// PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP
ferred with the project and we didn’ t hit it off very well. I remember getting my first hull from their lamination department and not being happy with the quality. I told the lamination manager,“ This isn’ t how we built Triumphs,” and showed him what I wanted done. I told him to call me over so I could accept it before it was released. I was called into the office and told I was now in“ their house” and shouldn’ t rock the boat.
I expressed how hard I’ d worked to raise the quality of the boats we were building. I was a proud and stubborn young man, and I bucked their system for a couple of months with similar issues. They eventually called me into the office and said that because of the continued demise of our industry they had to lay me off. It was a nice way to let me go because I was a bit of a thorn in their side.
BI: Your next stop was Intrepid? KC: Yes, I joined Intrepid in March 1991, just a few weeks after being let go from Wellcraft. The owner of
When he’ s not fully immersed in manufacturing and design, Clinton enjoys family time along with wind therapy aboard his Harley-Davidson.
Intrepid was a Japanese businessman, Yoshiro Katami. He saw the opportunity with a bunch of experienced, unemployed boat builders in the area and a fully functional facility that had been abandoned by Viking / Gulfstar due to the luxury tax; they had consolidated all operations to New Jersey.
The # Boatgoat won“ Most Impactful Marine Industry Professional” in The Current Awards for social media, a testament to his impressive following which clamors for his signature, hands-on factory videos and inspirational t-shirt images and content.
BI: As you reflect on 30 years at Intrepid and a string of promotions from the ground floor to the president’ s office, what allowed you to rise through the ranks? KC: First, I truly cared and was extremely proud of the work I did … and as I climbed the ranks, I was just as proud of the teams I led. I learned early on that no matter how good I was, I was only as good as the people I surrounded myself with … I understood I had to personally invest in them, or my future success would be limited.
The best part about that process is, over time, it becomes more than just about the boats. You become family. You share everything together and trust is earned on both sides. That’ s when the magic happens!
www. boatingindustry. com may 2025
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