Captain Jack Stewart Earns Certified Yacht Broker Credential

Captain Jack Stewart, sales manager for Yarmouth Boat Yard, recently earned the esteemed status of Certified Professional Yacht Broker (CPYB). The CPYB Certification is the mark of excellence for yacht sales professionals throughout North America.

To earn this designation, CPYB brokers must meet professional qualifications and successfully pass a stringent three-hour examination, testing their skills and knowledge as yacht sales professionals. Brokers must be well informed of current market conditions, ascertain all pertinent facts concerning listed vessels, and protect against fraud, misrepresentation, and unethical practices.

To date, only 10 individuals have earned this prestigious distinction in Maine and approximately 600 in the United States.

“At Yarmouth Boat Yard, we are committed to excellence and professionalism,” stated Steve Arnold, owner of Yarmouth Boat Yard. “The CPYB standards and code of ethics parallels our beliefs of focusing on the customer,” Arnold explained. “Having Captain Jack CPYB certified backs up this dedication, as it sets standards for training and performance, and promotes impeccable customer service.”

Josh Linkner Named MDCE 2016 Opening Keynote Speaker

Marine retailers’ premier educational conference to share strategies from one of America’s most successful entrepreneurs 

 

Organizers of the 2016 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo have announced New York Times best-selling author and serial entrepreneur Josh Linkner will deliver the Opening Keynote, titled The Gravity-Defying Leader: Innovative Approaches to Hyper-Growth Leadership. 

 

Linkner, who has invested in and mentored over 100 startups, will speak to more than 1,000 marine dealers, manufacturers and service providers from throughout North America and beyond at 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 6, during the 2016 MDCE in Orlando.

 

“We’re packing more education and networking into this year’s event than ever before, and that will kick off with this Opening Keynote presentation,” said MRAA Vice President Liz Walz. “Not only are we moving it to earlier in the day so that we can fit all our new offerings into the schedule, but we’ve also chosen a speaker who is uniquely qualified to give marine retailers the tools to innovate and grow in today’s market. This keynote, with its focus on retail innovation, will be like none we offered before at MDCE.”

 

Linkner has founded four different tech companes, which sold for a combined $200 million, and has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Linkner also received the Barack Obama Champion of Change Award, which honors entrepreneurs winning the future by starting U.S. businesses that create jobs, wealth and opportunities.

 

“Having a chance to speak to the marine retail community will be a real treat for me,” Linkner said. “The boating sector plays an important role in driving economic success, and I’m looking forward to sharing strategies for innovation that these business owners can use to adapt to the fast changing market and lead their team to hyper-growth.”

 

MDCE, hosted jointly by Boating Industry magazine and the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, attracted a total of 1,147 marine industry professionals in 2015 – one of its largest audiences to date. Building on that momentum, early retail registrations for the 2016 conference have already set a new record. This, coupled with its December 5-8 date range, which is three weeks later than the event’s traditional time frame, puts MDCE 2016 on track to see the highest attendance to date.

 

“MDCE sponsorships and exhibitor space are also moving at a record pace,” said Jonathan Sweet, editor-in-chief of Boating Industry. “In today’s business environment, manufacturers and suppliers who develop a genuine connection with the marine retail community have a real advantage over the competition, and MDCE is an ideal environment for building those relationships.”

 

Dealers who register for MDCE 2016 before the September Early Bird Deadline save $25 off standard rates; MRAA members save an additional $75. Learn more and register at MarineDealerConference.com. 

Glidecoat Signs New MRAA Partnership

Buying a boat is an investment in family fun for years to come. Guarantee your experience is a pleasurable and rewarding one by buying a boat from a dealer you can trust—a Marine Industry Certified Dealership.

Find the Certified Dealer Nearest You 

Certified Dealers are committed to ensuring your satisfaction before, during and long after the sale. Certified Dealers have been asked to meet a set of the industry’s most stringent standards, ensuring they meet and exceed the expectations you have for your boating lifestyle. 

Why Buy From A Certified Dealer?

  • Friendly, knowledgeable employees
  • Quality products
  • Reliable service
  • Follow-up before, during and after the sale
  • Clean, neat and orderly facility and well-maintained inventory
  • A Marine Industry Consumer Commitment that guarantees your satisfaction


A New Wave of Income for MRAA Members

Both MRAA and IDSI understand the pressures of dealership profitability in the wake of increasingly competitive margins. To combat this industry reality, MRAA is proud to bring dealerships a new source of income development: Platinum Protection Systems, IDSI’s groundbreaking product that tackles boat purchase worries head-on.

Customers demand the peace of mind IDSI’s five-year warranty provides, and dealerships relish in the backend profitability it affords. Hundreds of marine dealers across the US and Canada now offer Platinum Protection to their customers.

As an MRAA Premier Partner, IDSI is a full-service F&I product provider working to secure a strong and healthy boating industry through dealership growth opportunities. Those who share this goal are urged to learn more about the income opportunities that a partnership with IDSI provides.

Find a full menu of partner benefits here.

Sebrite Financial Finalizes MRAA Partnership

Sebrite offers a wide variety of boat financing programs and works directly with dealerships of all sizes to help marine retailers sell more boats. Loans offered by the Sebrite team range from $5,000 to $4 million and encompass both older model financing and extended service contracts.

Any MRAA member can enroll in Sebrite’s customer financing ecosystem. Online portals allow sales teams to submit secure credit applications directly from the showroom floor and communicate with Sebrite throughout the decision process.

Sebrite Financial joins a continually growing roster of boat manufacturers, vendors and suppliers that have chosen to support the dealer community through partnership with the MRAA. Find a full menu of partner benefits here.

April MDCE Registrations Break Record

A total of 169 retailers registered for the 2016 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo during the month of April, two more than the high water mark set last year. Those taking advantage of the month’s special pricing enjoyed a $50 instant savings over the full price ticket — with members of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas eligible for an additional $75 discount.

The 2016 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, produced jointly by the MRAA and Boating Industry magazine, will take place Dec. 5-8 in Orlando. Some of the benefits of the later time frame include fewer scheduling conflicts with key events like the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and the Marine Equipment Trade Show in Amsterdam.

“The December dates are also likely to allow marine retailers in northern climates to be further along in their boat winterization and storage processes,” Jonathan Sweet, editor-in-chief of Boating Industry, said. “This may prompt some dealerships to participate for the first time and others to register more team members.”

The strong April numbers, coupled with the later dates, put MDCE 2016 on track to see the highest attendance to date. In 2015, a total of 1,147 marine industry professionals from throughout North America and as far away as Australia traveled to Orlando for MDCE, which featured a sold-out expo hall filled with more than 100 exhibitors.