Latest News

Bellavia Blatt Launches Marine Dealer Representation Program

Wed, 2 Dec 2020 15:36:50 GMT

Bellavia Blatt provides support for hundreds of marine dealerships nationwide, as general counsel to the Marine Retailers Association of America.

Our Marine DealerLaw Program provides marine dealers with unlimited access to our dealership attorneys for a low flat monthly fee.

THE DL300 PLAN ($300 MONTHLY)

The DealerLaw 300 Plan is your key to feeling secure. For only $300 per month participants receive

unlimited telephone advice and/or consultation concerning dealership operations including:

F&I compliance
Manufacturer audits or chargebacks
Consumer complaints
Franchise issues
Floor Plan and Banking Issues
Advertising and regulatory compliance
Issues and problems with state DMV
Vendor contracts
Employment disputes
Compensation plans
Employee hiring policies
Termination and unemployment matters
Collection matters

Drafting responsive letters on consumer complaints to private attorneys and regulatory agencies, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, State Attorney General, Department of Consumer Affairs and the Better Business Bureau.

THE DL500 PLAN ($500 MONTHLY)

Includes all services provided under the DL300 plan; PLUS a reduced hourly fee of $300 for drafting, negotiating and representation for:

Most Litigation Matters
Succession Planning
Drafting, Review and Negotiation of Labor or Management Contracts and HR Manuals and Policies
Negotiating Manufacturer Dealer Agreements
Shareholder and Member Resolutions and Agreements
Formation of Corporations and Limited Liability Companies
Purchase, Sale or Lease of Dealership Real Estate

For more than 30 years, our firm has represented thousands of dealer clients nationwide in litigation and corporate matters and in a host of everyday legal and compliance issues. Senior Partner Leonard Bellavia is recognized as an expert and leader in marine franchise law and is the former Chair of the Litigation Section of the National Association of Dealer Counsel and received the Supplier of the Year Award from MRAA and currently serves as outside counsel to various state and regional dealer associations.

For more information, call (516) 873-3000, email info@DealerLaw.com or visit our booth at the 2020 Dealer Week Virtual Expo.

Brunswick and the MRAA Partner for Healthcare and Extended Service Contracts

Wed, 26 Sep 2018 15:58:05 GMT

Brunswick Corporation’s dealer services program, Brunswick Dealer Advantage (BDA), and the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, have announced a partnership which will provide Brunswick marine dealers with access to healthcare options through MRAA Health, while providing MRAA dealers with access to extended service contract sales through Brunswick Product Protection.

“MRAA and BDA are both dedicated to providing dealerships with the resources they need to thrive, and we are excited to be partnering,” explained Matt Gruhn, president of the MRAA. “The MRAA Health and Brunswick Product Protection opportunities now available through this partnership are just the beginning of the benefits Brunswick dealers and MRAA dealer members will experience as we continue to align and share resources.”

Facilitated by Bukaty Companies, the MRAA Health program delivers reduced-cost health insurance to businesses across the United States. Bukaty Companies is a preferred partner for several major insurance providers, and their relationships, passed through the MRAA Health program, makes this program available in all 50 States. MRAA Health will now be a key program available through BDA, which is designed to help Brunswick dealers attract more customers, reward and retain employees, and improve operational efficiencies.

“Over the years, Brunswick dealers have continued to request an offering from the BDA program to help solve their dealership healthcare needs,” said Kirsten Schuchardt, director of sales and dealer services for Boating Services Network. “We are excited to be working with the MRAA and Bukaty Companies to be able to provide them with a real solution.”

In addition to health insurance benefits, Bukaty Companies offers dental, vision, short- and long-term disability, life, critical illness, accident and identity theft insurance. This unified program also extends COBRA, FSA, HSA, FMLA opportunities, as well as wellness programs, HR and compliance support and training, in customized programs that best fit each individual dealer’s needs.

“One of the things that we like the best about this program is that it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach,” says Nikki Duffney, MRAA member development manager. “Bukaty Companies really takes the pain out of finding the right insurance program and delivers our members the absolute best program for them, their business and their employees. And to date, we’re proud to report that our members are seeing significant savings.”

Brunswick marine dealers interested in accessing an insurance quote from Bukaty Companies can log onto the BDA website at www.brunswickdealeradvantage.com and fill out the simple, one-page quote request form. To activate a quote from Bukaty Companies, Brunswick dealers will need to be active MRAA members. To confirm membership or to become a member, Brunswick dealers can call 763-315-8043 or go to www.mraa.com/memberships.

As part of this partnership, MRAA members will now have access to Passport and Passport Premier extended engine and accessory protection plans for recreational power boats through Brunswick Product Protection. Passport and Passport Premier offer industry-leading breadth of coverage at competitive pricing to the dealer, often adding significant profits to each boat sale while helping participating dealers to deliver a first-class purchase experience. Important downstream service revenues are also realized as most claims work is returned to the dealership where the customer bought the extended protection.

"We are very pleased to make our product protection brand available to MRAA Dealers, all with the superior service levels our existing dealers already receive," said Jason Cochran, director of sales and operations for Brunswick Product Protection. "We support dealers' total business by covering engines and accessories on most types of recreational power boats, and now we will be able to support MRAA dealers as well.”

The Passport program provides competitively priced, entry-level coverage for almost all brands and types of power boats. Passport Premier offers the program's most comprehensive engine component coverage. This includes unique non-defective engine breakdown protection against overheating, scored pistons and much more. The accessory plans protect the major components throughout the vessel and are custom tailored to the customer's boat type. MRAA members interested in offering the program can call Brunswick Product Protection at 800-950-3808.

MRAA Resource Center: Put $3K Back in Your Pocket

Fri, 9 May 2014 15:47:37 GMT

If you seek educational information at the touch of a button, look no further than the MRAA Resource Center. This online portal is an excellent place to soak up information on a variety of topics, ranging from financial management advice to sales and marketing suggestions. Access to the Resource Center is included in your MRAA membership dues and and can easily be managed from your computer, tablet or smartphone.

Information available to MRAA members in the Resource Center is worth more than $3,000 in annual savings. This value pays for your annual membership dues 8 times over!

Right now, MRAA is hard at work on a virtual tour of the Resource Center, which we expect will be available on MRAA.com by the end of May. It will provide an online tutorial, designed to give current and prospective members a window into all the great tools, ideas and insights in the Resource Center and how to best take advantage of them.

For more information, CLICK HERE or contact MRAA membership coordinator Hannah Muerhoff at 763-333-2420 or hannah@mraa.com.

Leadership Course Available Online

Fri, 9 May 2014 15:42:14 GMT

The "King of Sales” Jeffrey Gitomer has transformed his popular "Little Book of Leadership” into an online course.

The course, which is available in the Personal Development section of the MRAA Interactive Virtual Training Center, is described as "real-world leadership training that transcends theory and philosophy and gets right down to the brass tacks and brass tactics — and adds a few brass balls.”

CLICK HERE to learn more.