Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/459961
LAUNCH www.BoatingIndustry.com February 2015 | Boating Industry | 11 INDUSTRY NEWS In her new role, Barnard will continue to lead the company's core vehicle auction business that includes 78 operating locations and a team of more than 18,000 employees. As a member of the Cox Automotive leadership team, she has the responsibility for strategic business functions such as operations, sales, customer experience and product development. Prior to joining Manheim, Barnard served as senior vice president and general manager for Cox Communications' central region. In that role, she was responsible for growing the $1.2 billion region in voice, data and video services across a residential and commercial base of more than 700,000 customers. MRAA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION RAISES MORE THAN $20,000 The MRAA Educational Foundation exceeded its goal of raising $20,000 in 2014 to provide financial support for education, training and professional development in the recreational marine trades. "We are inspired by the generosity that allowed the foundation to reach this critical milestone in 2014," said Liz Walz, MRAA vice president and executive director of the foundation. "By contributing to the foundation's award and scholarship funds, donors are helping to grow and develop the marine industry's workforce, thus building a brighter future for the boating business." Prior to the start of the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, the MRAA Educational Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation, had raised $7,400 in 2014. Donations secured at and immediately fol- lowing the November event topped $12,000, pushing the foundation over its goal and helping fund several key educational opportunities. During the 2014 MDCE, the MRAA Educational Foundation handed out nine scholarships and awards that together represent $34,120 worth of technical training and professional development. CDK GLOBAL RECREATION LAUNCHES NEW LIGHTSPEEDEVO CDK Global Recreation has released LightspeedEVO version 6.1 which gives users new features and functions to improve efficiency and profitability within multiple areas of the dealership. The new version enhances current features and introduces new functionality needed in the market. "New features such as VIN decoding, curtailment, and increased mobile app functionality will help dealers focus on increasing their productivity while better servicing their customers," said Kris Denos, senior director of research and development for CDK Global Recreation. "Many improvements have been made to keep LightspeedEVO the industry's most advanced dealer management software. We continually listen to feedback from our dealers and have added functionality to address their needs." One of the many new features inside LightspeedEVO 6.1 is VIN decoding, which allows dealers to type in a VIN and have the year, make, and model populate automatically. This feature speeds up data entry and eliminates data entry errors on units in the Parts, Service, and Sales modules. The LightspeedEVO mobile app for iOS and Android has been upgraded to allow for more dealer functions to be done away from the counter. Dealers can now perform a service check-in from any- where including the parking lot, boat dock, or roadside. The app allows for customer lookup, service scheduling, photo uploads and can even capture the customer's signature directly on the screen. SEA RAY TO EXPAND PRODUCTION, ADD EMPLOYEES Sea Ray will increase production capacity by reactivating its Sykes Creek manufacturing facility in Merritt Island, Fla., this summer, with plans to create up to 100 new jobs over the next 12 months. The com- pany said the move was due to demand for its new L-Class yachts, "We're very pleased with the great success of the new L-Class and look forward to adding jobs back to the Sykes Creek community," said Sea Ray President Tim Schiek. "We are more committed than ever to delivering industry leading products and ensuring that our customers have the most enjoyable boat ownership experience possible." DEAN BURNETT NAMED PRESIDENT OF YAMAHA WATERCRAFT GROUP Dean Burnett, former vice president for Yamaha Marine Group, has accepted the position of president of Yamaha Watercraft Group, which oversees the sales, marketing and distribution of Ya- maha WaveRunners and Sport Boats. "It is a huge honor to follow Mark Speaks as President of the Watercraft Group," said Burnett. "I've watched how fast our Wa- veRunner and boat product lines have expanded over the years, achieving some of the fastest growth within Yamaha Motor, and I look forward to leveraging my decades of experience in the marine industry in these exciting, high growth markets." Burnett began his career with Yamaha in 1987 and spent four years in sales and marketing roles for the company in the California market. After leaving Yamaha in 1991, Burnett worked for several boat brands, including Yamaha-owned Skeeter, Century and Cobia. He was ap- pointed vice president for Yamaha Marine Group in 2010.