Marine Industry Pioneers Inducted to NMMA Hall of Fame
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) will induct two industry pioneers into the organization’s hall of fame, its most prestigious honor. Joan Maxwell, president and co-founder of Regulator Marine, and Bill Watters, president of Syntec Industries, will be presented with the 2021 NMMA Hall of Fame Award during the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX). The ceremony takes place at the show’s annual Industry Breakfast on Tuesday, September 28 from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street in Tampa, FL.
“It’s my honor to bestow the 2021 NMMA Hall of Fame Award to my longtime friend and colleague Joan Maxwell,” said Ben Speciale, President, Yamaha Marine Business Unit. “Joan is the epitome of leader, who serves her company and the recreational boating industry with the highest level of integrity. She not only laid the foundation for the success of Regulator Marine, she has fostered countless achievements for our industry and her community.”
A Trailblazer
Maxwell, president and co-founder of Regulator Marine, is a trailblazer who has devoted her working life to the marine industry. Regulator has grown to be a leading manufacturer of offshore fishing boats and earned a reputation as one of the most well-respected brands in the boating industry for more than 30 years.
Founded by Joan and her husband Owen in 1988 in an abandoned A&P Grocery Store, Regulator now operates in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Edenton, NC where its team continues to evolve to meet customer demand.
As a respected leader of a premier boat company, Joan Maxwell has been actively engaged in the (NMMA). In an historically male dominated industry, she became the first woman to Chair the NMMA board of Directors and currently remains on the Boat Divisional Manufacturer’s Board.
Maxwell’s passion is to personally live out Regulator’s mission – to build the best center console sportfishing boats with people, processes and resources to honor God – and lead her team to do the same. She demonstrates and demands the highest levels of integrity from her leadership team and this extends to the factory floor where team members take pride in the company’s motto “Quality before Delivery.”
Giving Back
Her dedication to service is evident not only at Regulator, but also to the local community. Maxwell serves on the Edenton-Chowan Partnership Board and established a volunteer program at Regulator Marine that pays employees their regular wages during working hours while they volunteer their time and services to local organizations of their choosing. In 2018, she established the “In His Service” program at Regulator, which oversees Regulator’s charitable giving, as well as its employee emergency assistance fund. Currently, she is a member of C12, a Christian-based leaders’ roundtable that focuses on building better businesses for a greater purpose.
Recognized as a leader at her company and in the recreational boating industry, Maxwell’s accomplishments include: the 2018 Hammond Marine Industry Leadership Award; the Darlene Briggs Marine Woman of the Year Award and the National Association of Manufacturer’s STEP award.
She grew up in rural Fairfield, NC, graduating from Mattamuskeet High School and the University of North Carolina, where she received a BA in history. She is married to Owen Maxwell and they reside in Edenton, NC.
Behind the Scenes
Jay Patton, president of the American Boatbuilders Association, said of this year’s next Hall of Fame recipient, Bill Watters, “For 35 years, Bill has worked tirelessly to build Syntec Industries into one of the most successful and innovative marine suppliers. All along the way, he has been a champion for the boating industry, dedicating his time and efforts to numerous boards and committees, advocating for the greater good and leaving a lasting legacy.”
President of Syntec Industries, Watters has been a driving force in the recreational boating industry for more than three decades. He attended the University of Georgia and graduated with a degree in Agricultural Engineering. Upon graduation, he began working at his father’s yarn manufacturing company, Integrated Products. He began selling yarn to Sea Ray, and after attending Marketing Days at the Miami Boat Show and IMTEC in Chicago, realizing there was a great potential for carpet sales in the marine industry.
In 1986, he and his brothers Tom, Thad and Joe formed Syntec Industries and began selling carpet to the marine industry. Syntec has been a major supplier to the marine industry ever since. He brought innovative products to market and set trends for boat builders that positively influenced boat sales.
Watters leadership and service have also been instrumental to the growth of the recreational boating industry. He’s served in multiple roles on the MACD, NMMA, Grow Boating and MLA Boards, including chairman of each. He has been AMD Chair- and Vice Chairperson, and a member of the Recreational Boating Leadership Council. To help expose boat builders to the best suppliers in the marine industry, Watters has also been a driving force behind IBEX, and has served as IBEX Planning Committee Chairperson.
He also gives back to his community with his time, energy and financial support. Watters supports multiple youth groups, local organizations and charities in his hometown of Rome, Georgia, including the Darlington School Board, YMCA, Jaycees, Boy Scouts of America, Floyd Healthcare Foundation, Kiki’s Kids, Coosa Valley Soil & Water Conservancy & Development and the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, to name just a few.