Apr 14, 2020

Frank Hugelmeyer, NMMA President has announced that the National Marine Manufacturers Association has deployed a comprehensive COVID-19 response strategy with a focus on the long-term health of the association.

To date, the NMMA has taken the following actions:

• President’s compensation has been temporarily reduced by 40 percent. In addition, they have implemented a significant temporary reduction in compensation and benefits for the Executive Leadership Team.

• The NMMA team, excluding the President, Executive Leadership Team, and key operational employees, have temporarily been moved to a three-day work week with reduced pay. The team has been structured to ensure continuation of essential member services spanning advocacy, business intelligence, certification, market development across their shows, and marketing and communications.

• They made the difficult decision to let go of 23 members of their team. Hugelmeyer wrote that, “Since joining NMMA I learned quickly that we have one of the best and brightest teams I’ve come across in my career. The decision to part with these employees was not made lightly as all of them contributed greatly to your association.”

• NMMA’s export development program was discontinued to allow for a more streamlined focus on international advocacy and outreach led by our DC-based advocacy team with support from our team in Canada. As part of this transition, their show team will oversee NMMA’s presence at international boat shows and events such as METSTRADE.

• They created a Task Force led by their advocacy and marketing communications teams. The Task Force provides essential daily news and information for members and stakeholders while helping to secure critical government funding and support for our industry. Ongoing webinars, consultations, and resources, can be accessed at NMMA.org/coronavirus or by emailing TaskForce@nmma.org

• The NMMA COVID-19 response strategy streamlines their workflow for the foreseeable future around the industry’s most essential advocacy and market development efforts. This includes an aggressive advocacy offensive to protect recreational boating and the experiences beloved by millions of boaters; robust business intelligence to help you make the most informed decisions possible; product certification to ensure safety compliance; communications that ensure a united industry voice; and boat shows, sales, and marketing opportunities that best position our industry once the global crisis is over.

Hugelmeyer added that, “Throughout NMMA’s history, we’ve successfully navigated some of the most trying times in our industry and have emerged a stronger, more nimble association to propel recreational boating into the future. The steps we’ve taken allow us to do this once again, ensuring we’re not only protecting and supporting your business through this crisis but that we come out together on the other side as an industry that’s positioned to thrive and better connect our consumers with their love of being on the water.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with questions. You can also contact a member of the Task Force at TaskForce@nmma.org  for support as you navigate this trying time.”