Brunswick signs on as MRAA Platinum Partner

MINNEAPOLIS — Brunswick Corporation, a leader in the recreational marine industry, has signed on as a Platinum Member of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), the highest level of support for the association.

“Brunswick’s leadership within the marine industry makes the company an invaluable partner for our association,” says Matt Gruhn, president of MRAA. “We appreciate their commitment to the dealer body, and look forward to exploring innovative ways we can work together to improve the experiences of our members and their customers.”

Since it entered the marine industry in 1960, Brunswick Corporation has demonstrated its commitment to its Brunswick Boat Group and Mercury Marine dealer partners, introducing innovative offerings such as Brunswick Dealer Advantage to support dealers’ long-term success.

“Brunswick Corporation understands that to be successful as a company and as an industry, our dealers must also be successful,” says Andy Graves, president of Brunswick Boat Group. “Our partnership with the MRAA is one way we can help ensure a healthy, profitable dealer body.”

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 Brunswick

Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Brunswick Corporation endeavors to instill “Genuine Ingenuity”(TM) in all its leading consumer brands, including Mercury and Mariner outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboard engines; MotorGuide trolling motors; Attwood marine parts and accessories; Land ‘N’ Sea, Kellogg Marine, and Diversified Marine parts and accessories distributors; Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Brunswick Commercial and Government Products, Cabo Yachts, Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris FloteBote, Hatteras, Lowe, Lund, Meridian, Princecraft, Quicksilver, Rayglass, Sea Ray, Trophy, Uttern and Valiant boats; Life Fitness and Hammer Strength fitness equipment; Brunswick bowling centers, equipment and consumer products; Brunswick billiards tables and foosball tables. For more information, visit www.brunswick.com.

MarineLab named Endorsed Warranty Processing Service of the MRAA

MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that it has named MarineLab Corp. as the exclusively endorsed warranty processing service provider of the association.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with these experts in warranty reimbursement,” says Matt Gruhn, President of MRAA. “It’s no secret that the warranty claims process can be challenging for marine dealers, especially given today’s lean retail operations. MarineLab can save dealers time and money by putting their highly trained personnel to work streamlining this process and maximizing clients’ warranty dollars.”

The advantages offered by MarineLab’s services – including a fixed cost for warranty processing, access to a team of warranty experts, fast and accurate submission of claims, tracking of claims until they are paid, and compliance with manufacturer policies and procedues – are available exclusively to MRAA members.

“MarineLab was created to help dealers maximize their profitability in today’s challenging marketplace,” says Leonard Bellavia, MarineLab President. “We have partnered with MRAA in this endeavor because of our shared passion for a strong and healthy marine dealer body.”

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 MarineLab

MarineLab was established by the nation’s leading experts on warranty reimbursement in recognition of the increasing importance of profitability in fixed operations in the wake of a suppressed economy and struggling retail sales. The company has been named a Preferred Partner of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. For more information, visit www.MarineLab.com.

RPC: CFPB’s Unparalleled Unaccountability

The following link will take you to a report on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from the Republican Policy Committee. I believe you may find this interesting.

As it now stands, boat dealers are exempt form the Dodd-Frank Act, but I am always amazed how the federal agencies get involved in regulation over Congressional intent. We must watch the Bureau closely.

RPC: CFPB’s Unparalleled Unaccountability link.

Larry Innis

MRAA Legislative Affairs

Update on estate tax issue

I want to provide you with a brief update on repeal of the Estate Tax. It appears House action on legislation to extend the Bush tax cuts has been moved up and will now take place this afternoon. Legislation that sets the parameters for fundamental tax reform will be voted on tomorrow.

The rule approved last night by the House Rules Committee determines the following:
The bill that will come up today is H.R. 8, the Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act, introduced by Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.). H.R. 8 would extend the Bush Tax cuts for one year. Under the bill, the estate tax exemption would remain at $5 million per person, indexed for inflation. The top rate would be 35 percent, and the spousal transfer would continue. As you know MRAA supports repeal of the Estate Tax and maintenance of the Bush Tax cuts.

A Democratic substitute bill was offered at Rules by Rep. Carl Levin (D-Mich.). The Levin alternative is the same bill passed by the Senate last week that only extended lower taxes for couples making less than $250,000 and for individuals making less than $200,000. The Levin Bill is silent on estate taxes, which means the exemption would shrink to $1 million on January 1 and the top tax rate would rise to 55 percent.

In a statement of administrative policy issued on July 31, the Obama Administration opposed the passage of H.R. 8.

Tomorrow the House will consider H.R. 6169, the Pathway to Job Creation through a Simpler, Fairer Tax Code Act, which will set a timeline for action on fundamental tax reform in 2013. Legislation would be introduced in April with House floor action in June. A democratic substitute will outline Democratic principles of tax reform.

Larry Innis
MRAA Legislative Affairs

Priority One dealers receive convenient online OFAC search tool

St. Petersburg, Florida, July 30, 2012 – Priority One Financial Services, Inc., the recreational industry’s oldest and largest F&I outsourcing provider, is proud to offer its dealer partner’s free and easy online access to the government’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) list. This list is used to check on terrorists, narcotics traffickers and others engaged in activities and threats to national security. All businesses, including recreational dealerships, are required by law, to review this list prior to entering into any sales or finance contract with an individual, business entity or charitable organization.

There are penalties for those that do not establish procedures to review the OFAC list and there are fines for dealerships that enter into a contract with anyone on the list. Currently dealers can perform a search through the website http://sdnsearch.ofac.treas.gov/. However, the government’s list has limited functionality and will not detect misspellings or other incorrectly entered text, and will not return near matches.

This tool will enable Priority One dealers to search OFAC through a link to Priority One’s exclusive dealer resource center (DRC) and be able to save and/or print a statement for their records whether a match is found or not.

“We are committed to helping our dealer partners successfully navigate the many regulations that govern our industry,” said Heather Mariscal, president of Priority One. “Adding the OFAC search to the DRC is just another way for Priority One to bring something valuable to our partners.”

About Priority One Financial Services

Priority One has been serving the marine and RV industry since 1987. Acquired in 2007 by Forest River, Inc. a Berkshire Hathaway company, Priority One serves as the F&I managed services provider for hundreds of dealers nationwide. For more information, visit www.P1FS.com.

Contact:
Laura Smith
Priority One 727-822-7171 ext. 322

MRAA applauds passage of the Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act

MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas thanks the 245 Members of the House of Representatives who stood for small businesses everywhere by passing H.R. 4078, a comprehensive regulatory reform bill that streamlines the time consuming rulemaking and permitting process, brings transparency to rules issued by federal agencies, and prohibits agencies from issuing a cascade of regulations when a change in administrations occurs.

The bill would also create a process to give the public the meaningful voice it is supposed to have in the rulemaking process. Thirteen Democrats joined House Republicans in supporting H.R. 4078 in the July 26 floor vote.

“We applaud House Members for passing this important legislation, which is a first step on our road to making government more transparent and to simplifying the rulemaking system that has been growing at a rapid rate for many years,” says Dave Foulkrod, MRAA Chairman. “MRAA now urges the Senate to swiftly follow the House leadership on this bill. Passage of regulatory reform legislation to reduce the cost of complying to federal laws is a key goal for MRAA’s legislative agenda.”

H.R. 4078 is the first attempt by Congress to pass regulatory reform to reduce the crushing burden on businesses and promote a positive policy to help jumpstart our economy since the 1980s.

Get the Most Out of Your Service Department

Learn how to get the most out of your service department at the 2012 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo. Here are overviews of two of the sessions to be included in the Service & Marina Track at this year’s event, to be held Nov. 11-14 in Orlando.

Tuesday, November 13

Winning the War for Trades Talent, by Neal Harrell
As the boating market begins to recover, are you finding it more and more difficult to recruit skilled workers for your service department? Make sure to attend this session. You will learn tactics your dealership can employ to recruit, train and retain a high performance team.

Taking Your Service Department to the Next (Profit) Level, by Valerie Ziebron

If you’ve survived this recession, you probably have a decent service department. You measure technician efficiency. You track customers’ satisfaction with the service experience. And you probably make a little profit for the dealership in the process. But chances are you’re still leaving money on the table, right? This session can help. You will uncover strategies for turning your service department into a high performance profit machine.

 

MRAA Members save $50 PER EMPLOYEE off of the regular registration rate!

 

The event brochure, complete with individual session info, is available here.

To take advantage of the $399 Early Bird* rate, click here to register.

*Early bird rate is valid until September 14, 2012. Beginning September 15, 2012, standard registration rate is $449. MRAA members will still receive a $50 discount, but the discount will be taken off of the $449 rate.

Congress looks at repeal of Estate Tax

Congress is busy looking at repeal of the Estate (Death) Tax.

Congressman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) is taking the lead in the House of Representatives and issued a press release on July 26 to release a study by the Joint Economic Committee Republican staff called “Estate Tax Fails on All Fronts.”

The Estate Tax threshold of $5 million and a reduced tax rate from 55 percent to 35 percent is part of the Bush Tax Cuts. However, Congress is looking at some very political legislation prior to the November elections. Most D.C. insiders believe Congress will more seriously look at all the Bush Tax Cuts in a Lame Duck session after the elections.

MRAA has long worked to permanently and totally repeal the Estate Tax, which places an unfair tax on the estates of small business and farm owners and oftentimes causes the property to be sold to pay the tax. Most recently, MRAA signed onto to a letter with other national trade associations and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce expressing its support of the Brady Bill (H.R. 1259) and Estate Tax repeal.

The Brady Bill has 218 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives. On July 26, Congressman Brady also hosted a special call-in press conference on repeal of the Estate Tax. MRAA attended the press conference. Senator John Thune (R- SD), who introduced a companion bill to H.R. 1259 in the Senate (S. 2242) with 37 co-sponsors, also attended the press conference.

Phone conference on Death Tax scheduled for today

New Study: “Cost & Consequences of the Federal Estate Tax”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Kevin Brady, the author of the House bill to End the Death Tax Permanently, is releasing a major study Wednesday morning from the Joint Economic Committee Republicans that proves the Death tax is harmful and ineffective taxation that hinders entrepreneurship, hurts future revenues, and robs capital out of the free market.

Since its creation in 1916, the federal estate tax has robbed as much capital stock from the American economy ($1.1 trillion) as it has generated in federal revenue ($1.2 trillion), which doesn’t even capture the punitive compliance burden. The Death Tax not only fails to decrease inequality, it perversely creates a barrier to upward mobility for family-owned small businesses, farms and ranches.  

What: Telephone News Conference
Who: Texas Congressman Kevin Brady will be joined by Sen. John Thune (R-SD), the author of the Senate bill to permanently end the Death Tax, House co-sponsor Congressman Devin Nunes (R-CA), middle class farmers, ranchers and small business people affected by the Death Tax
When: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 @ 10:30am ET
Call-in Number: 800-857-7944 (Password: Texas)

Congressman Kevin Brady is the top Republican on the Joint Economic Committee and a senior member of the House Ways & Means Committee. Sen. Thune is the Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and a member of the Senate Finance Committee.

MDCE will Power your Profits!

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the tracks from the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo’s 2012 Powering Profits Track. The track features all-new topics for this year, and will provide you a well-rounded view into drive additional profitability to your dealership. Here are four of the tracks that will be featured.

Tuesday, November 13

Growth: How to Know When You’re Ready, by David Spader
Should your dealership seek stability or growth? Attend this seminar to receive the tools to answer this critical question. You will receive a list of key numbers and measures to guide you in deciding whether to focus on stability or growth; a self-assessment that allows you to rank your dealership in regards to its readiness for stability and growth; and a business development model designed to map out the next step to healthy, strong and stable growth for your company.

An attendee favorite! Best Ideas Panel, moderated by Mike Davin
What are the most effective strategies dealers have discovered to find success in today’s market? Find out in this seminar! You’ll walk away with some of the industry’s best ideas, plus receive tips and advice on how to implement these proven practices from the dealers that have put them to work in their business and reaped the rewards. At the end of the session, you’ll have a chance to vote on the single best idea.


Wednesday, November 14

Techniques for Boosting Repeat Business, by Sam Dantzler
To maximize profitability, you need to embrace strategies to retain current customers, driving repeat business at every opportunity. In this session, Sam will share proven customer relationship management strategies used by leading Harley dealers in areas such as lead capture, customer follow-up, events and staff training.

Pricing Strategies to Maximize Sales & Gross Margins, by David Parker
There are several pricing strategies in the marine marketplace today. Learn how to maximize each of the four most common and discover which one actually provides the best return in sales and gross margins.

The event brochure, complete with individual session info, is available here.

To take advantage of the $399 Early Bird* rate, click here to register.