yourself while remaining grounded in what’ s achievable. When thinking about long-term goals, I like to work with my team to create our 5-year vision and then set clear, actionable goals that move us toward that future. I prioritize strong habits around accountability and communication, which helps keep me and my team aligned, motivated and able to deliver consistent results. What boat did you learn to boat on? I learned how to drive a boat on a 72-foot double decker catamaran tour boat. Because of the boat’ s flat bottom and our specific docking configuration, this boat was by far the most challenging vessel I have captained. Where is your favorite place to go boating? While I have always been partial to the sunsets of Tampa Bay, boating on the east coast of Florida has really stolen my heart. You absolutely cannot beat cruising on the beautiful blue Atlantic Ocean or around the crystal-clear waters in the Palm Beach area! And of course, having the Bahamas and the Keys close enough for a quick trip is an unbeatable perk. Who was your hero as a child? Growing up, my heroes were my parents. They both taught me strength, gave me the tools and confidence to believe in myself and pursue anything I dreamed. They taught me to have a solid work ethic, while leading with empathy and care for those around me. What are some of your favorite non-boating hobbies? I have been an avid flute and piccolo player since fourth grade. While in college, I earned a minor in music, and even though I was not pursuing a career in music, I continued to study and perform throughout all my years of college. Since moving to Florida, I have performed with numerous community and semi-professional ensembles throughout both the Tampa Bay and South Florida areas.
Currently, I play flute and piccolo with the Stuart Community Concert Band and perform regularly with the Treasure Coast Flute Choir. Music has always been a creative outlet for me, and it’ s something I truly enjoy outside of my career on the water. Why should young professionals choose a career in the marine industry? The opportunities for growth and success in the marine industry are endless. The industry is constantly expanding and evolving, and there’ s truly a place for every passion – whether it’ s operations, engineering, hospitality, conservation or hands on boating. It’ s exciting to see how many different career paths exist and how quickly young professionals can advance – all you need is a good work ethic, drive and a willingness to learn.
THOMAS GROVES
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, LEGEND BOATS
What first drew you to the marine industry? I grew up on the water. Some of my strongest childhood memories were boating with my family and spending time on the lake when visiting my grandparents in Sudbury, Ontario. Years later, while living on the Gulf of Thailand, I felt that same pull toward the water. I understood that the marine industry is not just about boats. It is about helping families create lifelong memories. The opportunity to play a role in that is what ultimately drew me into this industry. What was your first job? My first professional role was as a university professor, teaching photography, media ethics, advertising and marketing as well as running a photography studio with my wife. Teaching forced me to understand how people interpret information, build trust and respond to messaging. It also taught me discipline. That foundation continues to guide my work today. What accomplishments are you most proud of? I am most proud of helping to evolve our marketing department into a measurable growth engine. My focus was on building systems that could amplify that foundation and connect it more directly to measurable results. We introduced clear KPIs, live dashboards, faster lead response processes and a content architecture designed to compound over time. As a result, we reduced lead acquisition costs by 75 percent while significantly increasing engagement, including surpassing one million YouTube views. We also shortened response times from days to under five minutes, improving the customer experience in a tangible way.
Did you have any key mentors or influences in your career? I have been fortunate to have several mentors who shaped both my technical foundation and my leadership style. In education, David Kistle influenced my understanding of public relations and reputation. David Howell and Gloria Walker strengthened my approach to advertising strategy and message clarity. Buddhapon Srisupawat sharpened my creative discipline through photography and visual storytelling.
In the marine industry, I was fortunate to begin my career alongside Jamie Dewar and Marc Duhamel, co-CEOs of Legend Boats and respected leaders within the marine industry.
A key mentor has been Jesse Davis, vice president of Legend Boats. He helped me understand the marine industry from a sales and operational perspective, while sharing practical sales techniques and marketing strategies. 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 has been adapting to rapid shifts in customer buying behavior. Customers are researching differently. They expect transparency, speed and clarity before they ever speak to a salesperson. To address this, we focused on how we reach and educate our audience. We built detailed targeting strategies, stronger audience segmentation and more intentional storytelling. By combining data with strong storytelling, we have been able to meet customers where they are and build trust earlier in the buying journey. How do you hope to inspire others in the marine industry? I hope to inspire others to balance analytics with storytelling. Whether a customer is experienced, buying their first boat or new to North America and discovering boating in a different way, our role is to guide them clearly and responsibly. We need to help people find what truly fits their lifestyle. How do you set goals for yourself and set yourself up for success? Personally, I set learning goals each year and encourage my team to do the same. Growth is not ac-
www. boatingindustry. com march 2026
17