagement from your entire team will strengthen our advocacy. 

MRAA, NMMA, RIMTA publish Guide to Growing the Workforce

Marine industry guide seeks to serve as a roadmap for empowering employers.

Today, as the result of a yearlong collaborative effort, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, the National Marine Manufacturers Association and the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association announce the release of “10+1 Strategy: A Marine Industry Guide to Growing the Workforce.”

Endorsed by 25 national, regional and state trade associations, the “10+1 Strategy: Marine Industry Guide to Growing the Workforce” represents an industrywide business plan in the form of an all-new, instructive document designed to help address the workforce challenges currently facing the marine industry. Commissioned as a result of a joint board meeting between the MRAA and NMMA boards of directors and authored by Wendy Mackie and her expert team at the Rhode Island MTA, the guide features 10 specific strategies intended to cultivate a unified approach toward building our workforce, as well as a “plus 1” strategy that calls for the hiring of a national workforce coordinator to spearhead the industry efforts.

“This comprehensive, 30-page document provides action-oriented, solution-based approaches, in addition to myriad resources that we hope provide clear direction for the successful growth of our industry’s employers,” said Matt Gruhn and Thom Dammrich, presidents of the MRAA and NMMA, respectively, in a joint statement. “Our sincere gratitude to Wendy Mackie and her team at RIMTA for dedicating their years of knowledge, expertise and understanding of the critical issues behind the workforce challenges to the creation of this plan.”

Underpinning the 11 strategies are nearly 90 specific tactics and more than 20 individual resources that can be implemented and used by national, regional and state trade associations as well as industry employers. The guide seeks to serve as a roadmap for employers to begin taking matters into their own hands, wherever they are and whatever their existing support or budget limitations may be.

“This plan provides a strong response to the issues impacting our industry’s employers,” added Mackie, who is the CEO of RIMTA. “What we are most proud of is that it provides real-world, actionable solutions and empowers our employers to begin using the recommended tactics today. For boating to be successful in the economy, now and into the future, we must build a workforce that will allow for growth, success and sustainability. We believe we’ve taken an enormous step in that direction with the publishing of this Guide.”
 
The 10+1 Strategy includes the following focal points. For full insight into the guide, its strategies, tactics and useable resources, download it here.

  1. Train the Trainer Programming
  2. Professional Development Series for Employers and MTAs
  3. Increase Career Awareness
  4. Support Initiatives in K-12 Schools
  5. Align with Industries Seeking Workers with Similar Competencies
  6. Generate a Library of Effective Program Models and Standardize for Replication
  7. Aggregate Industry Data
  8. Communicate and Distribute Information
  9. Advocate for Funding
  10. Cultivate Regional Employer Collaboratives

+1 Hire a National Workforce Development Coordinator

The “10+1 Strategy: A Marine Industry Guide to Growing the Workforce” is endorsed by the American Boat & Yacht Council; Association of Marina Industries; Boating Industries Association of Upstate New York; Boating Trades Association of Metropolitan Houston; Boating Trades Association of Texas; Connecticut Marine Trades Association; Empire State Marine Trades Association; Lake Erie Marine Trades Association; Maine Marine Trades Association; Marine Trades Association of Maryland; Massachusetts Marine Trades Association; Marine Industry Association of Central Florida; Marine Industries Association of South Florida; Michigan Boating Industries Association; Marine Trades Association of New Jersey; Marine Retailers Association of the Americas; National Marine Distributors Association; National Marine Manufacturers Association; Northwest Marine Trades Association; Rhode Island Marine Trades Association; U.S. Superyacht Association; Southwest Florida Marine Industries Association; Tampa Bay Marine Industries Association; Virginia Marine Trades Association; and Wisconsin Marine Association.

“Confronting the future of workforce development in the marine industry is no simple task,” the publication’s authors conclude in its executive summary. “Through the steps provided, this collaborative plan intends to turn the challenge of engaging and retaining productive employees into a collective pathway that can lead us to strengthen our industry identity and cultivate a successful business environment for all. We look forward to joining you on this journey of opportunity.”

32 Ways You Can Beat the Workforce Crisis

The workforce challenges we face can be debilitating. One day, we hire a rockstar to fill that critically important position, and all is right in the universe. The next day, we’re blindsided by the loss of a key employee, and we find ourselves reaching for the Tums. When will it end?

The honest truth is that it will never end. Just as our businesses evolve in the products and services we offer and in how we deliver them, the way we staff our businesses is in constant flux as well.

At the moment, however, the technician shortage may be the exception to that rule. It’s challenging to think we’re in constant change with our techs when it seems we just can’t find the right people — let alone the wrong people — to fill open positions. There’s not a dealer anywhere who wouldn’t hire a technician on a moment’s notice if the opportunity presented itself.

One of the greatest takeaways that sunk in with me while finalizing the just-published “10+1 Strategy: A Marine Industry Guide to Growing the Workforce,” was the revelation that in the not-so-distant future (like, maybe right after you read this), workforce planning will take precedence over financial planning.

Think about that. We all spend time budgeting, comparing actuals to budget, contemplating how our margins are being squeezed and working hard to meet our projections. But how often do we consider our strategy when it comes to staffing our operations? Our largest financial investment is in our people, but yet, our financial planning rarely includes strategic staffing considerations. We react to personnel changes rather than planning for and taking control of our future.

With the introduction of the, “Marine Industry Guide to Growing the Workforce,” we at the MRAA, along with our co-authors at the National Marine Manufacturers Association and the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association, are giving you more control than you’ve ever had when it comes to the workforce challenges. We’re not just offering you a high-level, industry-endorsed, 11-prong strategy; we’re offering you 32 specific tactics you can engage with today to begin your rebellion against the workforce challenges.

This Guide has been designed as a tool for us to all collaborate on addressing the issues from a national level — that’s us at MRAA and our national trade association colleagues; from a regional level — that’s our industry’s regional/state trade associations; and from the employer level — that’s YOU. Download this guide today; use the 32 tactics and the 20-plus live resources it features; and turn workforce planning into your competitive advantage.

MRAA Welcomes Liz Keener as Education Specialist

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today the hiring of Liz Keener as the association’s new Education Specialist.

Keener has been involved in the boating industry for more than seven years, attending her first Marine Dealer Conference & Expo in 2010. While most recently serving as the communications and digital services specialist at Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. she previously served as the senior editor of Boating Industry and its sister brand Powersports Business. Through her experience in the marine and powersports industries, she has built numerous relationships with dealers, manufacturers, suppliers and service providers.

“Liz has hit the ground running here and has already proven a valuable asset to the MRAA team,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA President. “Her background in the marine industry has prepared her for this new position. She understands the pain points that boat retailers face and has the passion necessary to craft educational programming that will help lead our members to greater success.”

Building education for the MRAA member base and the industry, will be a large component of Keener’s position with the association. Keener will work hand-in-hand with MRAA Vice President and Director of Education Liz Walz in developing in-person education for both MRAA’s annual conference and online courses for the Marine Industry Certified Dealer Continuous Certification Program. Keener will also be instrumental in the implementation of future educational opportunities MRAA is exploring.
 
“I’m grateful that the MRAA is giving me this opportunity to return to the marine industry,” says Keener. “Already, I’ve been able to dive in and assist in selecting the education content for the 2018 MDCE, and I’m helping prepare the third quarter MICD Continuous Certification course. I look forward to putting my experience to work to help the marine industry grow.”

When Keener isn’t working to help the boating industry grow, she spends her time with her husband and two dogs at home, or you can find her navigating Minneapolis on her motorcycle, attending classic car shows or cheering on the Minnesota Vikings.

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 Partnership Gains New Partner Members In April

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is please to announce two new Partner Members into membership. Bank of the Ozarks and MOTOTV have joined the association’s growing roster of marine industry supporters.

Bank of the Ozarks
Bank of the Ozarks is a regional bank with expertise in marine lending, servicing marine dealers throughout the United States.  The Indirect Lending team at Bank of the Ozarks has some of the most experienced and respected professionals in the industry, providing indirect consumer financing for dealers and brokers who sell and finance yachts and boats, aircraft and recreational vehicles.

“We value the members of the MRAA as well as the leadership and staff of the association,” says Scott Ramsden, Executive Vice President – National Sales Manager at Bank of the Ozarks.  “We are passionate in our support of a thriving marine industry, helping retailers nationwide grow their business and allowing more families to enjoy activities on our nation’s waterways.”

Much like the MRAA, Bank of the Ozarks values the relationships they create with their customers.  They attribute their on-going success to a relentless pursuit of excellence and by providing exceptional service to their customers. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed by the banking world; they have been named the Nation’s Top Performing Bank in their asset size category for eight consecutive years by leading industry publications.

“Without the support of partners, like Bank of the Ozarks, we would not be able to provide our members with the tools and resources necessary for the betterment of their businesses”, says Matt Gruhn, MRAA President, “We are excited to announce this partnership with Bank of the Ozarks and applaud their commitment to the success of the industry.”

MOTOTV
MOTOTV Networks, an in-store, digital signage network for powersport and action sport retailers, provides its customers with customized and branded content to display on their showroom televisions.

“The MRAA has been an awesome resource to keep us at the forefront of the Marine Industry,” says Chris Mosera, Co-Founder of MOTOTV, “We love how they constantly share new ideas with retailers to keep their businesses healthy and growing!”

MOTOTV offers unique video, advertisement, and announcement footage specifically designed for each dealership. MOTOTV continues to update and provide new content with the purpose of informing, educating, and entertaining customers, in order for dealerships to reach their specific sales and marketing goals.

“We all know that part of the sales process is to attract potential boat buyers to the boating lifestyle, MOTOTV provides great content that not only helps sell the product, but provides a glimpse into boat ownership,” says Matt Gruhn, President of the Marine Retailers Association. “We are pleased to welcome MOTOTV to the MRAA family and support their continued effort to creating lifelong boaters.”
 
Bank of the Ozarks and MOTOTV have joined the roster of boat manufacturers, vendors and suppliers who support the efforts of the MRAA through partnership, continues to grow. Find a full menu of partner benefits here.

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.

About Bank of the Ozarks
Bank of the Ozarks is a regional bank providing innovative financial solutions delivered by expert bankers with a relentless pursuit of excellence. Bank of the Ozarks has been recognized as the #1 bank in the nation in its asset size for eight consecutive years. Learn more at www.bankozarks.com.

About MOTOTV
MOTOTV is a in-store, digital signage network that delivers relevant, customizable brand content for powersport and action sport retailers.  MOTOTV targets the customer with material that displays products in action and the necessary information to help viewers through the buying process. Learn more at www.mototvnetwork.com.

MRAA Reports Nearly $500,000 in Member Benefits in 2017

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas released its annual report and member benefits metrics this week, documenting nearly half a million dollars in financial benefits for its members in 2017. The total benefits awarded to members represented a $75,000 increase over 2016.

“MRAA is dedicated to providing dealers with the resources needed to compete in an ever-changing, more complex and demanding marketplace,” says MRAA Board of Directors Chairman, Joe Lewis. “The continued growth of our program benefits and the new products and services our staff has introduced demonstrate that we are delivering on that promise.”

The MRAA offers 20-plus benefits that marine retailers have access to as part of MRAA membership. AquaPac, a noteworthy member benefit, paid out $52,813 to MRAA members in 2017. In addition, MRAA members received $49,435 in member discounts to the association’s annual conference, the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo. Several other benefits provided significant savings and dividends for MRAA’s growing list of members.

“We have seen great interest in adding value to our members’ investments, by partering with programs that drive revenue or savings from MRAA Benefit Partners,” explains Nikki Duffney, MRAA Member Development Manager. “The 2017 engagement reports demonstrated that the MRAA’s staff assistance to connect members with meaningful programs has increased the overall ROI we can offer our network, and I anticipate we will see another significant year of increased benefits in 2018, as we welcome more dealers into our programs.”

With the addition of the all the all-new nationwide medical insurance program, MRAA Health, the association expects the value of MRAA membership to increase dramatically. On average, MRAA members are saving $1,600 per employee, per year.

If you are interested in learning more about MRAA membership or the benefits the association provides, contact Nikki Duffney at 763-333-2420.

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.

Record MDCE Registrations Fourth Year in a Row

After four consecutive years of record-breaking registrations, the 2018 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo once again set a record for its April-only earliest-bird registration period.

Co-produced by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and Boating Industry, slated for Dec.  9-12, 2018, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando Fla., the MDCE recorded 195 total dealer registrations for the month of April, putting it record pace ahead of previous years.

“Our No. 1 priority is to provide each and every MDCE participant with the education, resources and relationships that will do the most to improve and grow their business and this industry,” says Liz Walz, MRAA vice president and director of education. “We’re delighted to have this confirmation that we’re on the right track with the value we’re providing attendees, and yet we’ll be working hard in the weeks and months ahead to build an event that delivers more results for dealers and exhibitors than ever before.”

In 2017, the MDCE attracted more than 650 dealers and inspired them to “Write Their Story,” by participating in the conference. Pre-Conference workshops, keynotes, track sessions and the highly sought after dealer-to-dealer roundtable discussions encouraged dealers to challenge themselves and their dealership practices to be the best they can be. The 2018 MDCE predicts a similar outcome, but with brand new content.

“We are excited to see the dealers so eager and ready to participate in Orlando again this year,” Tim Hennagir, editor of Boating of Industry said. “It’s is a great display of commitment dealers have to their businesses and their desire to improve at the MDCE.”

The MDCE team has been hard at work, tailoring this year’s conference to meet the needs of the marine industry by providing education, networking opportunities and vendor parternships based on those needs. Early bird registration for the 2018 MDCE continues until Sept. 21, offering dealers the possible savings of $100, — that’s $75 off for MRAA members and the a $25 off early bird rate. Register now.

About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo

The marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, MDCE offers an in-depth lineup of educational sessions, a full-featured expo hall and a series of fixed networking opportunities, all of which are designed to help marine dealers connect with and learn from others who can foster their success. MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features four Educational Tracks, Pre-Conference Workshops, Keynote Presentations, a Learning Lab, Dealer-to-Dealer Roundtable Discussions, and an Innovation Spotlight. For more information, visit MarineDealerConference.com.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has been delivering powerful educational programs for marine dealers since 1977. At the MRAA, the team of professionals believes that for the marine industry to thrive, the dealers on the front lines of the industry must first find success. So MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by providing dealers with tools, resources and educational programs, such as its annual conference, and by representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com.

About Boating Industry

Boating Industry is the leading trade magazine serving the marine industry. From award-winning editorial to awards programs including the Top 100 dealers program, Movers & Shakers, Top Products of the Year and more, Boating Industry serves all aspects of the marine industry. For more than 85 years, boating professionals have turned to Boating Industry for market intelligence, product updates, best practices and industry news. For more information, visit BoatingIndustry.com.

Dealer to Dealer: May

What is the most important to your organization- mission, core values, or vision? How do you instill that key element into your company’s culture?

“Core values come first. I’m not sure you can set a vision or create a mission statement you can follow without having a code of ethics in place as a guide.  

Customers are not going to judge a company on what they say they are in their mission statement. Some may commend a company for having a great action plan in place to achieve their stated vision. In the end, however, a company will be judged on its actions.    

Part of our initial training starts with refreshing new hires on using the manners their mothers taught them. We go beyond saying please and thank you. Living put these core values on and off the clock are essential for being part of our team.

Always tell the truth. Show up on time. Do what we say we will do. Charge what we quote or less. Use the manners our mothers taught us. Be in control of our attitude at all times. Give a little more than is expected.” – Rob Brown, Clark Marine

“Core Values” – Jim Dragseth, Whiticar Boat Works, Inc.

“Core Values” – Kristina Litjens, Boulder Boats

“Employee & Manufacturer Relationships” – Ken Sorley, Marineland Boating Center

 

Each month, MRAA connects with dealership management on a timely and relevant topic and publishing their insights at MRAA.com. Tell us what you have to say about this month’s question by commenting below and participating in the conversation. Also, watch for next month’s question coming soon

Practice What You Learn

In the Continuous Certification Q1 course, “Take Your Dealership From Good to Great with CRM,” instructor Sam Dantzler opened our eyes to asking how customers want to be contacted. Since then, I’ve been taking notice how the businesses that I interact with contact me. This week, I needed to get my bike tuned up and have the handle bar tape replaced.

I rode the bike to the shop and was greeted enthusiastically by the service team. They threw the bike on the rack and asked what I was looking for. I told them the rear derailleur needs adjusting and the bar tape replaced.

They grabbed a repair order and started filling it out with my name, my phone numbers and when I needed it back. After some small talk I tucked my copy of RO in the pocket, looked at a couple of new bikes and walked home.

Later in the day, when I was emptying my pockets, I noticed some boxes that were built into their RO that weren’t used. Based on what I learned in that Continuous Certification Course, I thought the bike shop missed two great opportunities to build a better relationship with me and build in more efficiencies.

The RO has two permission boxes for texting and emailing. These are built into the RO to remind the employee to ask the customer how they want to be contacted. Neither was used. I can only imagine the amount of time that could have been saved for both the shop and myself if they simply sent me a text that my bike was ready. I do believe if a business or representative can move into the customer’s text space, the relationship advances. And a growing number of people prefer to be contacted by text these days.

The second opportunity seems light years old and obvious: How could anyone miss out on collecting email addresses these days? We’ve been preaching to boat dealers at our annual conference for years to always capture a customer’s email address. Even after all these years, email marketing arguably gets you the best bang for the buck.

So, my question to you, are you executing on what you’re learning or are you missing these same opportunities?