NEWS - Riviera announces another US dealer
Riviera has appointed its second Florida dealer in the past month with the recruitment of Sarasota Yacht and Ship Services to its USA dealer network.
The Australian boatbuilder says the expansion of its US dealer network is to meet growing international demand for its new models.
According to Riviera, Sarasota Yacht and Ship is one of the longest established full-service yacht brokerages on the West Coast of Florida having operated from its Main Street location for the past 25 years. They have a staff of 16 including 13 sales professionals and two service personnel.
Dealer principals Gary Smith and Jason Mashke both have an extensive marine industry background, said the company.
“Smith joined Sarasota Yacht and Ship in 1999 and has dedicated his life to boating.
He enjoys scuba diving and spent 12 months cruising the Bahamas, Eastern Caribbean and South America,” said Riviera. “Mashke comes from a career boating family and has grown up around boats and the water, he is an avid scuba diver and holds certificates in divemaster, rescue diver, Nitrox diver and underwater naturalist.”
Riviera Yachts USA Inc director Chris McCafferty said Sarasota Yacht and Ship is a premier brokerage for yacht and larger powerboat sales.
“Sarasota Yacht and Ship is dedicated to providing superior customer service and education and these skills fit well with the Riviera ethos. I am very confident in their ability to represent Riviera’s high-quality range of pleasureboats,” said McCafferty.
Smith says, “Our values dictate that we provide our clients with superior service and information and we are proud to be the first and one of the few dealers in the state of Florida to be designated Certified Professional Yacht Broker Endorsed Brokerage.”
Mashke said Sarasota Yacht and Ship is proud to represent Riviera from its two locations.
"We operate from two offices in downtown Sarasota,” said Mashke.
“Our main office is located at 1306 Main Street and our marina location is 1000 Marina Plaza at Marina Jack; we are fortunate to have an exclusive arrangement with the marina to be the only in-house yacht sales company at Marina Jack.
We also maintain slips at this marina and host two shows a year from this site.
“Our philosophy is hard work and all our staff know how to best utilise their many years experience in the boating industry to ensure we offer our clients the best possible boat-buying experience and we look forward to working with Riviera as they release a series of exciting new models in the US at the upcoming Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show,” he said.
Sarasota Yacht and Ship Services, 1306 Main Street
Sarasota, Florida, 34236, USA, phone +1-941-365-9095; +1-866-375-5779 (toll free); +1-941-957-3494 (marina office).
For more info, go to www.riviera.com.au
Photos: Gary Smith, dealer principal Sarasota Yacht and Ship; Jason Mashke, dealer principal Sarasota Yacht and Ship; The Riviera 5800 Sport Yacht with IPS will have its US debut at Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (from Oct 28 to Nov 1); The Riviera 43 Open Flybridge with IPS will have its US debut at Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show; The Riviera 5000 Sport Yacht with Zeus will have its US debut at Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.