MINNEAPOLIS — Cobalt Boats, one of the premier family-owned boat builders in North America, has been named a Partner Member of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas.
“Cobalt Boats is a well known leader in the area of dealer relations,” says Matt Gruhn, President of MRAA. “They have set a standard for the rest of the industry when it comes to dealer-manufacturer partnership, the effects of which are clearly evident to their customers. As such, we are honored that they have chosen to support our efforts at MRAA.”
Headquartered in Neodesha, Kan., Cobalt Boats is a privately owned manufacturer of luxury boats from 20 to 32 feet in length. A leader in customer satisfaction, Cobalt has received the JD Power Award for Large Runabout CSI every year since 2001.
“Part of the Cobalt family tradition is that we challenge ourselves to deliver the highest levels of value and customer service,” says Paxson St. Clair, CEO of Cobalt Boats. “But we realize that in order to meet those goals, we must have a strong and trusting partnership with our dealers that allows for and encourages success for all of us. We support the MRAA because we believe they share our vision of partnership and are working toward a better future for the entire industry and its customers.”
About Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2012, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is the only North American association dedicated to furthering the interests of boat and engine dealers and other marine-related retailers throughout North America. Under the umbrella of MRAA Rewards, the MRAA offers a host of cost-saving, revenue-generating, business-improvement, and professional-development benefits exclusively for its members. MRAA is the united voice of marine retailers. For more information, visit
MINNEAPOLIS — Merrick Bank, a leading provider of nonprime finance options to marine dealers and their customers, has signed on as a Partner Member of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “As dealers have struggled to get their customers financed in a tight credit market, Merrick Bank has been a great resource for them, ” says Matt Gruhn, President of MRAA. “We are delighted that they have chosen to further their support of marine retailers through a partnership with MRAA.” Merrick Bank, founded in 1997, provides nonprime finance options to marine and RV dealers throughout the country, helping to facilitate boat and RV purchases for consumers who have experienced some past credit problems. With more than $1 billion in total assets, Merrick Bank specializes in credit programs that assist consumers looking to rebuild their credit rating. “Part of our mission at Merrick Bank is to make a positive difference in the lives of our customers,” says Scott Anderson, Vice President of Merrick Bank. “Our partnership with the MRAA helps us work toward a stronger boating business by encouraging marine dealer growth and improvement. Ultimately, we believe that leads to a better boat ownership experience. ” About Marine Retailers Association of the Americas Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2012, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is the only North American association dedicated to furthering the interests of boat and engine dealers and other marine-related retailers throughout North America. Under the umbrella of MRAA Rewards, the MRAA offers a host of cost-saving, revenue-generating, business-improvement, and professional-development benefits exclusively for its members. MRAA is the united voice of marine retailers. For more information, visit
NORFOLK, Va. – Boat Trader, a Dominion Marine Media business, announced today the release of its Dealer Market Index, the first in a series. The Dealer Market Index, drawn from Boat Trader data, provides deeper insight into what prospects are doing on the site from the top of the purchase funnel to the conversion point. The data provides national and regional market information for boat dealers. It includes detailed information on: consumer searches by boat length, Top 25 searches by manufacturer, sales from leads generated by boat lengthRegional inventory by length and regional inventory by price. “We have mined a wealth of data about consumer visits to Boat Trader,” said John Burnham, editorial director, Dominion Marine Media. “Now we’ve compiled that data into an index that gives dealers deeper access to that information and the chance to see how it’s changing over time. Our hope is that it provides them with the data they need to make tough business decisions.” The first copies of the Boat Trader 2012 Dealer Market Index will be made available to boat dealers attending the Boating Trades Association of Texas Marine Retail University on October 21-22 at the Omni La Mansion Del Rio in San Antonio, TX. About Boat Trader About Dominion Marine Media MINNEAPOLIS — Starcraft Marine and the Smoker Craft Family of Products, one of the leading family-owned boat builders in North America, has been named a Partner Member of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “We’re proud to have the support of a company with such a long tradition of partnership with its dealers,” says Matt Gruhn, President of MRAA. “After many years as a key sponsor of the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, Starcraft Marine and the Smoker Craft Family of Products are once again demonstrating their commitment to the dealer community through membership in the MRAA.” Starcraft Marine and the Smoker Craft Family of Products include fishing boats, utility boats, jon boats, runabouts and pontoons designed to offer solid construction, quality craftsmanship and a generous line-up of standard features. From its corporate headquarters in New Paris, Ind.., and through its loyal dealer partners, the company demonstrates a passion for providing outstanding customer service. “One of the best customer service strategies we’ve developed is to support our dealer network ,” says Phil Smoker, Vice President of Sales. “When we invest in our dealers’ success, we’re also investing in our future at Starcraft Marine and Smoker Craft. That’s why sponsoring MDCE and partnering with MRAA is so important to our company.” About Marine Retailers Association of the Americas Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2012, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is the only North American association dedicated to furthering the interests of boat and engine dealers and other marine-related retailers throughout North America. Under the umbrella of MRAA Rewards, the MRAA offers a host of cost-saving, revenue-generating, business-improvement, and professional-development benefits exclusively for its members. MRAA is the united voice of marine retailers. For more information, visit
MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that it has launched a brand new Young Professionals Community to foster growth and networking opportunities among emerging leaders in the marine industry. The brainchild of the MRAA’s Young Leaders Advisory Council, this Young Professionals Community will offer any interested industry participants new and exciting ways to interact with one another and grow in their careers. The MRAA will offer the community participants a variety of educational programs, in addition to facilitating networking opportunities both in-person and online. And there are no restrictions to who can join this group. “There are those in the marine industry who suggest that the dealer body has been a ‘good old boys’ network, unable or unwilling to welcome different perspectives on how today’s dealerships and/or the marine industry at large operates,’” says Matt Gruhn, President of the MRAA. “We believe differently. We believe that the marine industry has plenty of youth, plenty of new ideas, and plenty of opportunity for growth when powered by a combination of proven processes and practices, new ideas and next-generation thinking. “The MRAA wants to foster that growth by connecting the future leaders of this industry, and by giving them the tools and the platform for finding that growth together.” The first gathering of the Young Professionals Community will take place at the upcoming Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, which is being held Nov. 11-14, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. The MRAA is hosting a Young Professionals Leadership Development Event on Tuesday night of the MDCE (that’s the 13th), which will feature a session on “The 3 Motivators Every Leader Needs to Understand.” This session will be taught by Spader Business Management’s David Spader, who also will be speaking as part of the Powering Profits track at this year’s MDCE. Following the session, the group will have the opportunity to attend an informal late-night networking session at Pointe Orlando, across the street from the MDCE headquarters. Learn more and register for the Young Professionals event here. To attend, you simply must be registered for MDCE. “By helping connect and educate this industry’s next generation of leadership,” Gruhn explains, “the MRAA can contribute to the long-term health and success of the boating industry. This Young Professionals Community is just the beginning of that effort.” The Young Professionals Community is already live at MRAA.com. Members of the MRAA can access the community by logging in, joining the Young Leaders Group page (follow the Groups and Networking tabs over on the left side of MRAA.com), registering for the Young Professionals Leadership Development and interacting with fellow Young Professionals there. Participate in forums, connect with peers and take advantage of all the community has to offer. About Marine Retailers Association of the Americas Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2012, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is the only North American association dedicated to furthering the interests of boat and engine dealers and other marine-related retailers throughout North America. Under the umbrella of MRAA Rewards, the MRAA offers a host of cost-saving, revenue-generating, business-improvement, and professional-development benefits exclusively for its members. MRAA is the united voice of marine retailers. For more information, visit
MRAA President Matt Gruhn was recently featured in an article by Boating Industry magazine, recognizing the progress that MRAA has made in 2012. The “Bold Moves” that MRAA has made have resulted in huge increases in membership. Read the article here. If you want to drive more sales in your business in 2013, you won’t want to miss the keynote presentation at the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo: “How the Best Get Better” from world-renowned speaker and author Robert Stevenson. Stevenson will give you actionable tips you can use in your business right away to improve customer satisfaction, increase referrals and grow sales. These include: Stevenson closes out the first full day of the MDCE at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 12, with his powerful message. Make sure YOU prepare for 2013 by attending this must-see event! For more information about sessions and speakers, click here. 2012 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo This year’s Marine Dealer Conference & Expo features more than 75 exhibitors that you can see only at MDCE. “We made some significant changes to the floor plan and event flow at last year’s MDCE, and those changes were received very well by both the dealers and the exhibitors,” explains Kathy Johnson, national sales manager for Boating Industry, who produces the MDCE with the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “This event seems to gain momentum every year, and this year in particular, we’re seeing a significant increase in the number of exhibitors and dealer attendees.” The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the only place you can access dealer-specific content, dealer-specific product and services, and dealer-specific networking. It’s the only national dealer conference, and it’s designed by dealers, for dealers. This year’s MDCE exhibitor list includes more then 90 great companies with products and services to help you improve your business today, including more than 75 that are only at MDCE. If you’re interested in exhibiting at this year’s event, please email Kathy Johnson or call her at 480-988-3658. To learn more or register for the event, click here. VIDEO: We caught up with some dealers who attended last year. Click here to see what they had to say! ORLANDO, Fla. – The National Marine Distributors Association has signed on to provide Educational Funding Support for this year’s Marine Dealer Conference & Expo. Support from the group made it possible to assemble the strongest lineup of speakers in the history of the event in 2012, including 22 all-new educational sessions. The lineup can be viewed online here. “The educational content at MDCE is second to none, and we work hard to raise the bar each year,” said Mike Davin, senior editor of Boating Industry magazine, which co-produces the event annually with the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “Thanks to support from the NMDA, we were able to bring back some of the most popular speakers in the history of the event as well as add several sought-after new presenters, resulting in our strongest group to date.” Working with MRAA and Boating Industry on the education segment of MDCE was an easy choice for NMDA, according to Executive Director Nancy Cueroni, because NMDA knows that the financial health of the dealers is important to the recreational boating industry, and the more dealers know the stronger they can become. The NMDA’s president, John Rothermel of Fisheries Supply, said that when Nancy brought a proposal from MDCE to help fund the educational program, it was a unanimous decision to become a sponsor. About the conference About the National Marine Distributors Association In September, the Obama Administration announced the most strict new vehicle fuel efficiency standards that would require auto manufacturers’ fleet average (CAFE) for automobiles to be 54.5 mpg by 2025. This move was strongly opposed by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, but had the support of the auto industry and environmentalists. The new standards include a new CAFE for pickup trucks needed to pull recreational boats and cars of 34.5 mpg by 2016. Auto dealers and MRAA warned the government that the cost to achieve this new CAFE standard would surpass $3,000 per vehicle, which would shut out more than 7 million people from buying a new vehicle and prevents many millions more from buying a vehicle of choice to meet their family needs like recreational boating. In addition to increasing fuel efficiency, the rules also establish an emissions standard of 144 grams of carbon dioxide per mile for passenger cars and 203 grams for trucks. GOP presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, has vowed to overturn these tough standards, if elected. He said he would “get the EPA out of the effort to manage carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles and trucks.” I can help you navigate the site, find resources, and answer dealership questions. Feel free to type your question below or select one of the options to get started!Merrick Bank named MRAA Partner Member
Boat Trader releases 2012 Dealer Market Index
BoatTrader.com is the preeminent U.S. site for buyers to connect with sellers. Averaging 1.7 million visitors and more than 30 million page views each month, Boat Trader offers companies unique display advertising options on boat detail pages, blogs and e-newsletters to build brand awareness and product knowledge. With an average of 8 million views each month, Boat Trader’s listing pages alone are a highly targeted landscape to reach the most active prospects as they move through the sales process. Strategically placed text links on the listing pages generate a high volume of click-throughs and, coupled with prominent display advertising, create an effective way for marine businesses to dominate this space.
Dominion Marine Media (DMM) is the Internet partner of choice for the recreational marine industry and operates the three market leading web portals – www.boats.com, www.yachtworld.com and www.boattrader.com. DMM is a division of Dominion Enterprises, a leading marketing services and publishing company, that provides businesses with a comprehensive suite of technology-based marketing solutions including Internet advertising, lead generation, CRM, website design and hosting and data management services. DMM has offices in North America (Norfolk, Virginia; Seattle, Washington; and Vancouver, British Columbia) as well as in Europe (United Kingdom and Italy). The company employs 150 people, has customers in 106 countries and advertises boats for sale in 193 countries. In 2011, over 59 million unique visitors spent time researching products on DMM web and mobile sites, apps and social media outlets. DMM’s global reach includes 23 localized web portals which are translated into 13 languages.Starcraft and Smoker Craft named MRAA Partner Member
MRAA launches Young Professionals Community
MRAA’s Gruhn recognized for “Bold Moves
MDCE Keynote Speaker: A Must-See Event!
November 11 – 14, 2012
Orange County Convention Center
Orlando, FL75 (and counting) unique exhibitors at MDCE
NMDA signs on to provide MDCE Educational Funding Support
The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the Marine Retailers Association of America’s annual conference. It focuses on dealer education with tracks geared toward sales, service and management personnel. For more information and to register for the event, click here.
NMDA is the leading trade association for U.S. and Canadian marine products distributors. Members include major distributors, many leading product manufacturers and manufacturer’s representatives. For more information, visit www.nmdaonline.com or call 860-767-7898.Presidential candidates differ over CAFE standards
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