12/19/2013

Practicing What You Preach

By Matt Maynard, CPYB - President, Northwest Yacht Brokers Association

Recently, the Northwest Yacht Brokers Association (NYBA) amended our bylaws to require that members of our Board of Directors must be CPYB certified brokers. We are proud and excited to include this change as a sign of the evolution of our board and to enhance our promotion of the CPYB program. Board Members are, and should be, held to highest standards. With the establishment of the CPYB program, we now have those standards. As a board, we felt it important to show our members that we actually have earned the right for their consideration and for their vote to be elected to represent them. By having actual knowledge about our industry, as well as the certification and credentials to prove it, we can best serve our customers, our members and our industry. 

The state of Washington does not have a broker licensing department, such as the Department of Boating & Waterways in California. We have been fortunate that the NYBA has successfully shown that our members, which make up the vast majority of Yacht Brokers in the state, have not needed government oversight to be able to conduct business as Yacht Brokers. By actively promoting the CPYB program and mandating its compliance by our board members, our efforts to continue this self imposed oversight has been greatly strengthened. We are fortunate to have a staff and board at the NYBA who consistently and constantly interact with our members and the public to ensure that transactions are done professionally, responsibly, and ethically.  We work hard to make the public aware that purchasing a boat from a Washington broker who has obtained their CPYB certification only furthers those ideals.  CPYB certification also reduces the potential costs to our members by showing the State that we truly can police ourselves, have a certification standard higher than most other types of industries, and that public funds do not need to be wasted by yet another governmental policing agency to enforce the ethical, professional and competent financial behavior CPYB brokers are held too.

The NYBA makes it a point to hold continuing education courses on a quarterly basis, and even more often when able.  The association has instituted quarterly study sessions and CPYB exam dates, which has been very successful for the NYBA in procuring and retaining our CPYB brokers.  Our certified CPYB brokers are very happy being able to join in on the study sessions and aiding in the education of those who are working towards certification.  It has proven incredibly beneficial to our testing brokers as well, as a great way for our current CPYB’s to brush up on their knowledge.  It is also very effective in bringing to light information that may not be directly addressed in the study materials.  We have found this to be a great way to promote good working relationships between broker members.  This has been a huge benefit to our board and our members who work cooperatively, not only with other Washington brokers, but with brokers in other states and countries. Seeing the CPYB title gives each broker, and their client, the comfort that their representative is working within the highest standards in the industry. It reassures the client that is working to make their transaction as smooth and fair as possible. 

The NYBA Board is proud of its newest by-law addition; we can now truly say that ‘we practice what we preach.’ 

Matt Maynard is the acting President of the NYBA Board of Directors, the owner of Irwin Yacht Sales in both Seattle and Portland, and has been a member of the NYBA for over 10 years.  Matt is also very active on the NYBA Government Affairs Committee and the Boat Show Committee. 

[Ed. Note: The YBAA Board of Directors also requires that all board members be CPYB certified. We are delighted  that NYBA is similarly committed to yacht sales professionalism. The CPYB program is jointly sponsored and promoted by every yacht brokerage association in North America - YBAA, FYBA, NYBA, CYBA, GCYBA, BCYBA and Boating Ontario Dealers. ]