NEWS SOURCE: Boating Industry Magazine

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – May 24 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Buying and servicing a boat is about to become a much easier task for consumers around the country when Boating Industry magazine announces its inaugural Top 100 Dealers, a ranking of those marine dealers that are unsurpassed in overall business operations, customer service, marketing and professionalism, later this fall.

Photo Caption: Boating Industry magazine will announce the 2005 Top 100 at an invitation-only gala awards ceremony in Las Vegas on November 10.

To help bring the Boating Industry Top 100 to life, Ehlert Publishing Group, the magazine’s parent company, created the Leadership Alliance – an elite group of the marine industry’s leading suppliers. These companies were invited to participate because they possess as one of their corporate values a true belief in and commitment to raising the bar of professionalism across all marine industry sectors, particularly for dealers.

“The Boating Industry Top 100 will, in short order, become the most coveted award in the marine market,” explained Tammy Galvin, Group Publisher for Ehlert’s trade magazines. “Marine dealers are on the front line with consumers every day, and this is one way we can help provide much needed benchmarking information for all other dealers to measure themselves against.”

“While most industry awards are given to those dealers that sell the most boats, our Top 100 program will be much more qualitatively focused,” said Matt Gruhn, Editor-in-Chief of Boating Industry, “thereby leveling the playing field for all dealers and directing consumers to those dealers that can best deliver on the dream that boat ownership promises.”

The 2005 Leadership Alliance members include: BRP US Inc., GE Commercial Finance, Yamaha, boats.com, Watch Captain, SHURflo and the Marine Retailers Association of America.

Boating Industry magazine, along with the Leadership Alliance, will announce the 2005 Top 100 at an invitation-only gala awards ceremony in Las Vegas on November 10, 2005. Meet the 2005 Leadership Alliance:

Boating Industry magazine, a 76-year-old business-to-business publication owned by Ehlert Publishing Group, a subsidiary of Ventura, Calif.-based Affinity Group Inc., is the most authoritative and widely respected magazine serving the marine industry. Visit www.boating-industry.com.

Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP US, Inc.), Sturtevant, Wis., has been delivering quality recreational experiences for people around the world for more than six decades. In 2001 Evinrude and Johnson outboard engines joined the Bombardier family, and in 2003 after extensive R&D, the company released Evinrude E-TEC, which revolutionized the outboard engine industry. BRP also produces such innovative products and brands as Sea-Doo watercraft and sport boats, Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Rotax karts and engines and Bombardier ATVs and utility vehicles. Visit http://www.evinrude.com

GE Commercial Distribution Finance, Hoffman Estates, Ill., creates customized financing programs to help manufacturers sell more products and dealers stock optimal levels of inventory to drive more sales. With more than 50 years of experience serving the marine industry, CDF supports its customers with the industry’s most knowledgeable staff and provides a single point of contact for support. CDF is a recognized leader in the marine industry because it is dedicated to helping customers improve cash flow and grow their business though an array of financing programs and services. Visit:

Yamaha Marine Group, Kennesaw, Ga., has quickly become a leader in product quality and technology by providing superior value and customer satisfaction. The company has built a strong brand and loyal customer base in the marine market for its outboard engines as well as its Skeeter, Century and G3 boat brands. In 2000, the company introduced its High Pressure Direct Injection technology that swept the top three industry awards for innovation, design and engineering-the marine equivalent of racing’s Triple Crown. A more recent award-winning and industry-defining introduction is the F225, the world’s first V6 four-stroke outboard. Visit: http://www.yamaha-motor.com

Boats.com has distinguished itself as one of the most effective and convenient pathways for boat dealers, builders and resellers to get in front of boat seekers. More than 1 million people visit boats.com each month to shop more than 100,000 new and used boats by brand, boat type, dealer, region or price. As an Internet marketplace, boats.com is a 24/7 virtual showroom for its dealers and builders. That exposure results in significant numbers of qualified leads and ultimately more boats sold. boats.com is owned by Trader Publishing Co., Virginia Beach, Va. Visit: http://www.boats.com

Watch Captain, the only Microsoft.Net-based dealer management technology built specifically for the marine industry, makes life easier for dealers by streamlining everyday business processes. Watch Captain, Marion, Mass., technology integrates every aspect of the business, from point-of-purchase and sales functions to service and inventory management. As a result, not only are dealers better informed, they are able to better manage their resources, serve their customers and sell more boats. As a Microsoft Certified Partner, Watch Captain can offer its customers the advantage of Microsoft’s continuous research and development as well as the ease of a true Windows-based application. Visit: http://www.watchcaptain.com

SHURflo has been the marine industry’s leading supplier of plumbing products for more the 20 years. Through innovative product design, superior service and close customer relationships, SHURflo’s solutions support the growth of the marine industry and ensure the satisfaction of boaters around the world. A commitment to quality is at the heart of SHURflo’s success, beginning in the company’s state-of-the art product testing and quality control labs at its Cypress, Calif., headquarters. Through lean manufacturing and a continuous process improvement and a team-oriented culture, SHURflo’s market and customer responsiveness is unsurpassed. Visit: http://www.shurflo.com

The Marine Retailers Association of America (MRAA) is the leading not-for-profit organization aimed at promoting the recreational marine industry and the welfare of the marine retailer. The association raises the standards of retailing within the industry, provides its members a common source of information concerning all aspects of marine retailing and serves as the voice within the industry and in Washington regarding issues concerning marine dealers nationwide. http://mraa.com/default.html

News issued by: Boating Industry Magazine

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Original Story ID: (400) :: 2005-05-0524-004

Original Keywords: Boating Industry Magazine, The Marine Retailers Association of America, MRAA, Mineeapolis news, SHURflo, Watch Captain, boats.com, Yamaha Marine Group, GE Commercial Distribution Finance, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP US, Inc.), Affinity Group Inc., 2005 Leadership Alliance, Matt Gruhn, Tammy Galvin, Boating Industry Top 100, Ehlert Publishing Group Boating Industry Magazine

NEWS SOURCE: Boating Industry Magazine | Published: 2005-05-24 13:23:00


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