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 […]
Tag: matt gruhn
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 […]
MRAA Adds 4 New Employees to Amplify Marketing, Membership and Operations
MINNEAPOLIS, November 27 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today the addition of four new employees: Membership Engagement Coordinator Kaelyn Olson, Senior Accountant Josh Nelson, Senior Director of Marketing Bob Stanke and Senior Marketing Specialist Gunnar Davies. “Bringing Kaelyn, Josh, Bob and Gunnar to the MRAA team has strengthened our team in […]
Powered by Boating and Fishing, Data Shows Outdoor Recreation is a $1.2 Trillion Economic Engine
WASHINGTON, D.C, November 27, 2024 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is excited to share new economic data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economy Analysis (BEA) highlighting that outdoor recreation, and in particular boating and fishing, continue to be a major driver of the U.S. economy, jobs and local […]
Identifying Opportunities in the Dealer-Manufacturer Relationship
Collaborative effort between the MRAA board and leading manufacturers and suppliers focuses on driving improvements in the customer experience. By Matt Gruhn, MRAA President In the world of major unit retail, stark differences exist between the auto and marine industries. Major unit sales volume, alone, drives the bulk of the disparities between how each industry […]
Don’t Split Up the Team
How the strength of the dealer-manufacturer relationship drives customer loyalty. By Matt Gruhn, MRAA President “Don’t split up the team,” Christina Fliakos said. Nearly 50 dealers and manufacturers paused their conversations and turned to Fliakos, who is Senior Manager of Parts and Service Processes at Brunswick Corp.’s Service Center of Excellence. They had been buzzing […]
Beer vs. Boats
In the game of trying to stabilize inventory, there really is no difference. By Matt Gruhn, MRAA President Have you ever played The Beer Game? No, I’m not talking about a frat-house game. I’m talking about The Beer Game as chronicled in the book The Fifth Discipline. The book shares the story of three businesses — a […]
2024 Discover Boating Brand Campaign Attracts Millions
Discover Boating’s 2024 Year-Round Brand Experience Attracts 6.5 Million People to Its Digital and In-Person Experiences Over the past 12 months, Discover Boating, powered by NMMA and MRAA, has been working hard to attract the next generation to the boating lifestyle while simultaneously retaining current boaters. Through Discover Boating’s year-round, fully integrated omni channel strategy – including the […]
