NMMA Currents--Discover Boating to Introduce Best Practices for
Communicating With Prospects |
February 15, 2007 |
NMMA Currents brings you news of importance
to yourself and your association's work promoting a strong industry.
Look for Currents every Tuesday afternoon. To be
removed from this distribution, click the "unsubscribe" link at the
bottom of the newsletter or contact NMMA trade communications
manager Lindsey Johnson at (312) 946-6204; ljohnson@nmma.org. Section Shortcuts
- Grow Boating Initiative
- NMMA News
- Member Benefits
- Membership Update
- Industry News
- Media Tracker
- Boating NewsNet
- Calendar
Grow Boating Initiative
NMMA News
Land ‘N’ Sea Adopts MDX Standard
 Land
‘N’ Sea Distributing Inc. recently adopted the Marine Data Exchange
(MDX) for business to business communication of documents via a
standardized internet protocol.
Developed by the NMMA and the
National Marine Distributors Association (NMDA), MDX automates the
trade of purchase orders, order acknowledgments, shipment
notifications and invoicing between parties on the MDX value added
network (VAN). This form of electronic data interchange (EDI) is
achieving wider acceptance for enhancing buyer/supplier
relationships.
MDX is uniquely positioned as an e-commerce
solution developed by the marine industry, for the marine industry.
MDX offers an affordable alternative to other trading networks,
which charge monthly fees and add costs to every
transaction.
To learn more about the MDX program, click here or contact MDX program
manager John Warnik at (312) 946-6295; jwarnik@nmma.org.
Member Benefits
Need Help with Communications 101? Check Out PR
University
 As a
member of NMMA, the new PR University service is
designed to help members address proactive and reactive public
relations needs for their company. This online guide provides an
introduction to public relations, including tips for drafting press
materials, selecting spokespeople, contacting reporters and
addressing issues in the media. This tool outlines how companies can
effectively communicate with consumer and industry trade
media.
To learn more about this member benefit and other
cost-saving programs and exclusive services, please visit the NMMA
Member’s-Only website by clicking
here.
For additional information, contact NMMA membership
director Bryan Welsh at (312) 946-6276; bwelsh@nmma.org.
Membership Update
Membership Update: New Association Members as of February 15,
2007
 For
the period between February 6 and 14, the following companies have
been temporarily approved for NMMA membership pending formal review
and confirmation by the corresponding NMMA Divisional Board, as well
as the NMMA Board of Directors:
Air Aquatics
BMD
Division
Team Tech Inc.
AMD Division
Industry News
NMMA Seeks Industry Input on Companies Exporting Products
Overseas
 Does
your company export products? If so, you may be impacted by a
potential change in the tax code that would increase the tax rate on
certain qualifying, closely-held American companies that export
products.
Under current tax rules, qualifying U.S.
manufacturing companies that export can set up a small interest
charge-Domestic International Sales Corporation (IC-DISC) that
allows the deferral of taxes on up to $10 million in gross receipts,
as long as interest is paid on the deferred tax. When the income is
distributed to non-corporate shareholders as dividends, it is taxed
at a 15 percent rate, rather than the corporate rate of 35 percent,
resulting in a tax savings of 20 percent on certain incomes.
Congress may attempt, as it did last year, to exclude IC-DISC
dividends from the capital gains tax rate of 15 percent, thereby
raising it to 35 percent.
In the last Congress, NMMA and a
coalition of business groups were successful in preventing a rate
increase from being passed, but there is a good chance Congress will
take up the matter again. NMMA wants to know if your company exports
products overseas and, if so, if you utilize the IC-DISC provisions.
This information will be kept strictly confidential and will be used
only in aggregate to make the case to Congress that raising the tax
rate will have negative repercussions for our industry.
For
more information or to submit comments, contact NMMA Natural
Resources & Economic Policy manager Mathew Dunn at (202)
737-970; mdunn@nmma.org.
Media Tracker
NMMA Media Tracking Report
 NMMA’s
“Media Tracking Report” highlights recently published stories
discussing association and industry news. Coverage is monitored,
collected and compiled from a variety of sources, including
newspapers and magazines across the country, in addition to several
online news outlets.
To read the latest stories published
online and in print about NMMA and Grow Boating/Discover Boating, click
here.
Boating NewsNet
Calendar
Mark Your Calendar
 NMMA
Now Accepting Applications for METS 2007
NMMA is now
accepting applications for the U.S.A. Pavilion at METS 2007, taking
place November 13-15 in Amsterdam. The Pavilion is a service
exclusively available to NMMA member companies.
Seventy NMMA
members participated within the U.S.A. Pavilion at METS 2006, which
was held November 14-16. Overall, 110 members took part in the
event, which constituted 10 percent of the total number of
exhibitors. More than 16,800 attendees visited the show, exceeding
the show’s previous attendance record by more than 500
people.
Applications to exhibit at METS 2007 can be found by
clicking
here.
For more information, contact Janice Ilg at (312)
946-6217; jilg@nmma.org.
Consumer
Events
Des
Moines Sportshow: February 14-18
Schaumburg Boat &
Sportshow: February 14-18
Miami International Boat
Show: February 15-19
Strictly Sail Miami:
February 15-19
Northwest Sportshow:
March 27-April 1
Strictly
Sail Pacific: April 18-22
Tampa Boat Show: September
7-9
Toronto In-Water
Boat Show: September 13-16
Virginia In-Water Boat
Expo: September 14-16
Norwalk International
In-Water Boat Show: September 20-23
For a complete list of consumer events, click
here.
Trade Events
CE
Certification Seminar: March 19-21, St. Petersburg, FL
Water Access Symposium:
May 9-11, Norfolk, VA
MAATS: July 18-20, Las Vegas,
NV
IBEX: October 10-12,
Miami, FL
NMMA Online Resources
NMMA website
Grow Boating website
Discover Boating
website
Recreational
Boating Facts & Figures
NMMA Awards
Gallery
| |
|
Discover Boating will host a series of webinars for boat
manufacturers contributing to the Grow Boating Initiative that will
outline Best Practices for communicating with Discover Boating
prospects, as well as a refresher on how to use the Discover Boating
Lead System. 
Boating
NewsNet is designed to give marine industry professionals some
“quick hits” on news that’s helpful to running their respective
businesses.