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2 Message from the President-Keith Ruse Looking Ahead I want to introduce you to a new term for our business vocabulary: economic redevelopment. Loosely defined economic redevelopment is the replacement of lost revenues by making changes to how things used to be done. This is essential for the marine industry as we recognize boating today is not what is was twenty years ago. Some of my thoughts on changes include: Make boating more affordable. An easy conclusion that is not easy to implement. Industries (AMI). And now that the transition is completed, I think I speak for the entire Board of Directors in saying we are very excited about this new arrangement. The VMTA had its third birthday last December. Trying to organize and grow a new trade association in these difficult economic conditions has not been easy. Last year, most of the agenda for the Board of Director s meetings was devoted to revenue issues and growing membership. We discussed ideas such as a VMTA sponsored boat show or a VMTA sponsored flea market. It was also decided to strengthen the focus of the VMTA on marine issues, and that would require changing the association s management. Train technicians for increased efficiency. A factory of ABYC certified technician adds value to services provided to the customer at a given cost. Customers demand more and we need to provide it. Quoting projects and meeting the quotes. This increases credibility, reduces billing confusion and surprises, and allows for on time delivery. Customers feel confident that money they spent is fair and affordable. Providing quality service after the sale and taking the time to focus on the individual customer. Not multitasking but really focusing on that customer until the product or service is 100%. This leads to a customer who feels they have added value and are satisfied Reducing personal property tax on boats. Direct and in-direct income from use and services is a powerful case for reducing the personal property tax on boats. I will be sharing more thoughts on economic redevelopment in the coming months. VMTA and AMI have formed a strong team that will be looking at these ideas and helping the VA marine industry to gain back market share. VMTA Joins Forces with AMI By Mark Hildebrandt, Immediate Past President Finally spring is here, and with it the hopes for a prosperous boating season. While many of our members have spent this long cold winter preparing for what the spring will bring, the VMTA Board of Directors has been busy reshaping the association. The transformation which began last summer involved changing the Association s management from Easter Associates to The Association of Marina Easter Associates has managed the VMTA since it formed from the remnants of Virginia Association of Marine Industries (VAMI) and the Tidewater Marine Trades Association (TMTA). While Easter Associates has done a good job of managing many of the VMTA s day to day operational issues, they were not much help on marine issues or with the communication channels used by the marine industry. Clearly AMI would give us much better support in those areas, so discussions with AMI began in earnest last summer. The Board appointed a committee to explore how an AMI management arrangement would benefit VMTA. Information about VMTA s needs and AMI s capabilities were shared over the following six months. Finally in January, Wendy Larimer presented AMI s proposal to the VMTA Board of Directors at VIMS. Following a lengthy and frank discussion the Board voted unanimously to enter a management arrangement with AMI. On February first, the official contract with AMI was signed by President Keith Ruse. What does the new management structure mean to the VMTA members? All VMTA marina and boatyard mem bers automatically become AMI members. With AMI s focus on the marine industry this brings a variety of benefits VMTA News Continued on Page 3 New VMTA Contact Information VMTA PO Box 476 Deltaville, VA 23043 804-823-3933 info@virginiamarinetrades.org
VMTA News Continued from Page 2 for VMTA members, such as access to the International Marina and Boatyard Conference (IMBC) and certification and training programs such as the Certified Marina Manager (CMM). Visit www.marinaassociation.org for further information and watch your inbox for details. New Owner For Tidewater Yacht Haven The owner of York River Yacht Haven in Gloucester recently bought the Tidewater Yacht Marina in Portsmouth. Dallas-based Suntex Marinas, a subsidiary of Suntex Ventures, acquired the 300-slip Portsmouth marina because it is conveniently located midway between New York and Florida at Mile Marker Zero on the Intracoastal Waterway, according to a news release. The site also includes a marine service center and store, fuel dock and floating pool. Tidewater has been a true landmark for yachts in Virginia as well as the rest of the East Coast for many years. Suntex will continue the legacy and will also add many more amenities to the property, Suntex Marinas Vice President of Operations Ron TenEyck said in a statement. The Portsmouth site also has a year-old restaurant called 757 Crave on the Harbor and yacht brokerage firm North Point Yacht Sales. TenEyck said Suntex would open a new service center and store supported by West Marine. John Muscarella, who has been a part of the marina for 27 years, will serve as the general manager. Suntex owns 31 marinas, including in Texas, Georgia, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Iowa, Virginia, Arkansas, and St. Maarten. The company is actively seeking more marinas around the world. The company acquired the 325-slip Gloucester marina, which naturally protects boats from storms near the mouth of the York River, in October last year. That site also includes a restaurant, boatyard, pool, repair facility and store Multitasking Upcoming BIG/CVA Workshops Sponsored by VDH April 16, 2014 VIMS Gloucester Point April 17, VIMS Eastern Shore April 24, Fairfax Government Center More Information Here! Or contact preston.smith@vdh.virginia.gov As business owners, we all find the need to multitask, and many feel pride in their ability to multitask. Recent research, as well as ancient wisdom, suggests that we reconsider. Brain researchers have learned that while it might appear that we are processing multiple tasks at once, the brain can only process one task at a time. When we switch quickly between tasks, the brain has to stop one process and initiate another. This switch comes at a cost: a decrease in productivity and a reduced ability to filter out distractions. According to Paul Atchley, Ph.D., associate professor of Cognitive Psychology at University of Kansas, when you multi-task: efficiency drops as much as 40%; long-term memory suffers; creativity is reduced; and it takes about 15 minutes to re-orient to a primary task after a distraction. A Zen teacher who played a key role in bringing Zen to the West said this: Whatever you do, do it so there are not even any ashes left. Suzuki roshi s message was clear: give your full attention to whatever your are doing, it s a better way to live. So, what s a manager or entrepreneur to do? The demands are constant, and attention is often pulled in many directions. We do not have the luxury of committing fully to one task at a time. On the other hand, the research and the wisdom suggests that giving in to the multi-tasking mixer should not be taken lightly and comes at a price. Look for more opportunities to put aside the distractions and focus on the task at hand. Many distractions fall into the urgent but not important category learn how to recognize them and put them aside. And when you do have to switch tasks, do so completely, don t let part of your mind remain behind on the previous task. OUPV Training Now Offered in Suffolk by Steve Zimmerman 3 This spring the Hampton Roads Maritime Training Program will offer its OUPV and 100 Ton Master courses at the Center for Workforce Solutions in north Suffolk. VMTA News Continued on Page 4
VMTA News Continued from Page 3 This course meets the USCG requirement that certain individuals must successfully complete to obtain an OUPV license. Upon completion of this course, a certificate will be presented which can be given to the USCG to satisfy the examination portion of the USCG OUPV license requirements. The USCG has other requirements that will have to be met prior to receiving the license, such as a physical exam, at least 360 days on-water experience etc. OUPV is commonly called a six-pack or charter captains license. The USCG license is required y those operating uninspected vessels that carry up to six passengers for hire. In addition, for those individuals who meet the sea service requirements, our Master of 100 Tons course will be held immdediately following the OUPV courses, April 2-4, 2014. For more information contact Steve Midas, Program Administrator, 757-822-7669, smidas@tcc.edu or visit www. tccworkforce.org. Expanding Workforce Training by Don McCann During the recent working waterfront conference, which our organization helped sponsor, I had the opportunity to talk a little about our organization and how important our members are to the local economies throughout the waterways of the commonwealth. I spoke briefly about how well Maryland has advertised Annapolis as the sailing capital of the Chesapeake, but perhaps how Virginia is better suited to fill that position. One of our mission statements is to promote and protect Virginia s recreational marine industry. Through promotion, hopefully with the help of Virginia Tourism, we can grow our market share. Which leads me to the topic of education. Not only must we educate the public, we must educate local and state officials as to the importance of our industry, but most importantly we must educate ourselves. The industry has made some significant changes in the past several years; vessels are larger, more complicated and the owners more particular as to who services their boats. It is important that members and their employees remain in the forefront of technological changes while insuring the best customer care to the owners. Jason Perry, Vice President of Workforce and Community Development at Rappahannock Community 4 The 2014 VMTA Board OFFICERS President Keith Ruse Deltaville Boatyard Vice President Donald McCann, 804-435-6942 Tranquil Waters Marine Services, White Stone Secretary/Treasurer Ernie Asaff, 804-776-6463 Norview Marina, Deltaville Immediate Past President Mark Hildebrandt, 804-441-4799 Valvtect Marine Fuel, Powhatan BOARD Brian Baker, 757-362-3600 Vinings Marine Group, Norfolk Jud Black, 757-723-0793 Bluewater Jarrett Bay, Hampton Roy Enslow, 540-721-1639 Bridgewater Marina, Moneta Andy Gurkin, 757-851-1573 Dandy Haven Marina, Hampton Earle Hall, 757-723-0793 Bluewater Yacht Sales, Hampton Mike Hanna, 757-898-3000 Dare Marina, Grafton Carolyn Norton Schmalenberger, 804-776-9211 Norton Yacht Sales, Inc., Deltaville Carlton Phillips, 800-216-2628 Prince William Marina, Woodbridge John Phillips, 804-642-2166 Phillips Energy, Gloucester Point Steve Zimmerman, 804-725-3440 Zimmerman Marine, Cardinal VMTA News Continued on Page 5
VMTA News Continued from Page 4 College has offered the following submission as a means for our industry to foster education. Wouldn t it be nice to be able to drive down the cost of technician training? Also, would you prefer to travel out-of-state for training or would you like to have training offered instate? The costs for training are typically very high, not to mention the cost for travel, meals and lodging for employees. One simple solution for local marinas could involve building a marina industry cohort. Cohorts such as, Rappahannock Community College s Regional Educational Consortium (REC) was created to assist school divisions in providing affordable, high quality professional development programs for all of their personnel. Specifically developed programs are created to meet individual schools or divisions needs. To develop a marina industry consortium, training services could be offered at affordable prices based upon technicians needs at in-state locations. Marina owners would meet to determine training topics and a schedule would be produced. Statewide VMTA members would benefit from this concept and training topics and schedules would be coordinated. coastal localities that rely on working waterfronts. Virginia CZM is partnering with VIMS Marine Advisory Service Program and Virginia Sea Grant to develop public policy designed to protect and enhance Virginia s traditional waterfront businesses. As elsewhere around the nation, waterfront businesses suffer from increasing demands for waterfront property, with consequent increases in property values and higher operating costs. The loss of Virginia s working waterfronts has long-term consequences for local economies, the environment, coastal culture, and quality of life. While residential development and other factors continue to threaten the viability of working waterfronts, coastal states and localities are increasingly aware of the issue. Many are using planning, zoning, land conservation and acquisition tax incentives, public improvements, and state and local regulations to help preserve these valuable assets. These initiatives are often a result of collaboration between industry associations, nonprofit groups, and government agencies with a common interest in protecting waterfront businesses. It is my opinion that this is an important step towards promoting Virginia s waterways as the best for boating in the mid-atlantic. VMTA members will hear more about this opportunity in the coming months. VIMS Hosts Working Waterfronts Workshop Courtesy Virginia Sea Grant Business owners, community leaders, watermen, researchers, lawyers, and local and state planners gathered at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science last week to explore the issues arising from the slow decline in Virginia s working waterfronts, and to jointly identify possible solutions. The daylong workshop hosted by VIMS and accessed remotely from Eastern Shore Community College brought more than 140 participants to Gloucester Point. Participants heard from 17 speakers who touched on legal issues related to working waterfronts, the economic importance of these waterfronts, and the continued development of Virginia s plan for sustaining them. The Virginia Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program sponsored and planned the event along with a committee that included representatives from the businesses and 5 Since 2011, grants from Virginia CZM have allowed VIMS, VASG, and their partners to define working waterfronts, create an inventory of existing working waterfront infrastructure throughout the coastal zone, and conduct an economic analysis of four different types of working-waterfronts infrastructure to demonstrate their economic importance to the community. As for the future, Virginia CZM, VIMS, and their partners plan to identify and develop policy tools for retention of working waterfronts that are appropriate for adoption by local governments. The partners will also identify a locality to participate in a demonstration project that will test the feasibility of implementing the identified tools. DEQ Revising Water Pollution Control Standards VMTA is monitoring the below activity as changes to NPS permitting have been the reason for other states implementing mandatory pressure wash wastewater treatment and associated water quality testing. There is nothing specific in the plan as currently presented to indicate this is coming to Virginia, but we will keep an ear in the discussions of how the state plans to meet its milestones. On the good VMTA News Continued on Page 6
6 VMTA News Continued from Page 4 news front, the VA Clean Marina program was highlighted as something to support and VMTA fully agrees with any effort to enhance and expand this program The Department of Environmental Quality is revising its water pollution control standards to align the Chesapeake Bay Program and the Non-Point Source (NPS) Management Plan milestone developments and planning efforts. Among the many NPS pollution categories addresses in the plan are urban development, agriculture and forestry, marina and boat operation and repair, and various industrial uses. The Department is developing preliminary Programmatic Milestones for 2014-2015. These may include anticipated regulatory actions, implementation of previously developed regulations, permitting actions, programmatic enhancements, new incentive programs, expanded resources/ funding, or any other actions that build capacity or drive implementation. Updating the statewide NPS Management Plan is a U.S. EPA requirement and an opportunity to identify Virginia s priorities for management of NPS pollution. The data collection effort for this plan revision was initiated in July 2013, gathering NPS program descriptions including: brief program overview, program coordination and partnerships, key initiatives and implementation activities, implementation or watershed priorities, and measures of success for the Commonwealth s nonpoint source pollution control programs. The EPA s NPS plan guidance also requires the development of explicit short-term and long-term goals, objectives, and strategies for these programs to restore and protect surface and ground water. The Department held a public meeting in February to present preliminary water quality improvement milestones and the Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Plan update. The session focused on Chesapeake Bay milestone development, and NPS Management Plan development and milestones. After public comments have been considered and addressed, the Department will submit the revised Chesapeake Bay milestones and NPS Plan milestones to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval.
7 VMTA News Continued from Page 5 Current Trends in Virginia Recreational Boat Population - Tom Murray, VIMS All boating registration data is kindly provided by the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries.
8 www.vamarinetrades.org PO Box 476 Deltaville, Virginia 23043 804-823-3933 info@vamarinetrades.org The Virginia Marine Trades Association (VMTA) is a non-profit trade association organized to promote and support Virginia s recreational marine industry. The members are comprised of dealerships, boatyards, builders, marinas, sales brokers, boating service providers, marine technicians, and individuals. Together, we are committed to the development of the marine industry and the strength of each member business.