New Financing Technology Boosts Deliveries for Priority One Dealers

St. Petersburg, FL (Feb. 1, 2022) – Priority One Financial Services, a full-service finance company offering flexible, business-forward finance and insurance solutions for marine, RV and trailer dealers, recently announced the expansion of its new financing technology. In 2021, the company installed a limited distribution of financing kiosks in dealer showrooms, giving customers the ability to apply for a recreational loan in under five minutes and without ever leaving the dealer’s lot.

Priority One Financial Services “The initial data is promising,” said Nicole Armstrong, Vice President of Corporate Initiatives, Priority One. “Dealers promoting applications on the credit kiosk may see a notable increase in deliveries.”
Priority One kiosk
With supply chain challenges across the industry, the technology allows dealers to capture the finance business early in the buying process, even without a unit on the lot to sell. The portable fixtures are also easy to move around the showroom or take to trade shows – another place for dealers to establish customer loyalty early in the buying process.

“The showroom experience has changed across the industry in recent years,” said Armstrong. “Customers no longer want to sit in an office to discuss F&I. Priority One’s credit kiosk allows the customer to apply for a loan in a quick, secure, digital environment, and then receive personalized communication with an F&I manager on their own time.”

The kiosks are part of a multi-faceted innovation initiative for Priority One. In 2022, the company will round-out its goal to fully digitize the financing process from beginning to end.

Priority One plans to expand financing kiosks to dealers in top markets across the nation in 2022. For more information, or to request a kiosk demonstration, visit p1fs.com/5minutefinancing.

About Priority One Financial Services, Inc.
Founded in 1987, Priority One Financial Services, Inc. offers flexible, business-forward finance and insurance solutions for marine, RV, horse trailer and commercial equipment dealers. A division of Forest River, a Berkshire Hathaway company, Priority One’s knowledgeable team brings full-service financing to every customer, helping dealers improve business and move inventory.

Headquartered in Saint Petersburg, Florida, the company also owns and operates Priority One Equipment Finance and Veritas Insurance Group. A 2019 One Tampa Bay and 2017 Business of Pride honoree, Priority One values its diverse community of employees, customers, dealers and the surrounding Tampa Bay neighborhood.

MRAA Announces Several Promotions

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 1, 2022 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that it has promoted five employees in Mike Davin, Allison Gruhn, Katie Eichelberger, Sarah Korbel and Cecelia Pallotto, effective immediately.

 

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Mike Davin has been promoted to Vice President of Business Planning. In three years at MRAA Davin has helped to craft and enhance MRAA’s brand messaging, marketing and awareness within the marine industry, overseeing the organization’s annual Dealer Week conference and expo as well as the functions of MRAA’s sales and marketing teams. In his new role, Davin will be responsible for creating and overseeing the execution of MRAA’s overall business plan.

 

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Allison Gruhn, who started with MRAA in 2017 as Director of Business Development, has been elevated to Vice President of Business Development. Gruhn has significantly advanced MRAA’s partner relationships and involvement and simultaneously helped drive the growth of partner memberships, programs and Dealer Week conference and expo engagement. She will expand her role by leading a growing team of sales professionals and their focus on customer service and relationship development.

 

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Katie Eichelberger, who began her career at MRAA in the summer of 2017, has been promoted to Marketing Manager. Eichelberger has served as the point person for marketing the MRAA’s annual conference, Dealer Week. In her new role, Eichelberger will take on responsibility for creating even greater efficiency and effectiveness with MRAA’s marketing team and marketing efforts.

 

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Sarah Korbel has been promoted to Events and Operations Manager. Korbel, a self-described resource collector, people connector and maker of moments, has been with MRAA since the fall of 2018. In her nearly four years, Korbel has led MRAA’s efforts with event planning and logistics as well as vendor relationships related to Dealer Week, successfully helping to reinvent the event’s execution in each of the last three years. Her new role will ask her to take on more leadership with those responsibilities.

 

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Having joined MRAA in 2019, Cecelia Pallotto has been promoted to Online Education Manager. Over the last couple years, Pallotto has excelled as the “Ask the Expert” Webinar series host, and has taken the lead with creating courses for MRAA’s Continuous Certification Curriculum as well as contributing to MRAA’s strong educational programming. In her new role, Pallotto will assume responsibility for driving greater value and engagement in MRAA’s online education efforts, including both MRAATraining.com and Dealer Week online. 

 

“At the MRAA, our No. 1 priority is to recruit, hire, onboard and grow the best possible team of marine industry professionals,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA President. “These incredible teammates have helped MRAA achieve new heights in our many programs and services, and it is truly a pleasure and an honor to have the opportunity to recognize their commitment to MRAA’s mission and vision of serving our industry through these promotions.”

 

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.

Boating Industry Veteran, Bob Healy Jr., Looks to Support Industry from Capitol Hill

Bob Healy Jr., son of the late Viking Yacht Company Co-Founder Robert Healy, will be running for Congress in New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District. Healy Jr., a boating industry veteran and Executive Co-Chairman at Viking Group, plans to advocate for fisheries and natural resource conservation, as well as fiscal policies that will benefit the marine industry nationwide.

Healy Jr. has earned the MRAA’s support throughout his campaign, because he will elevate the boating industry’s priorities on Capitol Hill and both build and leverage relationships with decision makers. With a diverse business and personal background, he is well rounded and capable of representing the interests of the boating industry in Congress. Currently, serving as the Executive Co-Chairman of the Viking Group, Bob and his company employ over a thousand South Jersey residents and have made a positive impact on literally tens of thousands of local families for a generation – providing them the opportunity to work hard and provide a solid middle-class life for their families. This industry-specific experience and background means Healy Jr. can knowledgeably advocate for MRAA members and others in the marine industry from Capitol Hill.

Healy for Congress is hosting a cocktail reception from 5-7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 15, at the Miami Boat Show to generate campaign donations and to raise awareness of his congressional priorities. For more information on the event or for other ways to support his campaign contact Jamie Montgomery, 856-296-1796; Jamiemontgomery650@gmail.com.

Advisory Council of Marine Associations Convenes at Dealer Week 2021

Dealer Week is the place to meet manufacturers, connect with fellow dealers, learn how to improve your dealership and make progress on Dealer Certification. It’s also where MRAA’s advocacy efforts continue and grow. At Dealer Week 2021 in December in Austin, Texas, the Advisory Council of Marine Associations (ACMA) convened for its first meeting since 2019.

Held Monday, Dec. 6, the ACMA meeting featured State Marine Trade Association (MTA) representatives from around the country. The purpose of this annual meeting is to unite MTA leaders and discuss the previous year’s policy priorities. The group’s focus then shifted to the upcoming year, which included drafting a set of policy resolutions to guide our future engagements. The meeting and resolution creation play an integral part of MRAA’s advocacy efforts because it creates better alignment with state partners and their objectives.

MRAA’s advocacy is focused on helping the businesses of our members and the boating industry at large, so the annual ACMA meeting presents a nation-wide perspective. Synergy between national and state associations across the country creates strong coalitions that collaborate on issues at various levels of government.

This year’s meeting had policy discussions and critical conversations on how to enhance ACMA for increased participation and efficient processes that benefit of our industry. By way of structural changes, we discussed adding another meeting at the National Marine Trade Council (NMTC) Meeting to serve as a midyear check-in on resolution items. Additionally, an ACMA handbook will be created that will outline its history, purpose and requirement for membership.

The overall sentiment at the ACMA meeting was, “it is good to be back!” This meeting reminded us all about the dedication and passion we put forth to support the boating industry, by identifying issues and finding solutions in collaboration to benefit our members. You can learn more about ACMA, view the handbook or the policy resolutions from past years, by emailing Chad Tokowicz.

Dealer Week BoatPAC Reception Recap

At MRAA’s Dealer Week, there is no shortage of learning opportunities and events to keep you busy. And that was especially true this past December at our inaugural stop in Austin, where there was even more to do in the name of exploring. Austin, known as the live music capital of the world, played an excellent host, offering a myriad of bars and live music on Rainey Street, and great place for friends and colleagues to reconnect. In fact, it was MRAA’s first live conference in more than 725 days. For me, it was
wonderful to see everyone at the BoatPAC reception!

The BoatPAC reception was held the night of Tuesday, Dec. 7 at the Moonshine Bar and Grill. The reception invited Dealer Week attendees to reconnect and help raise money for the BoatPAC. This reception produced our largest attendance to date with more than 100 guests. We raised $4,000 for the PAC! I want to personally thank all our attendees for supporting our advocacy efforts. This includes a special thank you to Yamaha, Smoker Craft, Correct Craft and the Mount Dora Boating Center for sponsoring this event. The massive turnout at the reception shows there is an appetite to support MRAA’s advocacy efforts and get involved.

I know that not everyone may understand what BoatPAC is and why it’s contributions are important. BoatPAC is a political action committee (PAC) and is used to support members of Congress and candidates running for public office. BoatPAC is special though, as we are the only PAC focused on furthering the goals of the U.S. recreational boating industry. The contributions made through BoatPAC keep MRAA and our partners at the table and our priorities top of mind with key decision makers. Since its inception BoatPAC has been instrumental in elevating the issues of the boating industry. Below are just a few examples of our recent successful efforts:
-Delivered $100 million in Paycheck Protection Program funding
-Passed Great American Outdoors Act, investing billions in outdoor recreation access projects
-Secured mandatory wear of engine cutoff devices
-Ensured $850 million for Everglades and Great Lakes Restoration
-Provided $25 million in tariff relief

We are already starting to plan our event for next year’s Dealer Week and I hope that the turnout is even larger! Despite these concrete policy wins, the biggest impact of the BoatPAC is in keeping the boating industry relevant with key decision makers. If you are curious about learning more about BoatPAC, head to the Boating United website or email Erica Crocker or Chad Tokowicz to schedule a time to talk.

Indiana Wakesurfing Bill Advances to House

Indiana Senate Bill Supported by Boating Industry

Indiana’s Senate Bill 187 (SB 187), introduced by Senator Susan Glick (R-13), passed in the state Senate last week with a vote of 40-6. SB 187 has the broad support of the recreational boating industry, including the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA) and the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA).

This bill is an important step to protecting MRAA member businesses in Indiana and nationwide. Recently, wakesurfing has been scrutinized by a variety of stakeholders and faced proposed regulations to severely restrict the activity. The popularity of wake boats has soared in the last few years and, through shared info from our members, we understand that improved sales figures have also been bolstered by these high-grossing vessels. In an effort to cultivate a member-friendly business environment and assure the fast-growing recreational pastime remains accessible, MRAA and its industry partners are dedicated to advocating for policy to increase user safety.

SB187 will establish important and sensible safety measures, in addition to aligning wakesurfing and wakeboarding with other watersports. SB187 will:
•Clearly and appropriately define the activities of wakeboarding and wakesurfing.
•Prohibit wakeboarding and wakesurfing at night.
•Prohibit wakesurfing behind a vessel in which the propeller extends beyond the transom or swim platform.
•Align the activity of wakesurfing and wakeboarding on small public freshwater lakes (70-300 acres) to be consistent with the lakes speed limit exemption, which will establish unity and consistency among watersports.
•Establish a formal petition process for property owners on public freshwater lakes to petition the Natural Resource Commission (NRC) to adopt additional regulations. Petitions require participation of half the abutting property owners and a public hearing.

The bill, sponsored by Representative David Abbott (R-82), now heads to the House, will be assigned to the Natural Resources Committee and await a hearing. MRAA, alongside WSIA and NMMA, will work alongside the Indiana General Assembly to pass this bill to ensure the needs of the recreational boating industry are met.

Indiana members are encouraged to take action on the industry’s grassroots advocacy platform, Boating United, and write to Indiana lawmakers requesting support for this crucial bill that will keep Indiana’s waters safe for future generations.

Additional information on SB 187 can be viewed here
If you have any additional questions or are interested in getting engaged in Indiana, or your state, email Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager.

MMTA Honors Longtime Industry Leader Larry Russo Sr.

FOXBORO, MASS. — The Massachusetts Marine Trades Association (MMTA) presented longtime industry leader and former owner of Russo Marine Larry Russo Sr. the Frank Farrell Distinguished Service Award. Russo was honored in front of more than 200 in-person and online attendees Thursday, Jan. 20, at the MMTA 2022 Business of Boating (BOB) Conference at the Lakeview Pavilion in Foxboro, Mass.

Larry Russo Sr. receives Russo Sr., current Senior Vice President of MarineMax Northeast, grew up in the recreational boating industry and has had a legendary career that has spanned nearly 60 years. Larry is the fourth recipient of the MMTA Frank Farrell award, joining Joe O’Neil, former owner of the New England Boat Show, Dick Egan of Crosby Yacht Yard and Ed Lofgren of 3A Marine. The award is in honor of the late Frank Farrell (1928-2001). Farrell was a co-founder of the New England Boat Show in 1957 and was instrumental in the formation of the MMTA in 1964. He became the first full-time executive director of the MMTA in 1975, a position he held for more than 25 years. Larry Sr.’s father, John Russo, was a founding member of the MMTA in 1964.

“I’m honored and proud to co-present this award to my dad,” said Russo Sr. “His life-long commitment to improving the business of boating has truly made our industry better for all involved.”

Some of the key leadership roles that Larry has held over the years include the following:

  • MMTA Board of Directors 1977 to present
  • MMTA President 1983–84
  • MMTA President Boston In-Water Boat Show 1992–2014
  • MRAA Board of Directors 1982–1995
  • MRAA President 1988–89
  • RBFF – Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation Board of Directors 2002–07
  • NMMA Grow Boating Dealer Quality Task Force Chairman 2004–06
  • MRAA Marine Industry Dealership Certification Inc. Chairman 2006 to present
  • Sea Tow Safety Foundation Board of Directors 2008–14
  • Grow Boating, Inc. Board of Directors 2012–20
  • NMMA/MRAA BoatPAC Board of Directors 2017–
  • Recipient – MRAA – Irv Rosenthal Leadership Award – 1991
  • Recipient – NMMA – Hammond Leadership Award – 1997
  • Recipient – MMTA – Marine Industry Advocate Award – 2007

Larry Russo Jr., Larry Russo Sr., & Alex Russo

“To say Larry is deserving of this award would be a clear understatement based on the accomplishments and impact he has made in the recreational boating industry here in Massachusetts and nationally,” said Randall Lyons, Executive Director, MMTA.

“Larry has always been committed to the advancement of our industry and we have all greatly benefited from it,” said award co-presenter Warren Kelly, Baert Marine. “Over the years he has selflessly given so very much of his time and continues to do so on both a local and national level. It is with great respect that I share in recognizing my friend personally and on behalf of the marine industry.”

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For more information, contact:

Randall M. Lyons, CMM
Executive Director
Massachusetts Marine Trades Association
(774) 404-8005
randall@boatma.com
www.boatma.com

MRAA’s Liz Keener Honored as a Top 100 Woman in Powersports

MINNEAPOLIS, January 19, 2022 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that MRAA Certification Manager Liz Keener was honored as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports today by “Dealernews” at the American International Motorcycle Expo (AIMExpo) in Las Vegas.

Keener, who has been part of the powersports and marine industry since 2010, is being honored for consulting with the recently launched National Powersports Dealer Association (NPDA). The editorial team at “Dealernews” magazine, a powersports industry trade publication, built its Top 100 Women in Powersports list and then informed each award recipient of their honor while extending an invite to attend a special luncheon held today at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Liz Keener, MRAA “I feel extremely honored by this recognition and am proud to be ranked among 99 other amazing women in powersports,” says Keener. “It has been exciting to be a part of the launch of NPDA. I look forward to working with the association again at AIMExpo and going forward, as they grow their resources for their powersports dealers, as MRAA does for marine dealers.”

AIMExpo, open only to dealers and industry professionals, provides the powersports industry an immersive experience by creating a platform for brands, dealers, distributors, manufacturers, media outlets and influencers to gather, engage and learn about important issues within powersports. AIMExpo says powersports generates more than $39.9 billion US dollars in consumer spending each year.

“It is incredibly rewarding to see Liz recognized for her deep commitment to the dealer community, which has been integral to her success in the marine and powersports industries,” says Liz Walz, MRAA Vice President. “On behalf of all of us at MRAA, we congratulate Liz on this accomplishment and extend our salutations to all the other influential women named Dealernews Top 100 Women in Powersports.”

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.

MRAA’s Dealer Certification Program Launches 2022 Education

MINNEAPOLIS, January 18, 2022 — The Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program has released its 2022 Continuous Certification Curriculum.

For 2022, Certified Dealers will be earning credits for four courses. The first, launched January 12, is “The Key Performance Indicators of a Profitable Dealership” by Bob Clements and Sara Hey of Bob Clements International. The second course, coming in April, is “The Five Red Flags that Derail Your Recruiting and Retention Effort” by Kelly McDonald of McDonald Marketing. Certified Dealerships enrolled in the 2022 Continuous Certification program have exclusive access to these courses.

MICD 2022 Certification
For their other two credits, dealers can choose from a selection of courses on Parts & Accessories and a selection of courses on Sales. Some dealers already earned their credits in these categories at Dealer Week in Austin, Texas, in December, and January 11-13, at Dealer Week Online. Other Certified Dealership staff can view the courses in the spring.

The Marine Industry Certified Dealership program, run by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, requires that dealers complete this education, plus five other annual requirements to maintain their Certified Dealer status in the years following their initial Certification. The other requirements include: an Assessment & Affidavit, Facility Check worksheets, an Employee Satisfaction Survey and staff meeting, a CSI Tracking & Trending evaluation and a Performance Planning exercise.

Being a Certified Dealer gives them access to this high-level education, time with a consultant, discounts on some programs and other benefits.

“The 2022 Continuous Certification Curriculum addresses dealers’ needs. Our first course, on key performance indicators, has been requested for years. April’s course, on recruiting and retention, could not come at a better time, because dealers are running into obstacles keeping a full staff,” said Liz Keener, MRAA’s Certification Manager. “We are offering Parts & Accessories courses for the first time since we launched the program in 2018. And of course, Sales is always a hot topic, so we included it.”

The Continuous Certification curriculum strengthens the already solid foundation dealers formed during their initial Certification process. The education is focused on the three pillars of Certification: Operations, Employee Engagement and Customer Experience. Leadership can share the education with their entire workforce to foster employee development and to reach those whom the topics resonate with the most.

Dealers enrolled in the program have exclusive access to the Continuous Certification Curriculum through MRAATraining.com. The courses are on-demand, video-based education, allowing dealers to login and complete the requirements any time between their release and the November 30, 2022, program deadline.

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.

MRAA Invests Heavily in Dealership Workforce Development

MINNEAPOLIS, January 14, 2022 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, as part of its ongoing effort to fuel solutions for the marine industry’s No. 1 challenge — workforce shortages — has donated $100,000 to the MRAA Educational Foundation, a 501-c-3 nonprofit organization with a mission to provide education, scholarships and programs to develop a stronger marine industry workforce.

The $100,000 donation from the MRAA, the nonprofit trade association that drives dealership success through tools, resources and educational programs, comes with a powerful back story: When the association battled through a significant revenue drop in 2020, due to the cancellation of the in-person MRAA Dealer Week conference and expo, several leading industry organizations made donations of a combined $100,000 to help the MRAA endure the pandemic.

Throughout 2020, MRAA adjusted its business to counter the revenue shortfall and managed its expenses to the point that it broke even, financially. The $100,000 in industry donations, then, gave the association a net income of $100,000 on the year. At that time, the MRAA staff went to the MRAA Board of Directors to recommend that the organization recognize those companies’ generosity by paying it forward and investing those funds into building and strengthening the marine industry labor pool through a donation to the MRAA Educational Foundation.

“The MRAA exists solely to support the growth and success of our industry and specifically the dealers that serve boaters in their local community,” explains Matt Gruhn, MRAA President. “We always explain to our members and our partners that when they invest in MRAA through their membership, through Dealer Week, through Dealership Certification, or any other means, the MRAA reinvests those funds right back into the industry. Paying this donation forward by investing it in workforce solutions powered by the MRAA Educational Foundation, is the perfect example of that philosophy.”

The MRAA Educational Foundation’s strategic plan takes an aggressive approach to solving personnel challenges. By developing regional stakeholder collaboratives across the country, also known as sectoral partnerships, employers can address area-specific labor pool challenges such as the marine technician shortage. This tactic is the best-practice approach to workforce development supported by federal and state workforce development funding streams.

“The Foundation’s board is committed to taking this bold approach to workforce development for our industry,” Mackie says. “They want to make sure that MRAA’s generous investment will pay off now and for years to come. The Foundation’s mission to grow the marine industry through workforce development compels us to create sustainable long-term solutions to our industry’s workforce challenges.”

To take the lead in fulfilling this mission, the MRAA hired Wendy Mackie as its Director of Workforce and Foundation Development. Mackie will apply her years of expertise in workforce development to generate the talent supply chain the MRAA membership needs.

“Our team here at the MRAA understands how challenging the workforce shortage has been for our dealers,” Gruhn adds. “They were lacking employees prior to the pandemic, and the events of the last couple years have only made the shortages worse. We expect this contribution to the workforce-focused mission of our Educational Foundation to fuel new programs and opportunities that will help dealers fill open positions and strengthen their businesses.”

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.

About MRAA Educational Foundation
The MRAA Educational Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation, was founded in 2004 to provide financial support for education, training and professional development in the recreational marine industry. The Educational Foundation is dedicated to the growth of the marine industry through workforce development. For more information or to donate to support the foundation’s mission, visit MRAA.com/foundation.