YBAA makes GBI donation

CHICAGO – The Yacht Brokers Association of America has contributed $5,000 to the Grow Boating Initiative, helping the industry to get to its new goal of raising $2.5 million, the National Marine Manufacturers Association reported in a recent release.

YBAA president Vincent Petrella and executive director Joseph Thompson presented their donation to NMMA president Thom Dammrich during last month’s Miami International Boat Show.

“YBAA and its member brokers nationwide are committed to the goals of the Grow Boating Initiative,” Petrella said. “Not only are many of our broker members also new boat dealers, but professional yacht brokers are often the point of first entry for new boaters. We feel that YBAA’s partnership with NMMA and the other industry businesses and organizations supporting Grow Boating will only serve to enhance the goal of encouraging more people to become active boaters.”

A $2 million Grow Boating Start Up Fund was initially established to pay for the creative development and production of the marketing campaign used for the Grow Boating initiative. Following the introduction of the campaign at the Miami International Boat Show, the industry raised the funding goal to $2.5 million to help cover costs for developments that must be made before collection from a permanent funding model begins later this year.

Money raised in the coming months will be used to pay for the development of a dealer certification program, an extensive national Public Relations campaign, and enhancements to the DiscoverBoating.com Web site.

“The unveiling of the marketing campaign at the Miami Show was a new beginning for the Grow Boating Initiative,” said NMMA president Thom Dammrich. “Over the coming months, we need more organizations like YBAA to put their financial support behind the campaign, so that we will be ready for the full program launch in early 2006.”

For information on contributing to the Grow Boating fund, or to contribute online, visit the Grow Boating Web site at www.growboating.org.

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