2021
Grady Recognitions Instill Company Pride in 2021
Throughout 2021, the demand for boats remained strong - a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that drove people’s desire to engage in socially distanced outdoor activities. It was exciting to see the number of people new to boating grow by leaps and bounds. The Grady-White leadership team continued to encounter unique supply chain challenges, but through the development of new and improved processes and working alongside our valued dealers, we were able to surmount the issues to deliver new boats to our anxiously awaiting customers. We also welcomed the opportunity to gather again with our dealers, customers, and those seeking to join The Grady Life, as boat shows, and other in-person events returned. While many continued to wear masks and day-to-day living around the world remained affected by concerns derived from the virus, we found ways to come together and share in our love of boating and all things Grady-White.
For the 19th consecutive year, Grady-White Boats was presented the prestigious Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Award by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. This recognition continued their streak of obtaining EVERY third-party customer satisfaction award ever presented in the boating industry and further solidified Grady-White’s position as an exceptional high-quality boat manufacturer. Upon receiving the award, Mark Doggett, Grady-White Executive Vice President said, “This award represents the unmatched level of dedication to customer satisfaction that every Grady-White employee works hard to deliver every day.”
In the spring, Jill Carraway, Vice President of Finance, was recognized with the 2021 STEP Ahead Award. The STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Production) Ahead initiative commends women in the manufacturing industry by highlighting their achievements. Having consistently dedicated herself to Grady-White and the boating industry for more than 25 years, Jill joined co-workers Kris Carroll (2017) and Shelley Tubaugh (2018) as part of this esteemed group of women.
David Neese, Grady-White’s Vice President of Engineering retired in May after a rewarding 45-year career with the company. Throughout his tenure, David not only led the engineers that imagined and brought to fruition many of our most notable models, innovations, and patented features, but also served as our spokesperson in numerous new model and how-to videos. Having joined Grady-White’s engineering team in 1988 and worked alongside of David for all those years, Joe Hunter assumed the helm of Engineering, working to design new boats and features as well as being actively involved with production, ensuring the team’s vision is precisely implemented on every model.
Just in time for the start of the fall boat show season, Grady-White introduced a sleek and stylish new T-top for four popular models, the Fisherman 216, 236, 257 and the 251 Coastal Explorer. The painted aluminum frame with a full height integrated scratch-resistant windshield, LED spreader and recessed lights, overhead handholds and handrails was an updated nod to Grady-White’s dedication to continuous improvement.
