At its January Member Meeting, RIMTA gave attendees an overview of the milestones that defined 2017 for the organization and its members. There were successes in many categories, such as securing over $700,000 to support the marine and composites industries, deepening the impact of our...
Every business needs a plan, but not just for day-to-day operations and long-term goals. Businesses also need to plan for unexpected events and eventualities -- such as a business partner’s untimely death, or the time when a family business needs to pass to its founder’s...
Jamestown Boat Yard (JBY) has built strong relationships in the Virgin Islands over the past decade. For years, the yard continued to service its customers’ boats that summered in New England and wintered in the Caribbean, by sending technicians down to the islands to coordinate...
Starkweather & Shepley’s Jay Frechette gives us his Top-Five Takeaways after the RIMTA professional-development seminar on “Cyber Security in the Marine Industry: Privacy, Risks & Protection,” which was cosponsored by Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage. Frechette, an Account Executive in Marine Risk Solutions, led a panel...
At RIMTA’s Industry Partnership Breakfast sponsored by Gowrie Group, marine-trades professionals came together on the busiest morning of the Newport International Boat Show to network, celebrate successes, and explore issues challenging the industry. In addition to awarding the 2017 Anchor Award to Newport Exhibition Group, for...
When it comes to reports about businesses being cyber attacked, stories about big companies such as Equifax that house the data of a large number of consumers grab the headlines. But just because you don’t see headlines about small businesses being cyber attacked doesn’t mean...
Several Rhode Island marine companies have quickly stepped up to help rebuild the island communities in the Caribbean that were devastated by Hurricane Irma. Bristol Marine, Newport Shipyard and J. Goodison Company are working together to gather supplies and equipment for Antigua and Barbuda. Cay Electronics...
RIMTA’s Youth Summer Boatbuilding Program for 14- to 16-year-olds started with one program; but this summer, this boatbuilding course has burgeoned to five programs run throughout the state. That growth is a big jump, but it represents more than a statistic: it is a trend that...
In July, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced $14.7 million in 2017-18 for Federal grants under the Boating Infrastructure Grant, or B.I.G., program. This program funnels user taxes paid by boaters to develop transient boating projects. Each state administers their portion of the funding,...
It's no exaggeration to say that a shortage of labor may be the biggest challenge facing dealers and manufacturers right now. If you feel like you are at a loss for how to fill your open positions, you're definitely not alone. In a Boating Industry webinar on...