FROM: NATIONAL MARINE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
200 E. Randolph Dr., Suite 5100
Chicago, IL 60601-6528
312-946-6200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Lindsey Johnson (ljohnson@nmma.org; 312-946-6204)

NMMA Announces 2008 CSI Award Recipients
Seventy-three boatbuilders, engine manufacturers receive awards

CHICAGO, July 14, 2008 - - The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) today announced recipients of the annual 2008 Marine Industry CSI Awards. A total of 73 boat and engine manufacturers were recognized for excellence in customer satisfaction, as part of NMMA’s Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) program.

Award recipients will be formally acknowledged during the annual Industry Awards Breakfast at the 2008 International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX), taking place October 6-8 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

The Marine Industry CSI Awards program honors participating companies actively measuring customer satisfaction to pursue continuous improvement. Award recipients achieved and maintained an independently-measured standard of excellence of 90 percent or higher in customer satisfaction over the past year, based on information provided by consumers purchasing a new boat or engine during the period between April 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008. Participating manufacturers must survey all new boat buyers during this period. For this reporting period, more than 66,000 consumer responses were collected.

“It is a pleasure to recognize the recipients of this year’s Marine Industry CSI Awards,” says NMMA president Thom Dammrich. “These seventy-three companies have made a solid, long-term commitment to continuously improve quality and customer satisfaction—steps that are sure to pay dividends not only for award recipients, but for our entire industry.”

The following companies were honored this past year for their efforts to increase customer satisfaction levels in the boating industry:

ALBEMARLE BOATS
Inboard Fishing Express Boats

AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP.
Outboard Engines

AQUA PATIO
Pontoon Boats

AVALON & TAHOE MANUFACTURING INC.
Pontoon Boats

BAYLINER
Deck Boats
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
Sterndrive Cuddy and Express Boats

BENETEAU USA
Sailboats

BENNINGTON MARINE
Pontoon Boats

BOSTON WHALER
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

BRYANT BOATS
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats

CABO YACHTS
Inboard Fishing Express Boats

CARVER YACHTS
Inboard Flybridge Sedans & Convertible Boats

CENTURY BOATS
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

CHAMPION BOATS
Fiberglass Bass Boats

CHAPARRAL BOATS INC.
Deck Boats
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
Sterndrive Cuddy & Express Boats

CHRIS-CRAFT
Fiberglass Outboard Boats
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
Sterndrive Cuddy & Express Boats

COBALT BOATS
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
Sterndrive Cuddy & Express Boats

COBIA
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

CORRECT CRAFT
Inboard Watersport Boats

CRESTLINER BOATS
Aluminum Outboard Boats
Pontoon Boats

CRUISERS YACHTS
Inboard Express Cruiser Boats
Inboard Motoryachts & Trawlers
Sterndrive Cuddy & Express Boats

EBBTIDE BOATS
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats

EDGEWATER BOATS
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

FORMULA BOATS
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
Sterndrive Cuddy & Express Boats

FOUR WINNS
Deck Boats
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
Sterndrive Cuddy & Express Boats

G3 BOATS
Aluminum Outboard Boats

GLASTRON
Deck Boats
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats

GRADY-WHITE BOATS INC.
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

HARRIS FLOTEBOTE
Pontoon Boats

HEWES BOATS
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

HONDA MARINE
Outboard Engines

HYDRA-SPORT
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

INDMAR PRODUCTS
Inboard Engines

ISLAND PACKET YACHTS
Sailboats

KAYOT
Deck Boats

LARSON
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
Sterndrive Cuddy & Express Boats

LOWE BOATS
Aluminum Outboard Boats
Deck Boats
Pontoon Boats

LUND BOATS
Aluminum Outboard Boats

MALIBU BOATS
Inboard Watersport Boats

MANITOU PONTOON BOATS
Pontoon Boats

MASTERCRAFT
Inboard Watersport Boats

MAVERICK BOATS
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

MERIDIAN YACHTS
Inboard Flybridge Sedans & Convertible Boats

MONTEREY BOATS
Sterndrive Cuddy & Express Boats

MOOMBA BOATS
Inboard Watersport Boats

PALM BEACH MARINECRAFT
Pontoon Boats

PARTI KRAFT
Pontoon Boats

PATHFINDER
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

PROCRAFT
Fiberglass Bass Boats

PRO-LINE BOATS INC.
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

PURSUIT BOATS
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

REGAL MARINE
Deck Boats
Inboard Express Cruiser Boats
Inboard Flybridge Sedans & Convertible Boats
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
Sterndrive Cuddy & Express Boats

REGULATOR MARINE
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

ROBALO BOATS
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

SAILFISH BOATS
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

SCOUT BOATS
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

SEA RAY BOATS
Deck Boats
Fiberglass Outboard Boats
Inboard Express Cruiser Boats
Inboard Fishing Express Boats
Inboard Flybridge Sedans & Convertible Boats
Inboard Motoryachts & Trawlers
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
Sterndrive Cuddy & Express Boats

SEASWIRL BOATS
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

SEDONA MARINE
Pontoon Boats

SILVERTON MARINE
Inboard Flybridge Sedans & Convertible Boats

SKEETER PRODUCTS INC.
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

STRATOS BOATS
Fiberglass Bass Boats

SUMERSET HOUSEBOATS
Sterndrive Houseboats

SUPRA BOATS
Inboard Watersport Boats

SWEETWATER
Pontoon Boats

SWEETWATER TUSCANY
Pontoon Boats

TIARA YACHTS
Inboard Express Cruiser Boats
Inboard Fishing Express Boats

TIGE BOATS
Inboard Watersport Boats

TRIUMPH BOATS
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

TROPHY BOATS
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

VOLVO-PENTA OF THE AMERICAS
Sterndrive Engines

WELLCRAFT MARINE
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

WORLD CAT
Fiberglass Outboard Boats

YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION USA
Outboard Engines

“As manufacturers focus more and more on the key components that drive consumer satisfaction, retention, sales, and market share, access to robust consumer data is paramount,” says Terry Leitz, NMMA director of CSI Programs. “I congratulate the 2008 award recipients on their efforts to truly drive our industry forward.”

NMMA launched its CSI program in 2001 to provide boat and engine manufacturers with an independently-measured, cost-effective tool to help improve customer satisfaction in the boating industry. Since the program’s inception, more than 500,000 surveys have been sent out to new boat and engine customers, allowing participating manufacturer companies to monitor customer satisfaction on an ongoing basis, and to benchmark themselves against the industry and their competitors. The program currently has 110 boat and engine brands participating.

The Marine Industry CSI program meets the CSI requirements of the NMMA Boat/Yacht Certification program. For manufacturers that are full participants in the Marine Industry CSI process, the included reporting also fills the dealer level CSI requirements of the Marine Industry Dealership Certification program.

For more information on CSI Award recipients, or to get involved with the CSI program, contact Leitz at (312) 946-6212; tleitz@nmma.org.

National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading association representing the recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters in the United States. The association is dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy, market research and data, product quality assurance and marketing communications.