GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance named MRAA Platinum Partner

MINNEAPOLIS — GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance (CDF), the boating business’ leading provider of inventory financing, has renewed its position as a Platinum Member of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, the highest level of support for the association.

“The deep insights a company like CDF can provide into the health of the dealer body and the incredible resources they have to offer make them an invaluable partner for our association,” says Matt Gruhn, President of MRAA. “We appreciate all that they have contributed to our members in the past, and look forward to exploring new ways we can work together to help our members meet and exceed their financial goals.”

During the past 50 years, CDF has served as a source of financing to more than 3,000 marine dealers. In addition, they have provided data and tools to help dealers manage their inventory and benchmark their success. CDF also shares best practices, insights and resources to help customers tackle their biggest challenges.

“CDF contributes much more than financing to the industries we serve,” says Bruce Van Wagoner, President of CDF’s Marine Group. “Through our partnership with the MRAA, we can help dealers overcome their challenges and build strong businesses suited for today’s marine marketplace.”

About Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
Celebrating its 40thanniversary 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 GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Financing
GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance provided nearly $32 billion in financing for more than 30,000 manufacturers, dealers and distributors across North America in 2011. Programs include inventory and accounts receivable financing, asset-based lending, private label financing, collateral management and related financial products. Customers have access to exclusive online tools and analytics to manage their accounts and inventory. For more information, visit
www.gecdf.com or follow company news via Twitter (@GEInventoryFin).

Small-business optimism remains at historic low

Small business optimism, as measured by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Index of Small Business Optimism, dropped a tenth of a point in May, thus remaining at a historic low.

This reading of 94.4 is “consistent with the sub-par performance of GDP and employment growth,” according to NFIB. Business owners’ expectations for future sales declined for the third month in a row. Levels of hiring and spending were also low, as were expectations of future hiring and spending. However, profit trends were a bright spot, remaining stable after a sizable increase in April. Click here to read more or download the full report.

Department of Homeland Security grants TWIC exemption

If your business employs workers that hold a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), you may want to learn more about a new temporary exemption from TWIC regulations regarding card expiration and replacement. The Department of Homeland Security has issued this exemption while it seeks comment on card reader requirements and deployment requirement plans. Click here to learn more

MDCE sets early registration record

Before this year’s Marine Dealer Conference & Expo theme and first printed brochure have even appeared in the magazine, close to 250 people have already registered for the event, representing a record-setting early registration total.

With six months to go before the conference and full-scale promotion yet to launch, more than 170 dealer attendees have signed up. That already represents more than a third of last year’s dealer total, which was up for the fourth consecutive year. In addition, almost half of those new registrants are completely new to the event.

“We were very excited that our early registration offers were so well received,” said Mike Davin, Senior Editor at Boating Industry magazine, who co-produces the event along with the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “We feel like it’s an endorsement of the type of event we’ve been able to put together over the years, as well as the agenda for the 2012 MDCE.”

Download the MDCE Brochure

Early Bird Registration is still open. That means that dealers can register for $399, and MRAA Members can register for $349 per employee — that’s a $50 savings per registered employee!

Register NOW!

To sign up for exhibit space, which is also filling up at a record rate, contact Kathy Johnson at 480-988-3658 or kathyjohnson@boatingindustry.com

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 resourcepayrolltax 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!