MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 7, 2025 — Matt Gruhn, President of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), was honored by the National Marine Lenders Association with the 2025 William B. Otto III Marine Industry Service Award, recognizing his outstanding vision, leadership and unwavering dedication to advancing the marine industry. The William B. Otto Award, established […]
Tag: matt gruhn
System Reset: Today’s Boat Buyer is Not Yesterday’s
Today’s customer expects more — a smarter, more engaging dealership experience. The choice is clear: invest in your team, your tools, and your future to meet the moment, or wait for the market to change on its own.
MAPOceans Act Passes Senate
• New legislation would modernize accessibility to saltwater recreational fishing regulations and marine waters navigation information WASHINGTON, September 12, 2025 – Saltwater anglers, hunters and marine recreationists joined the, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, National Marine Manufacturers Association, American Sportfishing Association and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation in cheering Senate passage […]
Marine Industry Gathers for NMTC Conference
• National Marine Trades Council (NMTC) Hosts Annual Conference to Discuss Workforce Development, Advocacy, Marketing and More PORTLAND, MAINE, August 13, 2025 – The National Marine Trades Council (NMTC) successfully concluded its annual conference, hosted July 21-24 by the Maine Marine Trades Association (MMTA) at the Portland Harbor Hotel in Maine. The event brought together marine […]
Why Marine Dealers Should Attend the American Boating Congress: Advocacy, Networking, Impact
By Liz Keener, MRAA Senior Director of Dealer Development During the opening night dinner at the American Boating Congress, organizers invited first-time attendees to stand up. There were dealers, manufacturer representatives and industry suppliers who rose from their chairs — and, of course, me. For 14 years, I had heard of this event — ABC […]
MRAA Supports ‘25 in 2025’ Campaign
Campaign issues challenge to states to create the 25th office of outdoor recreation WASHINGTON — Along with leading outdoor recreation organizations from across the United States led by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas celebrates the launch of the ‘25 in 2025’ campaign, a challenge to states to create […]
MRAA Announces 2025 Board of Directors
MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 21, 2025) – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announces Joe Lewis as Chairman and four new additions to its board of directors. Lewis of Mount Dora Boating Center and Marina in Mount Dora, Florida, is the longest serving board member, having been on the MRAA Board since 2009. He previously served […]
NMFS Rescinds Proposed Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule, Maintaining Access for Recreational Boaters and Anglers
WASHINGTON (Jan. 15, 2024) – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that the National Marine Fisheries Service officially withdrew the proposed North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule. Initially proposed in August of 2022, this rule would have put in place a 10-knot speed limit on almost the entire East Coast […]
MRAA Introduces AI-powered Content Delivery
Updated Jan. 15, 2025 The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas introduced a marine sector AI solution that will revolutionize how MRAA Members can find answers to their most pressing challenges and opportunities — and will do so faster than ever before. Introduced Tuesday at Dealer Week as part of MRAA President Matt Gruhn’s state of […]
MRAA’s Dealer Week Conference & Expo Continues its Momentum
• 4-Day Marine Event In Orlando Features Largest Expo Hall Ever MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 19 – More than 1,400 marine industry professionals participated in the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) 2024 Dealer Week Conference and Expo, held Dec. 8-11 in Orlando, Fla., through either in-person attendance or Dealer Week Online. The in-person event featured […]
