Volvo Penta, other Strategic Partners, will participate in dialog to help set MRAA initiatives and priorities.
Volvo Penta has signed on as the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ first Strategic Partner, the highest level of MRAA Partner Membership and support for Dealer Week, MRAA’s Annual Conference & Expo.
Celebrating its 43rd annual conference in 2019, MRAA has created an all-new approach to partner memberships and conference support, by developing a year-round program that embeds these highest-level partners in MRAA’s strategic dialog and planning. Volvo Penta, a leading supporter of the MRAA and its annual conference for many years, became the first partner to commit to the three-year program.
“Dealers are the critical link between manufacturers and boat owners, and they play a pivotal role in delivering a great boating experience to consumers,” said Ron Huibers, president and CEO of Volvo Penta of the Americas. “We are fully committed to supporting dealers as a long-time sponsor of MRAA, and we look forward to working together with the organization to launch the exciting new Dealer Week initiative.”
Under the rebranded name of Dealer Week, MRAA has reimagined its annual conference in a profoundly new event experience designed to engage, energize and empower boat and engine dealers and their teams so they can continue to lead the marine industry to greater growth and success. In addition to the world-class educational programming that the marine industry has come to expect from the MRAA, Dealer Week will deliver deeper collaborative opportunities and a richer experience that will showcase business solutions in all-new ways.
As part of this effort, MRAA has created a collaborative Strategic Alliance, through which Partners can support not only the MRAA and Dealer Week, but also provide input on MRAA’s strategic initiatives and priorities. The highest tier in the Strategic Alliance, known as Strategic Partners, represents an invitation-only opportunity to participate in and help shape strategic dialog with the MRAA board and staff. It also provides for maximum exposure to the marine industry in a year-round promotional campaign that seeks to identify these Partners as the backbone of the MRAA, both from a financial and strategic perspective.
“Our staff and board of directors are thrilled to embark on this new era of strategic dialog with our Partners and to collaborate with them to fine-tune our long-term strategy,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA President. “With its ongoing and significant support of the MRAA and all that we do, it makes sense that Volvo Penta was the first to join forces with us on this next phase of MRAA delivering tools, resources and educational programming for today’s boat dealers.”
About Volvo Penta
Volvo Penta, with approximately 3,500 dealers in over 130 countries, is a world-leading and global manufacturer of engines and complete power systems for leisure boats, commercial vessels and industrial applications. Product offerings encompass diesel and gasoline engines with power outputs of between 10 and 1,000 hp. Volvo Penta is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of heavy trucks, buses and construction equipment. Connect with Volvo Penta of the Americas on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest company news and insights.
About Dealer Week
For more than 40 years, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has delivered world class educational programming to dealers, retailers and service operations that power the boating industry and serve today’s boaters. Dealer Week evolves as MRAA’s rebranded and reimagined annual conference and expo, a profoundly new event experience designed to engage, energize and empower the dealer community. The MRAA envisions a brighter future for marine retail, and Dealer Week is the preeminent means for bringing that vision to life. Learn more at www.DealerWeek.com.
About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the MRAA, our team believes that for the marine industry to thrive, the dealers on the front lines of the industry must first find success. With that in mind, we work to create a strong and healthy boating industry by providing dealers with tools, resources and educational programs — such as MRAATraining.com, the Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program, and Dealer Week, The MRAA Conference & Expo — and by representing those businesses with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com.
