MRAA launches Young Professionals Community

MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that it has launched a brand new Young Professionals Community to foster growth and networking opportunities among emerging leaders in the marine industry.

The brainchild of the MRAA’s Young Leaders Advisory Council, this Young Professionals Community will offer any interested industry participants new and exciting ways to interact with one another and grow in their careers. The MRAA will offer the community participants a variety of educational programs, in addition to facilitating networking opportunities both in-person and online. And there are no restrictions to who can join this group.

"There are those in the marine industry who suggest that the dealer body has been a ‘good old boys’ network, unable or unwilling to welcome different perspectives on how today’s dealerships and/or the marine industry at large operates,’” says Matt Gruhn, President of the MRAA. "We believe differently. We believe that the marine industry has plenty of youth, plenty of new ideas, and plenty of opportunity for growth when powered by a combination of proven processes and practices, new ideas and next-generation thinking.

"The MRAA wants to foster that growth by connecting the future leaders of this industry, and by giving them the tools and the platform for finding that growth together.”

The first gathering of the Young Professionals Community will take place at the upcoming Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, which is being held Nov. 11-14, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. The MRAA is hosting a Young Professionals Leadership Development Event on Tuesday night of the MDCE (that’s the 13^th), which will feature a session on "The 3 Motivators Every Leader Needs to Understand.” This session will be taught by Spader Business Management’s David Spader, who also will be speaking as part of the Powering Profits track at this year's MDCE. Following the session, the group will have the opportunity to attend an informal late-night networking session at Pointe Orlando, across the street from the MDCE headquarters.

Learn more and register for the Young Professionals event here. To attend, you simply must be registered for MDCE.

"By helping connect and educate this industry's next generation of leadership," Gruhn explains, "the MRAA can contribute to the long-term health and success of the boating industry. This Young Professionals Community is just the beginning of that effort."

The Young Professionals Community is already live at MRAA.com. Members of the MRAA can access the community by logging in, joining the Young Leaders Group page (follow the Groups and Networking tabs over on the left side of MRAA.com), registering for the Young Professionals Leadership Development and interacting with fellow Young Professionals there. Participate in forums, connect with peers and take advantage of all the community has to offer.

About Marine Retailers Association of the Americas

Celebrating its 40^th anniversary in 2012, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is the only North American association dedicated to furthering the interests of boat and engine dealers and other marine-related retailers throughout North America. Under the umbrella of MRAA Rewards, the MRAA offers a host of cost-saving, revenue-generating, business-improvement, and professional-development benefits exclusively for its members. MRAA is the united voice of marine retailers. For more information, visit www.MRAA.com.