FORTY UNDER FORTY measurable influence on my career , especially the philosophy of being a learner . I am grateful for having the opportunity to learn from some fantastic industry leaders like Mark McKinney and
Zach Hutcheson . As a young professional , what are the biggest challenges you ’ ve faced in the marine industry and how did you overcome them ? Since many marine professionals are home grown or start their career in the industry , it was difficult to find an opportunity for a lateral or progressive move as an outsider . With patience , persistence , and the help of some creative LinkedIn job notifications , I found an amazing opportunity with Pleasurecraft Engine Group and immediately felt right at home . Who was your hero as a child ? My parents are amazing role models . Their relentless love , support , and encouragement made me who I am today . Why should young professionals choose a career in the marine industry ? Choosing a career in the marine industry is no ordinary endeavor . You are joining a passionate community of individuals focused on making life better for millions of families around the world . It is very rewarding going to work each day knowing your contributions can have such a profound impact .
ALICIA DUDEZKI
General Manager , Bluffer ’ s Park Marina
What first drew you to the marine industry ? From infancy , my brother ( Aaron ) and I spent every summer on our parents ’ sailboat . As we grew into our early teens , we apparently shows signs of boredom ( sorry sailors ), which our parents remedied by trading in the sails for a motor . That ’ s when my true appreciation and admiration of boating kicked in . During our annual adventures up the Trent Severn , my dad would allow me to sit behind the wheel and captain our boat through the canals only taking over during times of heavy traffic and locks . Life on the water was extremely intriguing to me even at that young age . I knew I wanted to learn and experience more . Did you have any key mentors or influences in your career ? I ’ ve never really had a mentor or been influenced by anyone specific , but my mom ( Pat ), who during her working years was a badass boss-lady who worked ridiculously hard to grow within her profession ( property management ), has always been inspiring to me , and is likely a factor to why I feel the need to KEEP GROWING !
As a young professional , what are the biggest challenges you ’ ve faced in the marine industry and how did you overcome them ? One of the biggest challenges I ’ ve faced , and unfortunately continue to face , is people ’ s judgment . It may sound silly , but I regularly encounter situations where people look me up and down and question , “ You ’ re the general manager ?”, or say “ No , let me speak to the real boss ”. When I was much younger , in my first management position , these comments actually really hurt and affected me emotionally , but after years of battling the same presumptions , my skin has grown tough and I don ’ t let the ignorance of others alter my state of mind . I know what I ’ m capable of and I know what I ’ ve achieved , and it hasn ’ t been easy ! By staying true to me and simply just taking the stance of “ sucks to suck ”, the cruelty and judgment of others is left in my wake . Who was your hero as a child ? This may be cliché , but my dad was and still in my hero . He is so ridiculous strong : mentally , emotionally , and physically . I would not be who or where I am today if it wasn ’ t for my dad ’ s : ‘ lead by example ’ parenting , encouragement to try new things and take on new challenges , and competitive spirit to hurdle any obstacle and if you stumble , get right the f *** back up . Not all heroes wear capes : mine wears a captain ’ s hat and his heart on his sleeve . Love you Puppy ! Why should young professionals choose a career in the marine industry ? There is , hands down , never a dull moment in the Marine Industry ! There are never repetitive days , monotony is NOT a thing , the customers offer endless entertainment , and who can complain about spending every day down by the water ? I ’ m constantly challenged and learning new things about the everevolving marine world . Having a career in the boating realm doesn ’ t come easy , but with continuous work and an internal drive to never give up , the opportunity for growth is endless !
CHARLIE FOSS
VP of Design – Brunswick Boat Group , Brunswick Corporation
What was your first job ? My first job in the industry was as a design intern with Boston Whaler . I graduated just prior to the great recession , so jobs weren ’ t plentiful . I heard of an intern role through my professor and figured that moving to Florida for 6 months as I searched for a full-time roll wouldn ’ t be so bad . After four months of interning …. the rest became history . Did you have any key mentors or influences in your career ? The key mentors in my career go back to my grandfather who was a commercial artist . I used to draw with him and
create fun pieces of art which gave me the foundational interest in design . My father taught me how to be analytical and problem solve . It was being able to take the idea and create it . Once I was in the industry one of the most influential people in my career was Ron Berman . Ron hired me and taught me the majority of what I know about boat building . How to not only design a boat that looked great , but something that would meet the needs of consumers , stand the test of time , be manufacturable , and fit within the business needs . And finally , Harry Wood , who always challenged me to push my thinking and spent countless hours teaching me the realities of boat building . As a young professional , what are the biggest challenges you ’ ve faced in the marine industry and how did you overcome them ? The biggest challenge that I faced in the industry was proving that design was needed . When I first started there weren ’ t many designers in the industry . Those that had a user-centered focus were even fewer . Once we were able to establish a user-centered design capability it really started to create results . Over the years , more and more companies have been utilizing designers and I think that has positively impacted our industry . Why should young professionals choose a career in the marine industry ? I always encourage designers to join the marine industry because it is one of few industries where you can work on an entire product and see it come to life in a short period of time . Our lifecycles are short enough that you can make significant change and it doesn ’ t take forever for it to happen . I think it is also one of the most rewarding industries to work in because our job is to create absolute joy on the water . When you see people using your products and the memories and experiences they create , that feeling lasts a lifetime .
MARIA GALATI HILL
Social Media Manager , Galati Yacht Sales
What was your first job ? My parents believed in instilling hard work at an early age , something I plan to do with my two daughters . After middle school , my mom would take me to the marina where my dad would find small things for me to do around the office , like putting the address stickers on the back of yacht pamphlets and alphabetizing files . Working with my dad
18 march 2024 www . boatingindustry . com