The Rawls Group: Business Succession Planners — Single focus on succession planning with an emphasis to impact lives and cultivate legacies. Founding member and lead research provider to the ISPA® Business ownership by nature is risky; succession planning however creates strategies and structure to put you in control. In an ever world of change – business value, growth and sustainability all depend upon freedom of choice when the opportunity arises. For the past 45+ years, our meticulous attention to the probable, possible, potential details allow you to prepare and avoid any looming issue impacting your goals.

Even our newest clients have already told us how relieved they feel about the future. Flexibility is a luxury. We are ready to go on this journey with you. Learn more at SeekingSuccession.com.

Spader Business Management — A leading provider of training, consulting, coaching and management services and products that has contributed to the successful transition of hundreds of companies.

Our focus when it comes to succession planning is to provide marine dealers specific solutions to help the ownership, the senior management team and the business navigate the transition successfully.

Our deep understanding of the unique aspects of the marine industry, garnered over more than 40 years in the industry enables us to provide strategic and operational services to help marine dealers through “human” and “economic” aspects of succession. This includes but is not limited to organizational and job description changes and/or tweaks, assessments, training, coaching and development of key people, as well as proven balance and operational profit and loss guidelines for successful transitions. Learn more at Spader.com.

Bellavia Blatt, PC — Bellavia Blatt, PC has been outside legal counsel to the MRAA for over 20 years. The Firm has represented marine and automobile dealers nationwide for over 34 years.

Their Estate and Succession Planning Department works with dealership clients to develop comprehensive plans tailored to the specific needs of dealership owners and operators.

The process begins with a thorough review of your assets, investments, business interests, properties and other holdings, as well as your liabilities. We consider your family situation to identify any business succession plans, special needs of a family member, support requirements of any surviving spouse, desired charitable contributions or any other circumstance. 

We then develop a plan geared toward maximizing all available federal and state estate tax exemptions, so that your estate will pay no tax, or as little tax as possible upon your passing. The plan is designed to gift your assets in the desired manner, generate sufficient income to cover anticipated support obligations, protect assets from the claims of creditors, and give you as much control over and flexibility with respect to the assets as possible during your lifetime.

Most of our clients are operating under some sort of franchise or license agreement. These agreements contain provisions which restrict who can be operating the business and prohibit any transfer of an interest in the business without the franchisor’s consent. We work with these franchisors to obtain any necessary consent to name a successor and to make any necessary transfer of the business itself. 

Estate taxes due upon the death of an owner can make passing the business down to the next generation an impossibility. With proper planning and use of available tax credits, we can help you overcome this obstacle.

Stacey International — As a business owner herself, Carrie has a passion for helping other business owners reach their goals. “Sometimes the smallest of changes make the biggest differences to a business,” she says.

After performing over 200 business valuations, the numbers paint a picture and the keys to success become evident. 

A decade as the Owner and General Manager of powersports dealerships in Idaho and Canada, and experience as a GM of multiple marine and RV dealerships gives Carrie a first-hand understanding of these businesses. Dealerships are complex and challenging business, and she finds unlocking that puzzle to be very rewarding. 

Carrie is a Certified Valuation Analyst and a CPA in the USA and Canada with many years of business experience in a wide range of roles, including sales.