BOCA GRANDE, Fla. – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas presented its annual Bill Ferguson and Legislative Awards at last month’s Marine Dealer Conference & Expo in Orlando.

The Bill Ferguson award is named in recognition of the MRAA’s first Executive Director. While serving as the Executive Director of the Boating Trades Association of Metropolitan Houston, Ferguson was “loaned” to the MRAA and was paid a salary of $1 per year. The loan underscored BTAMH’s intense desire to help form a national dealer association. MRAA created the Bill Ferguson Award to recognize local, state or regional association that does the most to support its membership.

The Bill Ferguson Award was presented to the BTA of Metropolitan Houston for its support of its members, particularly through the lobbying and ultimate passing of Texas House Bill 1960, which outlines agreements between dealers and manufacturers operating in the state of Texas. Additionally, the Legislative Award, which is presented annually to an elected official who works to further the interests of the boating industry, was awarded to Texas Senator Mike Jackson, a Republican, and Texas Representative Joe Deshotel, a Democrat.

“From its early days when Bill Ferguson served its members, on through until today, BTAMH has been a leader when it comes to furthering the interests of regional association members,” says MRAA President Phil Keeter. “These awards simply underscore the accomplishments that this group realized over the past year.”

“We’re honored to be recognized with this award,” says Ken Lovell, executive director of BTAMH. “Our ability to work toward our members’ needs and have such a milestone accomplishment is a testament to the work that our members and our lobbyist, Jon Kuhl, have put into these legislative issues, along with the work of Sen. Jackson and Rep. DesHotel”

About Marine Retailers Association of the Americas

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.

BOCA GRANDE, Fla. – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas honored association president Phil Keeter with its Retailing Hall of Fame Award at the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo in Orlando.

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, during Keeter’s retirement dinner, the association announced that it was changing the name of its Retailing Hall of Fame award to the Phil Keeter Retailing Hall of Fame Award. And Keeter was announced as the first recipient of that award.

“To have this award named after me is one of the highest honors I have ever received,” said Phil Keeter, who officially retires as MRAA president at the end of the year. “To be named the first recipient is simply icing on the cake.”

Keeter was one of the 12 founding members of the MRAA in 1972, and he served on the MRAA board of directors until 1982. He then became the association’s first president in 1988. He has dedicated the last 23 years to leading the association, and he is retiring at the end of the year.

“Honoring Phil with the renaming of this award is really the least we can do to recognize the commitment he has shown marine retailers over his career,” says Matt Gruhn, incoming president of the MRAA. “It’s rare to find someone who dedicates so much of their life to one industry, and it’s really an honor to recognize everything Phil has accomplished over his career by renaming this award and carrying on his legacy by presenting it to others who work to further the interests of marine retailing.”

About Marine Retailers Association of the Americas

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.

Leaders from Every Segment in Recreational Boating Gather for Unprecedented Stakeholder Growth Summit, Agree to Work Together to Grow Industry
 
CHICAGO — On Tuesday and Wednesday, December 13-14, leaders from every segment across the entire recreational boating community, including the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and a number of its board members, gathered in Chicago, Ill., to address how to grow the industry during a first-of-its-kind Recreational Boating Stakeholder Growth Summit.
 
The Summit was hosted by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and attended by nearly 160 executives and leaders from all industry segments including: bankers, big box retailers, consumer organizations, dealers, distributors, insurance companies, boat, engine and accessory manufacturers, marinas, boat yards, trade associations,  publishers,  yacht brokers,  marine representatives, and government groups. It was the largest and most diverse all-industry discussion  ever for the recreational boating industry. The Summit was facilitated by the Consensus Center from the Florida State University.
 
Opening the Summit was a presentation on “Trends in U.S. Recreational Boating” from Thom Dammrich, president of NMMA, followed by a presentation on “Changing U.S. Demographics and the Boating Industry,” from Steve Murdock, Ph.D., professor of sociology at Rice University and former director of the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Both presentations helped shed light on the dramatic economic and socioeconomic shifts taking place in the U.S. that impact, or will impact, recreational boating growth.
 
“I think a lot of participants were shocked at some of the missed opportunities, industry trends, and overall need for our industry to adjust to the changing population in the U.S.,” noted Dammrich. “The Summit opened a lot of eyes and created a sense of urgency throughout all industry segments to put something in motion to build recreational boating that we can all work toward.”
 
Prior to attending the Summit, participants completed an extensive survey, answering questions and providing information to help the facilitators create a foundation that the group worked from to begin the all-industry dialogue. Out of the survey came four “vision statements” for the industry to work against during the Summit, including visions for our industry in 2021: “Unified Industry Cross Sector Collaboration Brings Results — Boating Now the Preferred Recreational Choice,” “Boating Participation Soars — New Generation, Highly Diverse, Family Friendly Lifestyle and Consumer Friendly,” “Expanded Access to the Water and the Lifestyle Has Been Achieved,” and “Smarter and Fewer Regulations and Better Boating Education Results in Safe, Affordable and Enjoyable Boating.”
 
Over the course of two days, topics addressing each Vision included, but weren’t limited to: existing and future demographics of the boating consumer, marketing and communication strategies, the boating experience, innovation and technology, industry collaboration, and legislation and regulation. Summit participants offered initial thinking and joint action priorities that will be addressed as a group in the coming months. As a result of the Summit, a universal recognition developed among all participants that all segments of the industry have a role and an important stake in  working together to develop approaches to grow the recreational boating industry.
 
“It’s critical that we work as an industry to move forward and grow boating,” says Dammrich. “Everyone must be involved. If you have a stake in the future growth of boating, you need to be part of this conversation if we’re going to make a change and create a better future for our industry.”
 
Throughout the next six weeks, the facilitators from the Consensus Center will compile a report of action items and focus areas agreed upon by Summit participants that will act as a blueprint for the industry to work against.
 
All members of the industry are encouraged to view the presentations given during the Summit, which include: “The Landscape of Recreational Boating in the United States (Trends)” from Dammrich; Changing U.S. Demographics and The Boating Industry” from Dr. Murdock; “Learning from Successful Initiatives: Industry Collaboration for Growth Case Study — ‘Discover Boating Campaign'” also given by Dammrich; and “the Discover Boating Campaign Results and Initiatives from 2011” from Carl Blackwell, president of Grow Boating, Inc.
 
All presentations as well as the Summit’s survey results can be found here: http://consensus.fsu.edu/Boat-Summit/index.html

FedEx and UPS to Raise Small Package Rates for 2012

The MRAA Shipping Program, managed by PartnerShip, today announced that FedEx Corp. and UPS will increase envelope and small package shipping rates for 2012.

Air Shipping Costs to Increase
Effective January 2, 2012, the cost to ship an overnight envelope with Memphis-based FedEx Express will increase by a net average of 3.9 percent. The full average rate increase of 5.9 percent will be partially offset by adjusting the fuel price threshold at which the fuel surcharge begins, reducing the fuel surcharge by 2 percent. Air packages shipped with Atlanta-based UPS will increase by a net average 4.9 percent beginning January 2, 2012. The rate increase for UPS air and international shipments is based on a 6.9-percent increase in the base rate, less a 2-percent reduction to the index-based air and international fuel surcharge.

Ground Shipping Rates Going Up As Well
Effective January 2, 2012, the cost to ship with FedEx Ground will increase by a net average 4.9 percent. The full average rate increase of 5.9 percent will be partially offset by adjusting the fuel price threshold at which the fuel surcharge begins, reducing the fuel surcharge by 1 percent. UPS ground shipping will also increase by a net average 4.9 percent for U.S. domestic services, achieved through a 5.9-percent increase in the base rate, less a 1 percent reduction to the index-based ground fuel surcharge.

Additionally, UPS Next Day Air Freight and UPS 2nd Day Air Freight rates for shipments within and between the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico will increase 5.9 percent. UPS 3 Day Freight rates will remain unchanged.

About PartnerShip
Cleveland, Ohio-based PartnerShip, which developed and manages the MRAA Shipping Program, is a leading freight management company that provides shipping solutions to small- and medium-sized businesses nationwide. PartnerShip leverages its relationships with over 17,000 customers to provide businesses of all sizes the exceptional savings typically reserved for large-volume shippers. 800-599-2902 PartnerShip.com

For more information or to enroll in the MRAA Shipping Program to save on every shipment you send and receive, please visit: www.partnership.com/26MRAA

BOCA GRANDE, Fla. — The Cobalt 20 Group, made up of 20 non-competing Cobalt Boats dealers from across North America, has demonstrated its support of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas by becoming a Patron Member of the association.
 
The group, which is facilitated by David Parker, president of Parker Business Planning, presented a check to MRAA incoming President, Matt Gruhn, during a meeting held following the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo. According to Parker, the check represented a show of support for the association and the initiatives it has set forth in strengthening the opportunities that it provides marine retailers.
 
“We are very grateful for the Cobalt group’s support,” said Gruhn. “As a group of some of the leading dealers in our industry, their support — both on a participatory and financial level — is greatly appreciated. The MRAA is focused on strengthening our relationship with all dealer groups, particularly through the creation of new benefits and additional membership value. The support of the Cobalt 20 Group tells us that we’re on the right track.”
 
Cobalt 20 Group member Jeff Strong (Strong’s Marine, Mattituck, N.Y.), who also serves on the MRAA’s MDCE Convention Committee, set up the opportunity for Gruhn to speak at the 20 Group meeting and led the initiative for each of the group’s members to contribute to the support of the national association.
 
“Our Cobalt 20 Group is very excited about many of the new initiatives MRAA has launched,” said Strong. “We wanted to visibly demonstrate our support for these initiatives because we believe they will provide growth opportunities for MRAA members and for boating as a recreational pursuit.