Pre-season is in full swing! Some dealers are smack-dab in the middle of their boat show, and others have already wrapped theirs and are in follow-up mode. In-house events will continue from now until late spring, and boaters are getting excited for the upcoming season. While the traffic may be smaller than normal due to lingering COVID-19 variant fears, economic uncertainties and industry challenges, boat show attendees are determined buyers. With that in mind, be sure you team is prepped with the correct tools to make capturing leads much simpler, because now is the time to start collecting — and qualifying — your leads!
In early 2020, the Marine Industry Certified Dealership program teamed up with expert Don Cooper, The Sales Heretic, to develop a course about boat shows. In “Maximize Your Boat Show Sales,” Don focuses two of his chapters on lead generation and follow up.
Your lead form, he says, should include six types of information:
1. Motivation
2. Experience
3. Usage
4. Criteria
5. Budget
6. Timetable
These items will help your sales team understand how to interact with their prospects, which boat to pair them with and when they’re looking to buy.
Don also recommends you have a follow-up process after any event, whether it’s a boat show or an in-house event.
That process should include:
• Entering all leads into your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system
• Assigning all leads to salespeople
• Ensuring follow-up is completed and tracked
• Sharing follow-up success stories
• Rewarding team members who stay on track with their follow-up
Don dives deeper into this topic and others in his course, which the Certification program has made available to all MRAA Silver and Gold members. You can access the course here after you’re logged into MRAATraining.com. Don also has a variety of resources available on his site, DonCooper.com.
• Branching out to include lending for boats and other recreational products
ARLINGTON, VA, February 9, 2022. Boat Finance LLC, an indirect recreational lender for boats and RVs, announced today that it has changed its name to RecFi LLC. The company initially started off financing boats and outboard motors, but in the last few years, extended its operations to include RVs, and now plans on introducing powersports in 2022. The new name reflects the company’s expansion to servicing not only recreational boat loans, but to financing the greater recreational lending market.
“Now that we’re established in the general recreational space, we’re hoping our new name will better demonstrate the types of services we provide, and continue to attract a wider audience,” explains Donald Schrama, CEO of RecFi. “We are very excited about this transformation!”
One of RecFi’s capital partners, Blue Elephant Capital Management (BECM), is also a big proponent of the name change – CEO of BECM, JP Marra, expresses his support: “[we have] had the pleasure of working closely with the RecFi team since 2016; the new name and branding not only better fits with the scope of the company’s expanding verticals, but as importantly, better reflects the now robust and dynamic fintech platform that they have painstakingly developed over many years.”
The name change comes with a rebranding of the logo and launch of a new website, as well as new staff hires and promotions, and new office locations.
About RecFi LLC RecFi LLC works directly with dealers to provide recreational lending for boats and RVs. Brothers, Don and Bill Schrama, founded the company, and soon after launching, added Blue Elephant Capital Management as a partner. RecFi aims to provide fast, flexible, and easy-to-access financing to the under-served segment of the recreational lending industry.
•New Bill Would Help Rural Communities Prepare for and Grow Outdoor Recreation Economies, Infrastructure
WASHINGTON, D.C. February 8, 2022 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and others in the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) are fully supporting U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Michael Bennet’s (D-CO) newly introduced Rural Outdoor Investment (ROI) Act. This bill provides much-needed capital for rural communities seeking to build and plan for recreation economies.
“It is no secret the power of the outdoor recreation economy, which comprised 1.8 percent of the United States GDP in 2020, benefitting communities across America, as people engaged in pastimes like recreational boating and fishing, hiking and mountain biking,” said Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager. “The ROI Act provides tools to rural communities, so they can get a piece of this growing market sector. The outdoor recreation economy can be a crucial addition to a community by creating additional jobs and increasing revenue at local businesses through ancillary purchases.”
If passed, the ROI Act’s funding could not come at a better time. Outdoor recreation participation sky-rocketed during the pandemic and shows no signs of receding. Additionally, economic studies confirm that rural communities that plan for and invest in recreation businesses, access and infrastructure are more resilient and grow faster with more sustainable economic development.
The ROI Act will provide: •$30 million for public works through the Economic Development Administration (EDA). This would fund necessary infrastructure improvements from signage to boat ramps to new trails. •$5 million for grants through EDA for communities to create recreation economy plans that optimize their natural spaces including marketing, branding, business development, fundraising and tourism management. •$2.5 million in university partnerships to promote place-based research, education and technical assistance to local stakeholders and businesses for this high-growth sector. •$12.5 million for the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) grants for main street revitalization through outdoor recreation.
“The Rural Outdoor Investment Act will create common-sense changes to pre-existing programs and direct money to communities to help bolster and grow their outdoor recreation economies,” says Jeff Strong, Vice Chairman, MRAA Board and President, Strong’s Marine, Mattituck, N.Y. “From additional funding to improve boat ramps to money aimed at helping communities market their recreational offerings, this bill will benefit the recreational boating industry, boaters and anglers and rural communities.”
“Rural communities across the country are dealing with economic and infrastructure challenges stemming from COVID-19, climate change and transitioning economies, all while trying to seize opportunities from massive shifts in workforce and the influx of Americans seeking the outdoors,” says Jessica Turner, ORR President. “The Rural Outdoor Investment Act will provide much-needed planning, infrastructure and business support to communities as they attract a remote workforce, grow jobs, welcome visitors and strengthen their economies through outdoor recreation. ORR has long known the return from investing in outdoor recreation in rural economies, and we applaud Senators Schumer and Bennet for introducing this forward-thinking and essential legislation that will support every corner of the country.”
As the legislation makes its way through Congress, MRAA will work with the ORR and other industry partners to highlight the positive impact on the recreational boating industry. If you have questions or want to contribute to advocacy, email Chad Tokowicz.
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 Advocacy Efforts Support Boating Access
• Shared Input on Proposed and Existing National Marine Sanctuaries
By Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager
To ensure that recreational boating and fishing can continue to take place on waterbodies throughout the the country and keep customers frequenting your fuel dock, accessory store or service department, it’s important to advocate for access. That’s why the MRAA’s engagement efforts happen on both the state and federal levels. They take shape in many forms, from advocating for specific pieces of legislation that will create more opportunities, to providing comment on proposed policies and management plans to assure that access for recreational boating is not overlooked.
One recent example of advocacy contribution is the sharing of input with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration regarding a newly proposed and existing National Marine Sanctuary (NMS). I understand you may be asking what is an NMS? And does it really require the need to advocate for recreational boating access? I’ll answer both of these questions.
National Marine Sanctuaries (NMS) are areas designated by the Secretary of the Department of Commerce to promote comprehensive management of the areas special resources ranging from its ecological and historical features to things such as its educational or recreational opportunities. These spaces merit an extra layer of recognition and conservation to assure that they can be enjoyed for generations to come. The process to nominate a zone as a sanctuary is a public, community-based process and allows interested individuals or groups to identify and recommend places worthy of designation.
Marine Sanctuaries are not just specific to the ocean but area also located in fresh water, like the Thunder Bay NMS, and in brackish waters like the Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS. NOAA undergoes a lengthy and transparent process that is inclusive of the public and various stakeholders to ensure they are managed properly to conserve their important qualities. The process goes as such:
• Scoping: NOAA announces its interest in designating a new NMS and requests the public provide input on potential boundaries, resources that should be protected, issues NOAA should consider and any additional information.
• Sanctuary Proposal: NOAA prepares draft designation documents, which include a draft management plan, draft environmental impact statement, proposed regulations and proposed boundaries. NOAA may also form a “Sanctuary Advisory Council” to help inform the proposal and focus stakeholder input.
• Public Review: Members of the public, agency partners, tribes and other stakeholders provide input on the draft documents. NOAA then considers the input and determines appropriate changes.
• Sanctuary Designation: NOAA’s conclusionary process involves a final decision and the preparation of the final documents. Before the designation is effective, however, the Governor of the state the NMS is in, and Congress, review the documents.
The above is a truncated version of the NMS designation process, if you are seeking further detail, view this resource on the NOAA NMS website.
MRAA recently provided comment on two separate NMS, both in different stages of the designation process. One, the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, located off the coast of Massachusetts, was established on October 7, 1992, and was undergoing public comment on a Draft Management Plan, which occurs every 4 to 5 years. The other, the proposed Chumash Heritage NMS is located off the coast of Central California and is currently being considered for designation.
In both comments, we reinforced the importance of maintaining access for recreational boats because these areas provide numerous public opportunities, ranging from recreational fishing, to diving to whale watching. You can view our Chumash Letter here, and the Stellwagen Bank letter here. To discuss our advocacy efforts for access, email me at Chad@mraa.com.
ST. PAUL, February 3, 2022 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas applauds engagement efforts by Minnesota members during a recent House Commerce, Finance and Policy Committee Meeting on HF 1156, Right to Repair legislation. Steve Chesky, Senior Support Mobile Specialist and Co-Owner of Dan’s Southside Marine, located in Bloomington, Minn., provided oral testimony during the hearing that highlighted his concerns on the legislation.
HF 1156, or the “Digital Fair Repair Act,” falls into the broad category of “Right to Repair” legislation and in short, would give consumers unfettered access to source code and programmable features of electronics, including marine engines. While the intent of the legislation is to allow consumers to do their own repairs — which marine dealers already facilitate — it poses a myriad of safety, emissions and liability concerns.
“We are committed to helping our customers do their own repairs and offer free user manuals and feature a comprehensive parts store chock full of OEM and aftermarket parts,” says Steve Chesky. “Unfortunately, HF 1156 would make it possible for consumers to void important safety and emissions features programmed into marine engines. Not only would the removal of safety features potentially harm boaters, but also they would cause issues for retailers who buy and sell pre-owned vessels. Making it nearly impossible for us to assure that the next customer is receiving a vessel that has not been tampered with.”
Chesky, a long-time advocate for Minnesota boat dealers, previously spoke against Right to Repair legislation in 2019. Lori Sanborn, Owner of Handberg’s Marina in Crane Lake, Minn., also added her voice to the choir of marine businesses detesting the legislation.
“Handberg’s Marina has been serving the Crane Lake area for over 96 years, and HF 1156 could not only endanger our customers, but also tarnish the reputation of our business,” says Sanborn. “For nearly 100 years, Handberg’s has been dedicated to getting folks on the water and creating lasting memories on Crane Lake. The last thing we want is for customers to make potentially harmful modifications to their boats and ruin what otherwise would be a fun-filled day with friends and family.”
Minnesota dealers stepped up to highlight the safety issues and liability concerns, while the National Marine Manufacturers Association also highlighted the issue the bill presents for the manufacturers of marine engines and components.
“In order to comply with the Clean Air Act and EPA mandates, recreational marine engine manufacturers cannot provide access to pollution control devices, something that HF 1156 makes possible,” says Jill C. Sims, Manager of Great Lakes Policy and Engagement for the NMMA. “HF 1156 requires manufacturers to give the general public access to these ‘locked’ sections of software and emission controls, however, manufacturers simply cannot, under federal law, facilitate access to these protected areas.”
To reinforce industry opposition, MRAA also submitted testimony, which can be found here. While the MRAA supports the intent of the legislation, we cannot support it as currently drafted due to the safety and emissions implications, as well as the potential burden it could place on our members. The MRAA will continue to monitor and provide updates on HF 1156. If you have any questions or would like to get engaged in advocacy, contact Chad Tokowicz, Government Relations Manager, at Chad@mraa.com or 978-569-5127.
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 763-315-80
You may have noticed that many of the web providers and DMS systems are now providing some version of a “Soft-Pull Pre-Qualification” program. These can provide information to you with regard to your prospective customer’s credit, which can help you successfully nurture more of your leads into sales.
Before we dive into these new tools, I want to emphasize: This is just part of your overall first contact program. The great news is: This potential new customer took the time to share information with you to help them get on the water! Assuming your lead management process ensures that leads are engaged effectively in a timeframe that can be measured in minutes, having insight into the customer credit history early in the process can help you steer around potential obstacles related to financing a boat.
I think you can expect these online pre-qualification tools to become more and more prevalent, so you can benefit from learning how to make the most of them today.
Like any tool, it is only effective if you understand how to use the information provided and what missing information you will need to add to know if the lead you just received is … A) A home run, B) Good but needs some work, or C) A big job to get across the finish line.
Here are five things you need to know to make the most of these programs.
1. Not All Credit Bureaus Are the Same. There are three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and Transunion). These three are sometime similar in the scores they report, but many times differ greatly. Not all creditors report to all three bureaus, and they don’t all report at the same time. Since the bureau you pull is a snap-shot of that moment, the bureau that has the most info may score a customer at 650 where the same customer’s creditors may not all report to the other bureaus. That could literally turn that 650 into an 810 … believe me, I’ve seen it.
2. It’s Not All About the Score. Credit score is a leading indicator; however, two customers with the same score may have a different profile to get there. The components of that score include on time vs. late payments, revolving vs. installment accounts, credit card utilization, time in the bureau, public records, inquiries, credit line size and so on.
You may have two customers with a 750 credit score. One has a $450,000 mortgage, several credit cards, low inquiries and no public records, but they don’t score an 800 because their credit card utilization (the credit card limit vs. their balance) is a bit high. Your other potential customer has the same score; however, they have a car loan, four credit cards and are in their 20s, so not a lot of time in the bureau. If both are applying for a $75,000 boat, are these two the same? That brings us to tip #3.
3. Understand the Other Credit Factors.
Debt – to – Income (DTI): How much do they earn each month vs. how much do they spend each month? As a rule of thumb, most lenders (not all), have a DTI Ratio ceiling of 40 percent, including the new boat payment. If they earn $10,000 per month and have $3,000 per month in bills, they are at a 30-percent DTI.
Comparable Credit – Most banks will want to see that the customer has several years paying a loan of greater value than the amount they are requesting. This goes back to what I said in “it’s not all about the score.” In that example, for a $75,000 loan request, the applicant with the $450,000 mortgage will pass this hurdle. The applicant with the $30,000 car and a few credit cards will not. Both have good scores, but very different profiles.
Time in Bureau: Banks will look at time in the bureau, typically looking for five years or more.
Proof of Liquidity on deals over $150,000 to finance: In plain speak, can they afford the boat? The general rules are: On a deal from $150,000 to $500,000, a lender wants to see a 1:1 ratio between the amount requested and the buyer’s liquid assets. $500,000 and up, they will want to see 2:1 and maybe more as you increase the amount financed.
Negative Issues: These include slow pays, charge-offs, bankruptcies and collections. Remember, each lender’s program is different, and not all negatives equate to a decline. How to successfully prep and tackle the Sub-Prime prospects is an article unto itself. However, understand, just because there are negatives, it does not mean the deal is dead. Find out the story behind the negatives. Collect any documentation that may show some negatives, like collections, are resolved and, in some cases, gather up tax returns and be prepared to overcome the negatives vs getting a decline, then playing catch up.
4. Know Your Bank Programs. There are multiple banks in our industry for Prime (800+), Near-Prime (700+) and Sub-Prime Credit (Below 700). However, each bank has their own internal scorecard and matrix to determine what types of loans they are willing to approve as is, which types they will want some more information, like financials, and which just are not a fit.
5. What about the non-credit issues: Employment, Residency and Collateral?
Employment Status: How long have they been at their job? Are they self-employed?
Residency: Is the prospect a U.S. Citizen? Do the lenders you work with have restrictions on the states in which they can lend? Is that based on where your dealership is or where the customer plans to keep the boat?
Collateral Loan-to-Value: When it comes to a loan, the credit bureau is not the only factor. The actual collateral value matters! Loan to Value simply put is what is the cost on the manufacturers invoice on a new boat or NADA or BUC on a used boat vs. What is the amount the customer is looking to finance? Each lender varies widely on this. Some will only advance 90% of the invoice. Others will go as high as 135% above invoice, including installed options.
Collateral Age: How far back will a lender go on pre-owned? What about the actual approval maturity, how long is a lenders approval good for? How long is the rate on that approval good for? This can vary by lender. Given the time between when a prospect applies and when the unit actually delivers, this can make or break a deal.
Hopefully, by now, you can see there is a lot more to a pre-qualification than just a score. The soft-pull bureau you are receiving is more of a pre-screen.
By understanding and incorporating the above information into your pre-qualification follow-up program, you will be able to maximize the effectiveness of these leads. Ultimately, you will help more customers get into the boat of their dreams, while saving yourself time and aggravation trying to fit square pegs into round holes just because the initial credit score looked good.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jared Zimlin has served the marine industry for over 22 years, helping dealers and manufacturers by creating solutions for their retail finance, wholesale finance, equipment leasing and revolving credit needs. He has been a speaker and supporter of MRAA and various manufacturer meetings and 20 groups, helping dealers learn and achieve greater success in their F&I efforts throughout his entire career. Currently, Jared is the Business Development Director at Elite Recreational Finance, which recently partnered with Chaparral and Robalo to build the engine that runs their Enriched Lead Pre-Qualification Program. For more information, visit EliteRFS.com.
MINNEAPOLIS, February 2, 2022 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that the MRAA Certified Pre-Owned Boat Program will make its boat show debut next week at the Seattle Boat Show. During the event, MRAA Director of Programs Jason Walz will educate attendees and Pacific Northwest marine retailers on the benefits this new offering can provide to them.
“Participating in this event is a huge opportunity for MRAA’s new program because it’s also the first time pre-owned boats have been on display at the Seattle Boat Show,” says Walz. “We will be able to use the excitement and momentum generated by this new boat show feature to educate both dealers and consumers about the advantages of the MRAA Certified Pre-Owned Boat Program. In today’s supply-constrained marketplace, pre-owned boats offer a potential solution for dealers with low inventory levels. The new boat inventory shortage can also make pre-owned boats an attractive option for consumers. When a boat earns certification status, the boat buyer can have peace of mind, knowing the boat has passed the program’s rigorous criteria.”
Unveiled in December at Dealer Week 2021 in Austin, Texas, the MRAA Certified Pre-Owned Boat Program is designed to create a better pre-owned boat experience for both dealers and customers. For buyers, it generates a level of unmatched trust between them and the dealer. Marine retailers gain confidence in locating, evaluating, marketing and selling quality pre-owned units using the program’s proven process. With backing from Titan Certified and Boat History Report, the MRAA Certified Pre-Owned Boat Program adds a level of third-party verification to give both buyer and seller peace of mind, which enriches the boat ownership experience.
“For the first time in its 75-year history, the Seattle Boat Show is featuring a display dedicated to pre-owned boats from a variety of dealers,” says Katy McPhail, Seattle Boat Show Director. “We’re very excited that MRAA will be there on opening weekend, Feb. 4-6. Our goal is to educate boaters on the different advantages of buying new or pre-owned so they can make the decision with confidence.”
About MRAA Certified Pre-Owned Boat Program The MRAA Certified Pre-Owned Boat Program is owned and operated by MRAA Dealer Solutions, LLC, a subsidiary of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. Through a licensing agreement, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas provides MRAA Dealer Solutions and the MRAA Certified Pre-Owned Boat Program with marketing and staffing support. MRAA Dealer Solutions’ supporters include: MRAA, Titan Certified and Boat History Report. For more detailed information on the program, visit www.CPOBoats.com, or contact Jason Walz at 315-256-2878 or jason@mraa.com.
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 Titan Certified Formed in 1996, Titan Certified of Bellingham, Washington, has developed, for all industries, the ability to economically certify a vehicle that will comply with ASTM/OEM standards. We are the founder and leader in used vehicle lab testing for the automotive industry, with over 800,000 vehicles tested in the United States and over 20,000 internationally. Titan Certified Pre-Owned Testing Programs are the only programs in the United States and Canada that precisely determine the “real time” internal condition of an engine and transmission. For more information, call 360-334-9350; titancertified.com
About Boat History Report Boat History Report is the leading provider of boat background data and information, serving used boat buyers, sellers, dealers/brokers, marine surveyors, law enforcement and finance and insurance companies. Founded in 2005 and based out of Florida, Boat History Report has amassed over 120 million unique records and more than 1.4 million significant negative events. On average, Boat History Report finds that 1 in 17 used boats has a significant negative event in its history — a startling statistic that reinforces the importance of having this information. As the most trusted resource for watercraft history information, Boat History Report helps its clients make better lending and purchasing decisions and has become an essential step in the used boat buying process. For more information, please visit BoatHistoryReport.com or email us at info@boathistoryreport.com.
About Seattle Boat Show The West Coast’s Largest Boat Show, the Seattle Boat Show is held Feb. 4-12, 2022, at Lumen Field Event Center & Bell Harbor Marina. The Seattle Boat Show, celebrating its 75th anniversary, is presented by Union Marine and sponsored by Basta Boatlifts, S3 Maritime, Alaska USA Federal Credit Union, Peoples Bank, Golden Boatlifts and City Loo. For specific details about hours, exhibitors, seminars and attractions, visit www.SeattleBoatShow.com.
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.
“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.” 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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