The MRAA Educational Foundation is seeking applicants for the 2012 Kevin Lodder Scholarship. The Kevin Lodder Scholarship Fund provides a full scholarship to attend a week-long Spader Business Management Total Management 1 Workshop to an employee of a Marine Retailers Association of the Americas retail member.

The Total Management Workshop details skills that will increase profits, stability and growth for the dealership. Attendees will leave the workshop with a clear set of principles, processes and tools to take their company to new levels of performance and profitability.

They will leave knowing:
How to make faster, better decisions based on proven principles and ratios for business management;
How to achieve a highly profitable and adaptable business by effectively structuring a right-sized operation;
How to achieve excellent margins and competitive pricing;
How to create simplified score-keeping with a profit plan that connects the financial goals of the company, each department, and individual employees;
How to achieve rational inventory planning, higher margins, lower risk, more robust adaptability;
How to improve employee and customer communication, improve attitudes, and reduce conflict by mastering the four basic human styles

“Applying the tools and knowledge that I received during the Spader Total Management workshop has proven invaluable to our daily operations at the dealership,” says Eric Smith, Colorado Boat Center, the 2011 recipient of the Kevin Lodder Scholarship. “We have since sent two more members of our team to attend the workshop, as well.”

Any employee of an MRAA dealership member is eligible to apply for the Kevin Lodder Scholarship, which is valued at nearly $3,600. The scholarship includes the registration fee for the workshop ($2,795) and a travel allowance of $800. The 2012 recipient will be announced at the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, Orlando, Fla., Nov. 11–14, 2012.

“The Spader management class is eye opening!” says Randy Tague of Lake Viking Marine, another past recipient of the Kevin Lodder Scholarship. “It really helps you focus on all aspects of your business from parts to sales. With easy-to-use methods for tracking all areas, it takes a lot of the time and frustration out of the process and gets you exact numbers. It’s a great class that I would recommend to everyone.”

For more information and to apply, please visit the Kevin Lodder Scholarship page of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ website: www.mraa.com/?page=Kevin_Lodder_Scholar. The deadline for applications is Sept. 24, 2012.  If you have any questions, we invite you to contact Marge Eckenroad at 941-964-2534.