MRAA names certification development manager
MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has brought Gerald “Jerry” Lofberg on board as its certification development manager to oversee recruitment of new participants in the Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program.
In his role, Lofberg will reach out to marine retailers on a regular basis, talking to them about the incredible value that the MICD Program offers their businesses and helping dealers get on the path to certification.
Lofberg comes to MRAA with an extensive marine industry background, having worked for several major boat manufacturers in sales and leadership capacities, in marine dealerships in retail sales roles, and also as a manufacturer’s representative.
“We’re so thrilled to have Jerry on board as a key member of the certification team,” says MICD Program director Sonja Moseley. “He brings to us a wealth of knowledge about the marine business, as well as an incredible amount of enthusiasm for the program. Jerry is very familiar with the evolution of the MICD Program over the last 10 years and is going to be instrumental in bringing more dealers into the certification fold.”
Lofberg, a U.S. Army veteran, got his start in sales with Omaha-based department store J.L. Brandeis, where he worked from 1964 to 1978. Afterwards, he took a sales position in Denver, working for a friend selling boats at the Boat House, which carried six major boat manufacturer lines and was one of the city’s largest dealers. He worked for Boat House until 1989, when he was offered a manufacturer’s representative position in San Diego.
In 1992, one of the lines Lofberg repped, Celebrity Boats, brought him on board as vice president of sales and moved him to Benton, Ill. Celebrity would eventually be sold to BRP, and following the buyout he landed a job with Crownline Boats as director of dealer development, where he worked until 1998. That same year, Lofberg was hired by KCS International and transferred to Florida as director of sales for Shamrock Boats and Rampage Sport Fishing Yachts. He worked for KCS until 2008 when he decided to retire.
In 2010, Lofberg returned to Omaha to be near his family. He came out of retirement this year to become part of the MICD Program and says that in his role as certification development manager, he looks forward to demonstrating for dealers how certification can truly help elevate their businesses, boosting sales, improving efficiencies, and heightening employee and customer satisfaction.
“I’m excited to be a part of certification and am eager to help marine retailers navigate the nuances of the MICD Program,” says Lofberg. “Certification brings an incredible value to dealerships. In my sales roles, both on the dealer and manufacturer sides, I’ve seen first hand how standards that the MICD Program is based on strengthen operations, increase productivity and ultimately yield more sales. It’s the smartest, most impactful thing a dealership principal can do for his or her business.”
For more information about the MICD Program or to enroll, contact Sonja Moseley at 763-333-2424 or sonja@mraa.com.
