NMMA outlines new strategic plan for industry growth

The National Marine Manufacturers Association Board of Directors has approved a strategic plan that will guide NMMA’s efforts, activities and investment for the next three years and beyond.

The plan is designed to further the association’s impact for its members and the recreational marine community, to ensure a strong, stable, and successful industry.

Planning was led by a task force including the 2018 NMMA Executive Committee (Scott Deal, Maverick Boat Group; Steve Heese, Chris Craft Boats; Joan Maxwell, Regulator Boats; John Pfeifer, Mercury Marine; Ben Speciale, Yamaha Marine Group; Bill Watters, Syntec Industries) in addition to Tom Slikkers, S2 Yachts, and Doug Smoker, Smoker Craft.

The planning process was guided by NMMA Senior Vice President of Strategy, Engineering Standards, and Membership Robert Newsome, and association strategy firm, Potomac Core Consulting.

The group conducted extensive research that spanned interviews with NMMA members, a survey of members and non-members, in-depth reviews of existing programs and opportunities, and financial and economic analysis.

The research confirmed NMMA’s core purpose should remain promoting and protecting recreational boating through advocacy and market expansion.

As a result, the association will continue its efforts with these programs and activities: federal and state advocacy, engineering standards and certification, statistics and research, boat and sport shows, trade events, CSI, communications, export development as well as its support of the Grow Boating initiatives.

In addition, given the economic, political and business landscape and opportunities established by the research, the strategic plan outlines the need to increase investment in advocacy (at both the federal and state level), research and industry promotion focused on retaining and recruiting boat owners, and workforce development.

“Throughout the past year, the strategic planning task force took a hard look at how the NMMA supports the industry to ensure we’re focusing resources where they’re needed most,” said Watters, president of Syntec Industries and immediate past chair of the NMMA Board of Directors. “The insights we received from hundreds of stakeholders across the industry really drove the direction of the plan and gave us the information we needed to carve out NMMA’s primary areas of focus for the next three years.”

“While we weren’t surprised by the outcome, conducting the research allows us to better understand the impact and importance of NMMA’s existing programs and reaffirms our commitment in these areas,” said Speciale, president of Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit and chair of the NMMA Board of Directors. “The research also shined a light on opportunities that need additional investments within advocacy, keeping and attracting new boaters, and building a competent workforce. Over the next few years, the strategic plan will guide the association as it works to continue growing and protecting the industry while acting as a blueprint for the association’s leadership team.”

In addition to retaining a focus on its core programs, NMMA will add investment in the following:

• Better engaging membership and the industry in advocacy to create a louder and more impactful and strategic voice. This includes building BoatPAC to $500,000 per year ($1 million per election cycle).
• Enhancing the association’s commitment to Discover Boating to retain and attract boat owners. This includes developing consumer research on both boat owner attrition and attracting first time boat buyers.

Attracting a competent workforce to marine manufacturing through the execution of the 10 + 1 strategy outlined by NMMA and MRAA in a recent whitepaper.

The NMMA board and staff have already begun work in support of the plan and will be sharing key metrics throughout the coming year. Please contact Newsome at rnewsome@nmma.org for more information.