ADP Lightspeed named Endorsed Dealer Management System of the MRAA

MINNEAPOLIS – June 7, 2012 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that it has named ADP Lightspeed as the exclusive endorsed Dealer Management System provider of the association.

The partnership between MRAA and ADP Lightspeed is multi-faceted as ADP Lightspeed will provide the association a host of benefits for MRAA members.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with such an authority on dealership management,” says Matt Gruhn, President of MRAA. “Not only does ADP Lightspeed offer an incredible solution on the software side, but they also provide the association with great insight into the data that drives the market and many outstanding best practices that they’ve recognized through their work with dealers over the years.”

“We are extremely excited about our partnership with the MRAA,” says Greg Smith, General Manager of ADP Lightspeed. “We have enjoyed significant growth in the marine industry by providing dealer management software that allows our dealers to improve their profitibility. We invite all MRAA members to take advantage of this partnership.”

ADP Lightspeed and MRAA will partner to provide MRAA members with a series of educational webinars. MRAA members on the Lightspeed system can gain one year of free access to ADP’s Parts and Major Unit Locator service, which allows them to post their inventory to the network for other dealers to sell, increasing inventory turns. Leveraging this service gives memebers a powerful tool to increase turns and decrease lost sales. MRAA members will be able to buy and sell obsolete parts or hard to sell units by using Lightspeed’s network of dealers. For more information on the Parts and Major Unit Locator, click here.

MRAA members will also recieve six months free access to ADP’s proprietary Databack system, which allows them to easily compare their business to other dealerships regionally or nationwide, identify trouble spots, and make informed decisions that help them improve efficiency and profitability.

In addition, ADP Lightspeed will provide regular data reports, pulled from the Databack system, that will allow MRAA members to note dealer performance from across North America as well as track their performance against the rest of the marine industry. And finally, ADP Lightspeed will contribute five generic dealership forms for dealers to access from the forthcoming MRAA Rewards Resource Center.

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 About ADP Lightspeed

ADP Lightspeed, based in Salt Lake City Utah, is a part of ADP Dealer Services, which provides integrated computing solutions to over 25,000 auto, truck, motorcycle, powersports, recreational vehicle, and heavy equipment dealers throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. For more information, visit www.adplightspeed.com

About ADP

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADP), with about $10 billion in revenues and approximately 570,000 clients, is one of the world’s largest providers of business outsourcing solutions. Leveraging over 60 years of experience, ADP offers a wide range of human resource, payroll, tax and benefits administration solutions from a single source. ADP’s easy-to-use solutions for employers provide superior value to companies of all types and sizes. ADP is also a leading provider of integrated computing solutions to auto, truck, motorcycle, marine, recreational vehicle, agriculture and heavy equipment dealers throughout the world. For more information about ADP or to contact a local ADP sales office, reach us at 1.800.225.5237 or visit the company’s Web site at www.ADP.com.

An MRAA Statement on Planning for the Death Tax: Can Small Businesses Survive?

This is a Statement for the Record of Mr. Matthew A. Gruhn, President, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, Before the House Committee on Small Business on Planning for the Death Tax: Can Small Businesses Survive? Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access.

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas greatly appreciates the opportunity to submit a statement for the record to the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access on the May 31, 2012, hearing “Planning for the Death Tax: Can Small Businesses Survive?” We also thank the Subcommittee for its leadership in conducting this important hearing.

MRAA is the trade association of small businesses in North America that sell and service new and pre-owned recreational boats, provide access to our nation’s waterways through marinas and boat yards, and sell boat accessory products.

Our members believe strongly that the tax is a burden on small businesses that inhibits economic growth and recovery and job creation by jeopardizing family inheritance and the continuation of family-owned and operated businesses after the death of the business owner. The value of the estate is the physical assets of the business. It is different than personal assets because the business assets are used for capital formation, growth, and job creation. The business oftentimes must sell these assets or a major part of the assets, thus reducing jobs, to pay the tax.

To give you an idea of the scope of the problem, the average boat dealership and marina has been in the same family for two generations and is valued at less than $5 million. Our members employ between 3 and 20 employees, on average, and expect to create a significant number of new jobs as the economic recovery takes hold. Planning for the estate tax, especially at a time of legislative uncertainty, is not cheap and costs several thousands of dollars. The cost of insurance is an additional financial burden that is hard to absorb in today’s climate of squeezed profit margins and cost-cutting for survival. If our principal business owner should die, the average boat dealer and marina operator would have to borrow the money to pay the estate tax or sell all or part of the business, clearly abandoning any plan to grow, expand or even maintain the business. We believe the estate tax is a significant financial burden to small business and an inhibitor to future growth. Each year, it becomes harder and harder to stay in business due to taxes and uncertainty in taxes and regulations.

MRAA supports full and permanent repeal of this tax, which has been a burden since it was first enacted in the late 1800s to pay the cost of the Spanish-American War. However, we also understand that form of repeal may not be possible today. Consequently, MRAA also supports a permanent extension of the current law as a step toward permanent repeal.

Since Congress passed the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act Reconciliation Act of 2001, the estate tax has faced partial repeal and uncertainty. The law increased the threshold exemption and reduced the marginal tax rate, but was scheduled to revert back to the pre-2001 levels of a $1 million exemption and a 55% tax rate in 2011. Congress created, in 2010, a $5 million exemption indexed for inflation and a maximum tax rate of 35% that is to last for two years. The 2010 law also allowed for the spousal transfer that allows the unused portion of a deceased spouse’s exemption to be used by the surviving spouse.

We are again faced with a potential return to the pre-2001 levels causing new problems for estate planning for small businesses. Our members must now face planning for an outcome in case the current law is not extended, thus increasing the cost of doing business at an unfortunate time — when the businesses in our industry are just beginning to see an economic recovery. These efforts and costs could be better used to grow the business and increase job formation.

Thank you again for the opportunity to present testimony for the record on the estate tax. MRAA remains in full support of Congressional efforts to provide tax relief and guidance to our members on the estate tax. We support full and permanent repeal of the estate tax, but ask that Congress maintain the current $5 million exemption, the 35% tax rate, at a minimum, and continuation of the spousal transfer.

Kelly Enterprises named Partner Member of the MRAA

MINNEAPOLIS — Kelly Enterprises, a full service F&I and sales training and consulting company, recently signed on as a Partner Member of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas.

“The addition of a consultant and trainer with such a depth of experience is an incredible asset for our association,” says Matt Gruhn, President of MRAA. “Jan Kelly has already contributed to the success of many of our members both through her role as a speaker at the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo and through projects completed for individual dealers. We look forward to working with her to provide members with additional resources and insights.”

Kelly Enterprises has long been interested in the health of the dealer body and the MRAA, and her involvement in the association will go much further than simply becoming a member. Among the contributions Kelly has already offered the association is a collection of articles for MRAA.com’s forthcoming Resource Center on topics such as aftermarket sales, F&I, the sales process, and dealership management, as well as her knowledge and expertise to assist MRAA members when possible.

“I am delighted to participate in an association that shares my passion for helping dealers build morale, streamline workflow and increase their bottom line,” says Jan Kelly, President of Kelly Enterprises. “MRAA’s work to spur dealership success makes it an ideal partner for my 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 About Kelly Enterprises Kelly Enterprises, a division of JL Kelly Inc., is a full service F&I and sales training/consulting company for the auto, marine, motorsports and recreational vehicle industries. Founded by Jan Kelly in 1989, Kelly Enterprises delivers comprehensive training, consulting, and profit analysis services for dealerships and their allied business partners. The Kelly focus is on following a proven process to produce results that work to increase dealer profits, enhance customer satisfaction and build customer retention. For more information, visit www.jlkelly.com.

Global Marine Insurance Agency becomes Partner Member of the MRAA

MINNEAPOLIS — Global Marine Insurance Agency, a company specializing in recreational and commercial boat insurance products, recently pledged its support of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas as a Partner Member of the association.

“We are delighted to have Global Marine Insurance on board,” says Matt Gruhn, President of MRAA. “Through their longstanding involvement with the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo and other dealer programs throughout the country, it’s clear that they have the best interests of dealers in mind, and their support of the association is greatly appreciated.”

Global Marine offers marine dealers consumer insurance products and incentive programs that reward dealers for referring business to the company’s marine experts. In addition, its commercial marine insurance products can help drive the success of alternate revenue sources for dealers and their contractors.

“Global Marine Insurance Agency has been committed to the boating community for nearly 25 years, and we are proud of our support of marine dealers and their customers,” says Matt Anderson, President of Global Marine Insurance. “We back everything that the MRAA stands for and the multiple ways that it serves its members.”

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

What’s new at the 2012 MDCE

Look at What the 2012 MDCE Has In Store For You…

We spent the winter months putting together an all-new speaker line-up and fresh educational topics in order to bring you the best Marine Dealer Conference & Expo ever. Register for MDCE to take advantage of all these great features:

  • 22 educational sessions
  • Bonus education sessions
  • New expert speakers
  • Panel discussions
  • Fascinating keynote speaker
  • Huge expo floor designed for networking opportunities
  • Information on multiple fronts to help you run a better, more profitable business

Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
November 11-14, 2012
Orlando, FL

Early bird registration is now open so make sure to take advantage of the special discounted rate!

Register Now!

MRAA’s Young Leaders Advisory Council seeking applicants

MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is accepting nominations and applications for its Young Leaders Advisory Council.

The MRAA created YLAC as an advisory group to represent the needs and the thinking of the next generation of marine retailers and to provide additional insight and direction to the MRAA Board of Directors. The council’s creation was based on a desire to help develop future leaders to aid in the progress and growth of the boating industry.

“YLAC has been an incredible benefit to the MRAA,” says Matt Gruhn MRAA President. “Not only does this group bring a new level of energy to the association, but its members also add a new perspective and a longer-term approach to our thinking, which helps us better fill the needs of all of our members in addition to attracting and fostering a new generation of leadership within the marine dealer body.”

Since its inception, YLAC has successfully infused the MRAA with new ideas and insights, and in order to continue this, the association is looking to add new members to this vibrant group. Applications can be submitted by anyone interested in joining the group, and individual nominations of potential YLAC candidates can be submitted directly to the MRAA who will then contact each nominee.

Applicants or nominees should be willing to meet face-to-face with the group twice a year and provide their ideas and insights, in addition to working jointly with other council and MRAA board of directors members on subcommittees. Applicants or nominees for this group must be under 40 years of age, must hold a position of significance in a dealership, and must have a minimum of 5 years of marine industry experience.

Nominations must be submitted by June 30, 2012, and applications must be submitted by July 31, 2012. Please email MRAA President Matt Gruhn or call him at 763-315-8043 or email YLAC Chairman Ryan Hebert or call him at 409/898-7632 for more information.

 

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 Leads MTAs in Opposition to National Oceans Policy

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas led a group of 14 national and state marine trades associations in strong opposition to the proposed National Oceans Policy developed by a White House Commission.

In a letter to the Chairman and ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, the group said a national oceans policy should be designed to stimulate job creation and economic growth, in addition to conserving our natural resources and marine habitat of our nation’s valued oceans and coastal regions. Because the newly proposed policy has the potential of doing great harm to marine commerce, recreational and commercial fishing, recreational boating, and waterborne transportation, the letter asked the Appropriations Committee to delay implementation of the newly designed ocean policies of the National Ocean Policy Council.

One of the major problems with the policy is the risk of unintended economic and society consequences due, in part, to the unprecedented geographic scale of the recommendations. Concerns are heightened because the policy has been cited as justification in a federal decision restricting access to certain areas for commercial activity without justification by scientific research or data.

Another problem is uncertainty abounds due to confusion of the policy, especially how it will be implemented and the role of the stakeholders and state governments. Even the policy says it may create a level of uncertainty and anxiety among those groups who rely on these resources.

In addition, the letter says scarce monetary resources should be allocated to existing programs and activities and are necessary for the economy to develop and properly function. During a time of constrained budgets, we are concerned that the federal agencies have been asked to prioritize the National Ocean Policy in the 2013 state budgets and existing resources should be re-purposed to follow the new policy. Instead of spending limited resources on existing programs, the policy is supporting further uncertainty and restrictions to support new government procedures and regulations.

What are the Recommendations of the National Oceans Policy? The implementation strategy of the National Oceans Council identifies nine objectives that our nations will pursue to address the pressing challenges facing the oceans and the Great Lakes.

  1. Adopt ecosystem-based management as a foundation principle to comprehensive management of the oceans and Great Lakes. (MRAA: This objective places habitat restoration and the environment ahead of the economy and jobs.)
  2. Implement comprehensive ecosystem-based coastal marine spatial planning and management. (MRAA: This objective does not consider the importance of businesses on the coasts to local towns and cities.)
  3. Increase knowledge to continually inform and improve policy decisions.
  4. Coordinate and support federal, state, tribal and local management of the oceans. (MRAA: This objective takes away the rights of local and state governments to determine their own priorities and land usage.)
  5. Strengthen resiliency of coastal communities and marine environments and their abilities to adapt to climate change.
  6. Establish integrated ecosystem protection and restoration strategies to meet the goals of the government.
  7. Enhance water quality
  8. Address environmental stewardship in the face of climate-induced and other environmental changes.
  9. Strengthen ocean observing systems, data collection platforms and mapping capabilities.

Read the letter here.

Michigan Boating Industries Association to host Marine Retail University

MINNEAPOLIS – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and Dominion Marine Media announced today that the Michigan Boating Industries Association has become the second state marine trade association to sign on to host a Norman-Spencer Marine Retail University event.

The event, scheduled for December 5-6, 2012, will be held at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing, Mich., and will collaborate with the Recreational Boating Education Conference, which MBIA hosts on an annual basis. MRU will be featured as its own educational track, and the MRU will make sponsorship and exhibit opportunities available.

“We’re excited to be partnering with the MRU, and we look forward to opportunities this partnership will create for our members and our association,” says John Ropp, president of MBIA. “This is a great opportunity for us to provide a one-of-a-kind educational track for our attendees, and we’re particularly excited about the market-specific content that the MRU offers our members.”

This Norman-Spencer Marine Retail University event will feature four targeted educational sessions, an expo hall, and a series of networking sessions, including a welcome reception on December 5th. The educational sessions will feature market-specific sales and dealer-performance data that will offer attendees market insights that can help them make better business decisions. GE Commercial Distribution Finance will provide a session on economic trends and dealer performance; Statistical Surveys will provide detailed insights into sales trends and market performance; and Dominion Marine Media will present best practices and expert advice on how to develop your market in today’s economy. Another educational session will be added soon.

“We are excited to be a part of the MBIA Recreational Boating Educational Conference and to bring a Marine Retail University track to the event in 2012,” says Courtney Chalmers, director of marketing for Dominion Marine Media, “MBIA’s members and dealers from across the state of Michigan will find great value in the customized educational program that the MRU offers.”

“The attendees of this event will walk away with an in-depth understanding of what’s making their market tick and how they can capitalize on it,” says Matt Gruhn, president of the MRAA. “We’re extremely excited to be able to partner with MBIA to create such opportunity for its members because the data and information the MRU provides will set them up for great success as they begin selling their 2013 product lines.”

About Marine Retail University

The Norman-Spencer Marine Retail University is a series of regional dealer educational conferences. Launched in 2012 as a partnership between the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and Dominion Marine Media, these regional events seek to provide attendees with in-depth market knowledge and the tactics to capitalize on those insights. The partners work closely with regional and state associations to deliver additional value to their members. Norman-Spencer Marine Insurance Services supports MRU as the title sponsor of the event series. To bring an MRU event to your association, to support an MRU event or for more information, please contact Matt Gruhn at 763-315-8043 or matt@mraa.com.

STO: MRAA executive administrator retires

Marge Eckenroad, executive administrator with the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, is retiring after 36 years with the association. 

She began working with the MRAA in 1976 on a part-time basis and joined full time in 1989. She worked with the leadership of the association throughout her career, and alongside immediate past president Phil Keeter for his entire 23-year-tenure with the MRAA.

“MRAA is truly losing the most dedicated employee it has ever had,” Keeter said in a statement. “I could always count on Marge to ‘go the extra mile’ for the MRAA.”

Read more.

Marge Eckenroad to retire after 36 years with MRAA

BOCA GRANDE, Fla. – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that, after 36 years of devoted service to the association and industry at large, Marge Eckenroad is retiring, effective April 30, 2012.

Eckenroad began working on a part-time basis for the MRAA in 1976 and accepted an offer to join the association full time in 1989. She worked side-by-side with the leadership of the association over her career, working directly with all four of the association’s executive directors/presidents. She worked alongside immediate past president Phil Keeter, as Executive Assistant, for his entire 23-year tenure with the association.

“MRAA is truly losing the most dedicated employee it has ever had,” says Keeter, who retired at the end of 2011. “I could always count on Marge to ‘go the extra mile’ for MRAA. No task was too big or small for her to undertake and complete. As I said at my retirement party, she has truly been the brains behind the association. Marge stored a huge amount of industry knowledge and insight in her position and helped MRAA prosper. She has more than earned her retirement and will surely be missed.”

When Keeter announced his retirement, it was Eckenroad’s dedication to the long-term success of the association that inspired her to want to stay on to assist the new president of the association with the transition into the role. And new MRAA president Matt Gruhn echoes Keeter’s praise.

“Marge has been a tremendous resource for the association and for me as I have moved into this new role,” Gruhn says. “Her unending commitment and dedication to serving the MRAA and its members is something we will work hard to emulate as she moves into retirement. We are indebted to her for dedicating her career to the MRAA.”

“Little did I realize, when I was first hired to manage the MRAA Dealer Congress in 1976, how interesting and long the journey would be,” says Eckenroad. “As I became more involved in MRAA, I did not consider it a job but it was something that I wanted to do. What I will miss most is the contact with all the great people in the marine industry that I have gotten to know over the years.”

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. For more information, visit www.MRAA.com.