Overwhelming Attendance At CEERI’s February 2004 Advisory Board Meeting
Highly attended, CEERI’s February 2004 Advisory Board meeting saw the introduction of new faces as well as new program development. First time attendees included Peter Granata of MDRA, Dave Taylor of US Marine, Matt Guilford of US Marine, Bruce Sargent of Glastron, Ham Hamberger and Ted Sampanes. Advisors agreed to initiate the Dealer Pilot Program in April and decided on a new branding strategy for the Center for Environmental Education and Research, Inc. CEERI anticipates having the preliminary results of the Pilot Program by the next Advisory Board meeting in Washington D.C. on May 2, 2004 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.

• CEERI Obtains “Train the Trainers” for National Dealer Program
  Following what is anticipated to be a successful Pilot Program for the initiation of a Dealer Outreach, Ham Hamberger and Ted Sampanes have committed to acting as CEERI’s national “Train the Trainers”. With a combined experience of over 75 years in the marine industry, both Ham and Ted will prove to be a valuable addition to the Boater101 Program.

• Advisory Board Approves DBA
  With the approval of the Advisory Board, Center for Environmental Education and Research, Inc. will now being doing business as Marine University, branded as MarineU. Peggy Nordeen of Starmark spearheaded the effort along with her creative team in order to develop a new branding strategy including a graphical representation. Following the Board’s direction, MarineU will utilize the tagline “Learning. Boating. Fun.” Through the adoption of a DBA, boaters will be able to better recognize the Center’s mission.

Formula Recognizes Boater101 in Monthly Newsletter
In order to assist in the continued exposure of the Boater101 Program, Formula recently highlighted the program in its Monthly Newsletter. Formula, a CEERI Sponsor since 2000, continues to emphasize the importance of boating safety to its Dealers by endorsing the program and advertising its partnership with CEERI.

Dealer Pilot Program Nearly Finalized
Preparation for the Boater101 Dealer Pilot Program is nearly complete. The Pilot Program, to begin in April 2004, will allow Dealers to provide Boater101 to their customers. CEERI is currently working with its Dealer Committee, Bruce Sargent of Glastron, Dave Taylor of US Marine, Matt Guilford of US Marine, George Sullivan of Genmar, Jim Antolik of Crestliner, Kimberly Bors of the OMC Foundation, Rick Fulmer of Four Winns, Scott Porter of Formula, Terry Dunagin of Boston Whaler and Peggy Nordeen of Starmark to finalize the Pilot Program. The committee anticipates the Pilot Program to include advertising, program materials and training. CEERI is working with the manufacturers to minimize the costs to the Dealers.

South Florida Dealers To Be Involved In the Pilot Program
Showing their commitment to creating a safe and enjoyable boating experience for all boaters, several South Florida dealers have committed to being involved in the Boater101 Dealer Pilot Program. Commitments have been received from Five Star Marine, Inc, Harbor One Marina, American Offshore Marina, Hi-Lift Marina, Inc, and Marina One Inc. CEERI is working to include another six Dealerships in the Pilot Program.

CEERI Involvement in Miami Boat Show
Christopher Pursell of the Fort Lauderdale West Marine store, a Boater101 Partner, assisted CEERI in exposing the Boater101 Program by including Boater101 at a table in the West Marine booth. Due to the high traffic volume in the area, the Boater101 Program received excellent exposure. Following the Miami Boat Show, the Boater101 web site experienced a dramatic spike in first-time visitors.