Priority One Financial Services Launches Financing Texts with Kenect 

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. (April 29, 2024) – Priority One Financial Services, a full-service finance company for marine, RV, trailer and equipment dealers, recently announced a ground-breaking partnership with Kenect, a reputation management and business text messaging platform. The integration empowers dealers to send financing messages through text and connect the customer with an F&I manager at Priority One. 

PRIORITY ONE FINANCIAL SERVICES LAUNCHES FINANCING TEXTS WITH KENECT

Using Kenect, dealers can send financing texts based on the customer’s situational needs. The customer can receive a text with a secure link to apply for financing, get an insurance quote, learn about extended service contracts or ask a financing question.   

“Priority One’s partnership with Kenect will give the dealer one more tool to convert the customer from browsing to buying,” said Nicole Armstrong, Vice President of Corporate Initiatives at Priority One. “Through text, they can easily introduce the customer to a Priority One F&I manager and begin the process of securing competitive financing.” 

Priority One dealers who want to learn more about Kenect can join a webinar at 1 p.m. EST, on Thursday, May 9, 2024. To sign up or learn more, visit p1fs.com/kenect. 

About Priority One Financial Services, Inc. 
Founded in 1987, Priority One Financial Services, Inc. offers flexible, business-ready finance and insurance solutions for marine, RV, trailer, powersports, park model and equipment dealers. A division of Forest River, a Berkshire Hathaway company, Priority One provides full-service retail financing to customers through industry-leading technology and award-winning service. 

Headquartered in Saint Petersburg, Fla., the five-time Tampa Bay Business Journal “Best Place to Work”honoree also owns and operates Priority One Equipment Finance and Veritas Insurance Group.  

For more, visit p1fs.com. 

Learn more about becoming an MRAA Partner.

Yard Manager = Head Nurse

In an emergency room at the hospital, every second can count on making sure patient care is at the highest level possible.

“The surgeon doesn’t roll in his own patient,” said Jordon Schoolmeester, an MRAA Dealer Week Conference and Expo educator. “He doesn’t administer the anesthetics. He doesn’t stage the scalpels forceps or gauze …” 

Even when the emergency room is overrun with patients, you still see the nurses everywhere and the surgeons aren’t seen because they are focused on surgery. Somewhere in that chaos, a head nurse is directing, prioritizing what is most important, confirming the top-level patient care, ensuring that the surgeons remain in surgery and keeping things operating smoothly throughout the emergency room.

Service departments, our emergency rooms, are about to be overrun during peak season. Our yard managers are the head nurse in our business. They need to ensure that during peak season we keep our highly trained technicians, our surgeons, doing their jobs, so we can keep our customers and their boats on the water.

The yard manager maintains the balance of operations between service, sales, safety, customer care and facilities. Heading into busy season, we need to revisit the processes and role for the yard manager to raise efficiency and proficiency, lower repair event cycle times (RECT) and improve customer satisfaction throughout the dealership.

Practically everything from collaborating with sales and service departments to facility maintenance, equipment maintenance, boat handling and transportation are the responsibility of the yard personnel.

Common Questions for Yard Managers 

  • Is the next boat for repair ready to go in the shop or is it buried behind other boats?  
  • Does the sales manager need a boat launched and in the water for a demo?
  • Is there space to park a boat being dropped off for service? 
  • Is that new outboard set to be rigged on a pontoon accessible for the forklift or is it stuck under another engine?
  • The customer is here to pick up his boat, does anyone know where it is? 

These are only a few sample questions your manager needs to be able to answer with only a moment’s notice.

Yard Manger = Head Nurse; Yard Manager Planning Checklist

Yard Manger = Head Nurse
Every head nurse has a clipboard and checklists to make sure that patients are taken care of, surgeons can remain in surgery and the entire emergency room is working well. So, too, every yard manager should have their checklists for daily and overall tasks. To help you check your procedures and your yard manager’s role, use these checklists as you prepare your dealership for the approaching peak season.

We recognize that every situation is different, so we’ve created these checklists as Word documents to allow your team to adapt and customize the checklists based on your dealership’s specific needs and operations.

Download Yard Manager Daily Checklist

Download Yard Manager Planning Checklist

Have a question? Reach out to Bernie DeGraw, MRAA Senior Education Developer.

Regulatory Alert – FTC Approves Noncompete Ban

• This Alert is a special update regarding the Federal Trade Commission’s rule banning noncompete clauses

On Tuesday, April 23, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted 3-2 along party lines to approve its new rule on noncompete agreements. The new rule, which will take effect in 120 days, essentially bans noncompetes for all workers, finding them “an unfair method of competition – and therefore a violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act.” While the rule is final, legal challenges are expected to follow.

Notably, a noncompete clause is broadly defined by the new rule as a “contractual term or workplace policy that prohibits a worker from, penalizes a worker for, or functions to prevent a worker from seeking or accepting work in the United States with a different person where such work would begin after the conclusion of the employment or operating a business in the United States after the conclusion of the employment.”

The new rule applies retroactively to prior agreements, other than those for senior executives earning more than $151,164 a year in a “policy-making position.” Employers must provide notice to other workers subject to non-compete agreements that they are no longer enforceable.

Not limited to employees, the noncompete ban extends to independent contractors, externs, interns, volunteers, apprentices and sole proprietors who provide a service to a person. It does not include noncompetes entered into pursuant to a bona fide sale of a business entity or in a franchisor-franchisee relationship.

While employers’ protectable interests are often cited as a justification for noncompete clauses, it is important to note that this rule does not ban non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements.

Stay tuned for more information on the developing regulations for noncompetes and expected legal challenges. 

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out to MRAA Government Relations Manager Chad Tokowicz at Chad@mraa.com or Government Relations Director Mike Sayre at Sayre@mraa.com.

Regulatory Alert – Changed Overtime Rule for Salaried Employees

• This MRAA Alert is a special update regarding the U.S. Department of Labor Final Rule on increased salary requirements for “White Collar Overtime Exemptions”

The U.S. Department of Labor on Tuesday, April 23 announced the release of a final rule raising the minimum annual salary threshold for overtime pay eligibility. This primarily applies to executive, administrative and professional employees, commonly referred to as the “White Collar Overtime Exemptions.” The 383-page final rule is briefly summarized below.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal law that regulates when employees must be paid minimum wage and overtime. Under the FLSA, overtime pay, which is due to all employees who do not fall within a specified exemption, is one and one-half times an employee’s regular pay rate for every hour that is worked beyond 40 hours in a work week. While hourly workers are generally entitled to overtime pay, salaried workers are not if they earn above a certain pay level and supervise other workers, use professional expertise or judgment, or hire and fire workers.

Currently, salaried workers making less than $35,568 annually qualify for overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours in a week. Starting July 1, the threshold will increase from $35,568 to $43,888 per year. It will then increase again to $58,656 on Jan. 1, 2025.

The change will be most critical for employers who are now claiming an overtime exemption for employees earning more than $35,568 annually, but less than $58,656 annually. Upon enactment, these employees, occupying this $23,088 band, would lose their current status as overtime-exempt.

The new standard will likely be challenged in court by affected industry groups that have argued that excessively raising the standard exceeds the Labor Department’s authority. Unless and until there is court intervention, employers should prepare as follows:

  • Review salaried employee classifications to confirm compliance with new salary thresholds to remain exempt.
  • Review salaried employee classifications to determine whether employees should be reclassified as nonexempt.
  • For employees reclassified as nonexempt, ensure all hours worked are properly recorded.
  • For employees reclassified as nonexempt, review budgets, set hours expectations and development policies for approval of overtime.

The MRAA will continue to work with the Small Business Legislative Council and other partners to keep our members in the loop. Please do not hesitate to reach out the MRAA Government Relations Team with any questions or if this stands to be a major issue for your business. Contact Government Relations Manager Chad Tokowicz at Chad@mraa.com or Government Relations Director Mike Sayre at Sayre@mraa.com.

What is the MRAA? Let Me Show You

People get fed up repeatedly hearing the same common question: “What do you do?” We have all heard it and asked it ourselves as a conversational icebreaker. We ask it because we want to know what people do for a living (i.e.: What’s your day job?). However, after a Google search, I found dozens of articles about why this question is dull.

I bring this up because I’ve had to explain the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, aka the MRAA, to friends, family members and others within the industry. I tell them the MRAA is for dealers by dealers. I tell them our staff size, my role and briefly share our vision and mission. I say our association is the leading training and education organization for the marine dealer body. We help fuel the success of the boating industry by building and delivering dealerships the tools, resources and educational programs they need to strengthen their business.

Let me show you. 2023 MRAA Impact Report

Perhaps a better answer is to give them the 2023 MRAA Impact Report, which tells the story of the MRAA, its mission and who it serves, and showcases the association’s objectives. This report not only shares the accomplishments MRAA made last year in the form of wins, milestones and continuing opportunities, but also helps to answer the mundane question “What do you do?” It answers it with “Let me show you.”  

Download a copy of the 2023 MRAA Impact Report to learn more about who we are, what we do and how we stand in your corner as your No. 1 advocate and guide.

DealersCircle & Lightspeed Announce Integration Partnership

Jacksonville, FL (April 16, 2024) — DealersCircle, Inc. — the innovative, web-based manufacturing industry provider that conveniently links the manufacturer, dealer and customer together with its state-of-the-art software application — and Lightspeed — a leading Dealer Management Solution (DMS) company with uniquely-tailored software solutions for dealers in recreational industries — are integrating their respective platforms to provide a more robust, all-inclusive solution for dealer networks in various industries.

“After working with our now 1,800 strong dealer network over the past two decades, we’ve identified a few of the pain points that the dealers experience with their current DMS systems,” said DealersCircle President Scott Davis. “That drove us to find a reputable, forward-thinking DMS solution that we could effectively integrate with, and we found that partner in Lightspeed.”

“We are excited to bring industry-leading OEM integrations to our dealer partners through this partnership with the DealersCircle,” said Brian Provost, CEO of Lightspeed DMS. “With our continued focus on creating efficient processes for our dealers, this collaboration is yet another way we can help Lightspeed dealers streamline their operations and improve their profitability.”

The DealersCircle and Lightspeed integrations will be rolled out in phases and include high points such as:

Unit Inventory Management – Saving time and preventing manual entry errors.

  • Unit Ordering – Processing unit orders in DealersCircle; automatically update the unit information in Lightspeed.
  • Unit Receiving – Import unit invoice information for new and existing units directly from DealersCircle with a single keystroke; Changes to invoices and the unit will be updated.
  • Unit Configurator – Easily connect to DealersCircle from Lightspeed and build a unit that will update in Lightspeed for quoting; Once the customer agrees to purchase, and the dealer processes the order in DealersCircle, it will update the unit information in Lightspeed.

HIN (Hull ID Number) Decoding – The HIN Decoding integration enables users to import vital unit information by simply entering a HIN. Once the HIN is entered, Lightspeed automatically populates the vehicle details and specifications, which the dealer can access from within the system, eliminating the need for manual entry. This not only saves time but also enhances the overall customer experience.

Warranty Dates – Unit warranty dates will automatically update and be visible on the unit when writing up a service repair order. Helps reduce time lost jumping cross platform to look up or calling the manufacturer to confirm warranty status.

Bulletins – Quickly view technical bulletins and recall information within a Repair Order and be notified of stop sale notices in a sales deal. Users will be notified of new technical and safety bulletins when accessing the Repair Order. Save time by adding jobs from the bulletin right to the repair order.

Part Price Updates – Receive master parts file for easier parts inventory ordering, receiving and price updates directly from the manufacturer.

About DealersCircle
DealersCircle has provided product manufacturers and their dealers a convenient way to simplify custom product ordering, product lifecycle tracking, service communications, warranty claims management, parts ordering, reporting, integration with external systems and much more with its revolutionary web-based application for two decades. For more information on DealersCircle, visit www.dealerscircle.com; or contact Mark Jerkins at Tinsley Creative, email: mark@tinsleycreative.com; phone: 863-583-0081. 

About Lightspeed
Lightspeed is a leading provider of cloud-based software for dealerships and Original Equipment Manufacturers (“OEMs”), serving the Marine, Trailer, Powersport, RV, Outdoor Power Equipment and Golf Car industries. Lightspeed’s Dealer Management Solution (DMS) enables dealerships to optimize their end-to-end business operations, including sales, parts, service, rental, accounting, and CRM. When implemented into their daily operations, Lightspeed helps dealers increase their profitability by selling more units, service, and parts, all while creating a more streamlined experience for customers. For nearly 40 years, Lightspeed has been empowering 3,800+ dealers across North America with the tools and technology they need to manage their dealerships. For more information, visit www.lightspeeddms.com; or contact Diana Wilberscheid, email: diana.wilberscheid@lightspeeddms.com; phone: 701-371-7508.

MRAA Sponsors, Attends 2024 International Boating and Water Safety Summit

By Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager

The MRAA recently sponsored the 2024 International Boating and Water Safety Summit (IBWSS), where the association’s government relations team presented insights from both the motorcycle and recreational boating industries. The event took place April 8-11 in Albuquerque, N.M.

Hosted by the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, IBWSS is focused on bringing stakeholders in the recreational boating safety space together to network, learn and share, all with the focus of keeping recreational boaters safe on the water.

Founded in 1958, the NSBC serves as a national catalyst for developing a safe boating culture by providing education, programming and training for industry partners and the boating community to influence safe, secure and responsible boating. As MRAA Government Relations Manager, I serve as an at-large board member to provide a retail perspective and ensure that boating safety tenets permeate the recreational boating industry.

MRAA Sponsors, Attends 2024 International Boating and Water Safety Summit; Mike Sayre, MRAA Director of Government Relations presented
Mike Sayre

This year, the MRAA supported the event as a break sponsor to highlight our commitment to recreational boating safety while simultaneously educating attendees about our mission and opportunities for further collaboration. Additionally, Mike Sayre, MRAA Director of Government Relations, and I were selected to present as keynote and breakout speakers respectively. We leveraged our respective expertise in motorcycle and recreational boating safety to share important lessons with the audience while highlighting further collaboration opportunities with the MRAA.

In Sayre’s keynote, titled “The Safe Systems Approach: Lessons from the Motorcycle Industry,” he shared his experience with different approaches to roadway safety and the challenges of applying them to a user group like motorcyclists. He presented on the principles and components of the Safe System Approach adopted by the U.S. Department of Transportation to address the pandemic era surge in roadway fatalities, how motorcyclist safety does and does not fit in that approach and how recreational boating safety faces similar challenges. Sayre challenged the audience to consider how different roadway safety strategies and countermeasures could be adapted to address recreational boating safety.

MRAA Sponsors, Attends 2024 International Boating and Water Safety Summit; Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager, presented
Chad Tokowicz

As a breakout speaker, I focused on educating the crowd about how the MRAA and other partners in the recreational marine industry work to support mandatory boater education legislation and efforts throughout the country. In my presentation, “Cycle of Safety Legislation,” I gave an overview of recent efforts to expand mandatory boater education legislation and the successes and failures of those efforts. Throughout the presentation, I updated attendees on what the MRAA and industry partners are currently tracking and supporting in various states during our 2024 legislative sessions.

The presentation also highlighted opportunities to leverage marine retailers to ultimately share recreational boating safety messages with their customers and help create a safer community on the water overall. In my closing, I noted that solutions to recreational boating safety will not be solved with a silver bullet, and that instead a “silver buckshot” approach is necessary. I challenged the audience to think about how they can share boating safety messages and be part of the solution.

The MRAA will continue to support the NSBC and attend IBWSS as we believe that recreational boating safety is imperative to the ultimate success of marine retailers. We need boaters to have the best experiences on the water, ensuring they become lifelong participants.

If you have any questions about the topics covered by MRAA staff, want to learn more about IBWSS, or have general advocacy related questions, please do not hesitate to email me at Chad@mraa.com.

Photos courtesy of NSBC

Soundings Trade Only and Industry Leaders Collaborate on Groundbreaking Marine Workplace Research Study

Centerbrook, CT, March 25, 2024 – The Soundings Trade Only Group in collaboration with sponsors MarineMax, Volvo Penta, Yamaha, NMMA, MRAA and international industry partners ICOMIA and Marine Industry News, is proud to announce the launch of a groundbreaking research initiative aimed at understanding the needs and desires of today’s marine industry employees and fostering a stronger, more diverse, expansive, and multi-faceted marine workforce.

Take Workforce Survey

The 2024 global research study marks a significant milestone in the marine industry’s commitment to workforce development as a catalyst for progress and competitiveness. With a focus on attracting, retaining, and developing top talent within the sector, this pioneering endeavor seeks to provide invaluable insights for business leaders and owners.

“For years now we have recognized the pressing need for a more expansive and diverse talent pool within the marine industry. I am frequently approached by organizations seeking female candidates. If we want to attract women to a variety of positions and retain them, it is paramount that we understand their preferences, factors that impact job retention, and their career ambitions and goals,” said Michele Goldsmith, vice president and general manager of the Soundings Trade Only Group. “This study represents a crucial step toward understanding the aspirations, challenges, and opportunities for women and men in our industry. By gaining this knowledge, industry stakeholders can develop data-driven strategies to fulfill their personnel needs, foster a more diverse, inclusive environment and unlock the full potential of this talent pool.”

The research study, set to launch in early April, will encompass qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including a survey and interviews with professionals from diverse backgrounds across different segments of the marine industry.

“We encourage the global marine community to make their voices heard, take the survey and share it with marine industry colleagues,” added Goldsmith.

The findings of the research study are expected to provide valuable insights and actionable recommendations for marine industry stakeholders. By leveraging the findings of this study, organizations can implement targeted strategies to attract, retain and develop top talent, driving innovation and competitiveness in the global maritime community. The Soundings Trade Only Group with its industry partners will share the results of the survey in September of 2024.

For more information about the 2024 Marine Workplace Research Study or to receive the survey, please contact Michele Goldsmith at mgoldsmith@aimmedia.com or (+1) 847-373-0385.

Soundings Trade Only

Soundings Trade Only is a marine business-to-business information multi-media brand. It includes a monthly print publication, and digital entities including an e-newsletter, website, and social media sites. Soundings Trade Only offers the latest business news, and information about products, trends, statistics, management, marketing insights, and more to the marine industry. Each issue of Soundings Trade Only is designed to inform, reflect, and inspire. It is part of the AIM Marine Group, which includes the following publications: Yachts International, Power & Motoryacht, SAIL, Anglers Journal, Soundings, PassageMaker and Woodshop News. The AIM Marine Group is a division of Active Interest Media.

Active Interest Media, Inc.

One of the world’s leading enthusiast media companies, Active Interest Media (aimmedia.com) produces consumer and trade events, websites, magazines, podcasts, and TV shows that reach millions of readers, fans, and attendees across the globe. Our brands include Yachts International, Power & Motoryacht, Soundings, Passagemaker, Woodshop News, Log and Timber Home Living, Fine Homebuilding, Woodsmith, Garden Gate, Cuisine at Home, Writer’s Digest, Horticulture, Fine Woodworking, Numismatic News, Kovels Antique Trader, and more. The company’s two groups, Marine and Home, are divided into five divisions — Collectibles, Home Arts, Home Building, Marine, and Writer’s Digest —also operate thriving B2B platforms, online universities, events and offer marketing services. Active Interest Media’s customers are smart, engaged, and loyal, and they look to our brands for trustworthy information and services that will inspire and enable them to enjoy their passions.

For more information, please contact Michele Goldsmith at mgoldsmith@aimmedia.com or +1-847-373-0385.

Onboarding With Purpose

For me, the coming of peak season is like when I have already seen a horror movie. I remember the moments when the bad guy starts the chainsaw or when the monster pounces out of the darkness. It is exhilarating, but I’m ready for what is coming. But my friend hasn’t seen it before, and he is about to be frightened and isn’t prepared for the oncoming jump-scare scene. The same may be said for your new hires as they enter the busiest season if they haven’t had the experience of a quality onboarding program.

Proper onboarding prepares your new employee for the upcoming seasonal surprises and the potential challenges of peak-season expectations.

“Organizations with standard onboarding processes experience a 50-percent increase in productivity,” said Grace Lau Dialpad Director of Content. She also noted that employees who go through an “effective onboarding program feel 18 times more committed to their organization.” 

You can ease the fright and tension of peak season while building commitment and increasing your new hire’s productivity by instituting your onboarding program.

Onboarding with purpose: New MRAA Guide to Onboarding

The new MRAA Guide to Onboarding helps you understand the term “onboarding with purpose.” As an MRAA Member, you’ll understand why there is a need for onboarding, why process matters and have access to checklists to create and institute your own onboarding program.

In fact, the MRAA provides three options to assist you in advancing your onboarding development.

  1. Consider the 7 steps to get started with your plan.
  2. Review the onboarding checklists to further develop and refine an onboarding process.
  3. Review the entire guide to fully understand onboarding and to establish and institute a full onboarding program.

Access more MRAA workforce resources here.

House Passes Historic Bipartisan Outdoor Recreation Package, Eyes on Senate for Swift Action

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 15, 2024 — In a landmark bipartisan achievement, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act. This critical step demonstrates the powerful momentum Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) members and industry partners have helped generate in promoting policies that expand access and transform outdoor recreation opportunities. The outdoor recreation economy, recently valued at over $1.1 trillion, continues to build upon the success of the Great American Outdoors Act of 2022 — one of the most significant public lands and waters legislations enacted in our nation’s history. 

House Passes Historic Bipartisan Outdoor Recreation Package, eyes on Senate
Discover Boating image

The EXPLORE Act’s passage through the House represents a historic moment as it is the first-ever outdoor recreation-specific bill package, and it achieves this without cost to taxpayers. The bipartisan legislation is poised to stimulate local and national economies, enhance access for Americans — particularly those in underserved communities — to green spaces, and modernize policies to bolster the recreation businesses that bridge people with nature. The bill complements the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA). 

“The recreational boating industry thanks Chairman Westerman and Ranking Member Grijalva for being champions of this important legislation and all who voted to pass the EXPLORE Act out of the House. This critical bipartisan legislation will ultimately improve outdoor recreation opportunities on our federal lands while simultaneously supporting the outfitters and federal employees that make these opportunities possible,” said Matt Gruhn, President of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “Passing during a time of legislative gridlock highlights the continued commitment of the House of Representatives to supporting our nation’s diverse outdoor recreation economy and ensure opportunities to enjoy the outdoors exist for all Americans. From mental health benefits to providing much needed economic stimulus for rural communities, the power of outdoor recreation in America is no secret, and the MRAA lauds the House’s commitment to improving and growing outdoor recreation experiences on our nation’s public lands and waters.” 

For a more detailed overview of the EXPLORE Act, click here to view the section by section breakdown of the legislation. In summary, the EXPLORE Act will: 

  • Facilitate permit streamlining, alleviating challenges for outfitters and guides and enhancing access to outdoor adventures; 
  • Expand recreation on public lands and waters; 
  • Guarantee green space access in underserved communities; 
  • Develop, improve and complete long-range trails; and 
  • Boost rural economic development. 

The MRAA and the rest of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable community applaud this significant progress in the House and call for the expedient passage of the outdoor recreation package through the Senate. This action is vital for the protection and enjoyment of our public lands, waters and the communities prospering from them. 

Jessica Wahl Turner, President of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, commended the House’s action, stating, “The House’s passage of the EXPLORE Act is a pivotal advancement for outdoor recreation and the outdoor recreation industry in the United States. Spearheaded by the collaborative efforts of Chairman Bruce Westerman, Ranking Member Raul Grijalva, and a bipartisan group of their colleagues, this legislation shows our collective commitment to ensure outdoor experiences are accessible to every American now and for future generations. As we celebrate this victory, we look forward to the Senate, led by the champions of AORA — Senators Manchin and Barrasso — quickly taking up the mantle and working towards enacting these crucial measures.” 

For more information on the bill and its progress, visit https://recreationroundtable.org/priorities/recreation-package/. To see a list of quotes from supporting organizations, visit https://recreationroundtable.org/explore-act-supporters-and-quotes/.

Outdoor Recreation Roundtable Member Quotes: 
“Thank you to Chair Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Ranking Member Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) for spearheading the EXPLORE Act, which will help safeguard our natural resources and ensure our bodies of water are properly preserved and protected,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, President and CEO of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). “This legislation not only increases outdoor recreation access for millions of Americans but also mandates vital enhancements to detect and manage aquatic invasive species. On behalf of the recreational boating industry, NMMA is proud to support this important legislation that helps keep our lakes and inland waterways healthy and strengthens boaters’ access to these natural resources.”  

“Congress has a tremendous opportunity to bolster the nation’s $1.1 trillion outdoor recreation economy through passage of the EXPLORE Act,” said Glenn Hughes, President of the American Sportfishing Association. “Well managed and accessible federal lands are vital to recreational fishing and boating, which is the largest contributor to the outdoor recreation economy. The sportfishing industry thanks Chair Westerman, Ranking Member Grijalva, Chair Tiffany and Ranking Member Neguse for championing this important effort.”  

“The EXPLORE Act is bipartisan legislation that will help ensure that Americans continue to enjoy the benefits of recreating outdoors for generations to come,” said National RV Dealers Association President Phil Ingrassia. “The act will improve and modernize recreation infrastructure on public lands to support everyone who enjoys the great outdoors, including the growing number of RV travelers.”  

Click here to see what the rest of the ORR Community is saying.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.

Learn more about MRAA Advocacy, here.