MDCE 2011 Gets Underway

Conference and expo breaks dealer attendance records.

November 7, 2011

ORLANDO — For the fourth year in a row, the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is growing. The event, title=which kicked off with a networking reception last night at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, not only offers a record-breaking 22 educational sessions and the largest expo hall in the history of the event, but also more than 470 dealers have already registered for the event, a slight increase compared to dealer registration numbers in 2010, and on-site registration continues to build.

“This event continues to deliver the content, networking opportunities and products and services that the market needs during these challenging times,” said Liz Walz, editor-in-chief of Boating Industry magazine, which co-produces the event with the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “The dealers here this week understand the role education and training play in their ability to grow in today’s market, while the industry’s manufacturers and suppliers are here to support dealer success, knowing that it drives their business success.”

Today, the MDCE Expo Hall opens for the second day, and a trio of bonus sessions began at 10:30 a.m., leading up to this evening’s keynote address and another networking reception. On-site registration remains available — with both single-day and full passes — for the four-day event.

“We continue to be gratified by the importance that dealers are placing n attending this one-of-a-kind event to educate themselves,” said Phil Keeter, president of the Marine Retailers Association of America. “Even in this slow market, an increasing number of dealers take advantage of the value offered to them through the MDCE and continue to invest in their business and in their future.”

A total of 96 marine industry suppliers have signed up to sponsor and exhibit at this year’s event.

Once again, MDCE offers three educational tracks, Powering Profits, Sales & Marketing and Service & Marina. The marina content, new for 2011, is offered through a partnership with the Association of Marina Industries and the American Boat Builders & Repairers Association. All three tracks begin on Tuesday and run through Wednesday.

Dealer Alert: Oct. 24, 2011

DEALER ALERT

The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction has been charged with the task of $1.5 trillion in federal government budget cuts. The committee must provide Congress with its recommendations by Thanksgiving.

With six of the twelve Members of the committee publicly advocating for increased tax revenues, MRAA has been very concerned that it may consider elimination of the primary and secondary home interest deduction or a significant restriction on whom or how Americans can take the deduction. It is reported the Committee has been considering total elimination, restrictions on income (for example, only Americans making $250,000 or less would qualify for the deduction), or establishment of a maximum dollar amount of a deduction.

The Joint Committee has now established a web site, Contact – About – Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction , where Americans can contact the committee directly and send comments on its work. The site provides an easy way to communicate with the Joint Committee.

MRAA asks dealers to contact the Joint Committee immediately through the website. Just click on the site provided in this Alert

A suggested message is………”Retention of the primary and secondary home mortgage interest deduction is vital to the continued and slowly recovering economic vitality of the recreational boating industry, which is just now seeing a potential bottom after significant sales declines since 2008. Our industry is now positioned to start a rehire program in retailing. Don’t push us over the edge by eliminating or restricting this important tax deduction used by many Americans to buy a recreational boat as a second home. KEEP THE HOME MORTGAGE INTEREST DEDUCTION, DO NOT PLACE RESTRICTIONS ON IT,AND KEEP ITS USAGE FOR BOATS.“

Aspiring for greatness

It
isn’t very often that we get to realize a long-held aspiration. But as
you read this, I am getting that very opportunity, and I’d like to share
that story with you.

It was about four years ago now that I had what was then an
off-the-record conversation with MRAA President Phil Keeter. In that
conversation he suggested he would be retiring in “a few years,” and
almost immediately my hopes and desires to succeed him set in.

I had been working in the marine industry for almost 11 years at the
time and had spent the better part of the prior six years working in
various capacities on the trade publication Boating Industry.
My passion for working with and helping marine dealers took a firm grasp
of me and my career ambitions as those years went by, and certainly the
prospect of focusing all of my energy on that single pursuit was
incredibly appealing to me.

Today, I’m officially three days into realizing that dream. I’m
currently holed up with Mr. Keeter in his Tulsa, Okla. office, where
he’s trying diligently to share his 50-plus-years of industry knowledge
and wisdom with me over a three-day period. Wish me luck.

Mr. Keeter and I will be working side-by-side for the next three
months as I ramp up toward succeeding him and he ramps down toward
retirement. I look forward to soaking up as much knowledge from him as
possible over those 90 days.

There will be plenty of time, through these blogs and the countless
conversations that I will have with you over the coming days, weeks,
months, and years, to share the aspirations I have for the MRAA and our
progress toward them. But for now, I just wanted to briefly introduce
myself (and this brand new blog site) and let you know that I hold it as
an honor and a privilege to succeed Mr. Keeter and to begin serving you
and the rest of the marine dealer body on an every-day basis.

I have newly created aspirations, and they’re focused on creating
more value for you and your membership in the MRAA. So stay tuned to
this blog for those developments, and just know that if there is ever
anything I can do to be of assistance to you, you should, please, feel
free to contact me at any time at matt@mraa.com or in my office at 763/315-8043.

MRAA members now save on inbound shipping

PartnerShip and the Marine Retailers Association of America are pleased and excited to offer increased savings on less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipping to all MRAA members. PartnerShip, the freight management provider of MRAA, works with nationally known carriers every day to provide unparalleled customer service and significant savings on every shipment you send and receive. Since 1989, PartnerShip has been negotiating substantial carrier discounts on behalf of our over 17,000 customers.

PartnerShip’s customized freight management program gives MRAA members the advantage of a comprehensive LTL freight option for shipments over 200 lbs., including a full suite of individualized services, such as:

  • Savings of at least 70% (discounts may increase based on volume) with the country’s most experienced and most reliable carriers, including UPS Freight®, Con-way Freight, YRC, and many regional carriers
  • Enhanced access to PartnerShip.com to compare rates, view transit times, track shipments, and pay invoices
  • A dedicated PartnerShip representative for all your shipping needs
  • An optional weekly or consolidated monthly invoice from PartnerShip, with 20-day payment terms
  • Inbound Shipping Management tools to save you money on the shipments you receive from your suppliers


Visit PartnerShip.com/ShipmentAnalysis for a free, no obligation shipment analysis.

Learn more about the MRAA shipping benefit.

This MRAA member benefit comes at no cost to you, and has no minimum shipping requirements or obligations. If you have any questions, please contact PartnerShip at 800-599-2902, or email select@PartnerShip.com.

Member Advisory: June 9, 2011


Membership Advisory

MRAA JOINS BUSINESS COALITION TO KEEP

POLITICS OUT OF FEDERAL CONTRACT AND GRANT PROCESS

MRAA is an active member of a coalition of 156 organizations spearheaded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that is urging Congress to pass the “Keep Politics Out of the Federal Contracting Act of 2011.” Several letters have already been sent to both the Senate and the House of Representatives where in the House Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma)has been successful in getting the bill attached to two important bills, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act and the massive $690 billion National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 1540). The Cole Amendment would ensure that “None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to implement any rule, regulation, or executive order regarding the disclosure of political contributions that takes effect on or after the date of enactment of this Act.”

In addition, a group of Republican senators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) announced they were supporting legislation in the Senate to block the Obama Executive Order. Senate Republicans have not said, though, if they would try to follow up on the amendment offered by Rep. Cole, which had the support of all Republicans but one and 26 Democrats.

The letters MRAA has singed remind Congress that the federal acquisition process has worked well free of political influence.

The Congressional actions are in response to a draft Presidential Executive Order under consideration that would force companies and non-profit organizations vying for federal contracts and grants to reveal employee donations and membership payments to advocacy groups and trade associations, like MRAA, that is engage in even a small amount of political speech.. Contributions to political candidates, parties, and PACs are already disclosed as part of the federal law governing federal elections. The draft order is meant to target organizations that are not political organizations but may engage in some political speech as part of their broader mission.

“The draft Executive Order strikes at the heart of representative government and freedom under the First Amendment. Much of the information on campaign contributions is already public and reported to the Federal Election Commission,” said Phil Keeter, MRAA President. “MRAA will continue to support efforts to block the contractor disclosure order and to stop efforts to politicize the federal procurement process,” he added.

Published by Larry Innis, Director of Government Affairs

Gruhn named next MRAA President

The Marine Retailers Association of America named Matt Gruhn the next President of the organization. He will succeed Phil Keeter, who is retiring at the end of 2011.

As Group Publisher overseeing Affinity Media’s trade group ¿ Boating Industry as well as Powersports Business magazines and their ancillary products ¿ Gruhn has been instrumental in the implementation and execution of Boating Industry‘s Top 100 Dealers Program and the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, working on the latter in conjunction with the MRAA Convention Committee. A 14-year veteran of the marine industry, Gruhn has spent the last eight years at the helm of Boating Industry magazine.

“Matt’s skills and experience are perfectly aligned with what we were looking for in a new leader for this association,” says MRAA Chairman David Foulkrod. “Our Board of Directors is excited that he’s joining us as our new President because of his knowledge of the industry and his passion for working with and helping marine retailers grow their businesses.”

The search for the incoming President began January 2, 2011, and during the first quarter of the year, the seven-member MRAA Selection Committee, chaired by Larry Russo Sr., collected more than 90 resumes. The committee narrowed the candidates down to a top-10 list after a formal resume review and scoring process. After the completion of phone interviews with the remaining candidates, five candidates were asked to be evaluated through a Caliper job placement test, and they then interviewed, in person, before the Selection Committee and the MRAA Board of Directors. The MRAA committee invested more than 500 hours collectively reviewing resumes and interviewing candidates.

Gruhn’s leadership of the Boating Industry team, which was responsible for the planning, marketing and implementation of the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, helped to revitalize and rebrand the MRAA’s annual convention and ultimately helped to grow both the attendance and revenue by 375 percent over the last three years.

“I”m extremely honored to be selected as the next MRAA President,” Gruhn said. “Having worked with boat dealers so closely over the years, I really believe this position is a natural fit for my passion, and I’m excited to begin ramping up all that the MRAA has to offer today’s dealers.”

Gruhn will retain his role at Boating Industry for the next several months and will begin phasing into the President’s position around the start of the fourth quarter of 2011, working alongside Keeter. Keeter was one of the 12 founding dealer members of the MRAA in 1972. He served on the MRAA’s Board of Directors from 1972 through 1982 and was selected as President of the association in February of 1988.

“The entire membership of MRAA will greatly benefit from the extensive process used by the selection committee to choose my successor,” Keeter says. “I’m delighted they chose Matt. I’ve worked closely with Matt the last few years and have grown to appreciate his passion for our industry. Matt will bring new ideas and concepts to the association that will benefit each of our members in the coming years.”

“Of course, I’m sorry that Matt will be leaving,” says Steve Hedlund, President of Boating Industry, “but MRAA is such a valued partner that this move can only enhance our relationship further. MRAA is getting a terrific leader.”