Bob is the General Manager of Union Marine’s Fife and Pacific Nautiques locations. Union Marine is Seattle’s authorized boat dealer for Bayliner, Bennington, Boston Whaler, Heyday, MasterCraft, Nautique and Sea Ray with four locations in Puget Sound — Bellingham, Fife, Issaquah and Seattle.
A seasoned veteran of the boating business, Bob joined Union Marine last year. He started his career at Lake of the Ozarks and previously worked for Cope & McPhetres (California), Port Arrowhead (Missouri), MarineMax (Dallas) and most recently at Hagadone Marine (Coeur d’Alene). Bob’s specialty has been tow boats since 2002. Bob currently serves on the Boat Show Committee.
What do you most appreciate about NMTA?
The organization is very well run and managed and I’m impressed with the overall team vibe.
As a new Boat Show Committee member, what are your observations? What have you learned about the show or the committee?
I like the overall cohesiveness of not only the boat dealers, but also the vendors, service providers and suppliers working toward a common goal. I also appreciate NMTA working at the state level on issues that affect us all. I have worked in several markets and this particular market has a TEAM feel that not all markets have.
Personal boating history:
I learned to boat on my grandfather’s 1967 Aristo-Craft. I still love that boat, the styling was so unique, especially with the sliding hard top! My best memories are my grandpa ripping up the Osage River in Missouri, at a blistering 35 MPH! My first boat was a 1984 Wellcraft Nova XL. I have owned four Novas.
Where is your favorite place to go boating?
Upper Priest Lake, Idaho. There’s no better place to get away!
What’s your idea of a perfect day on the water?
Relaxing with my wife, Kathy. Some great tunes, a few cocktails, see the sights.
What are some fun things NMTA members might be surprised to learn about you?
I am not great at remembering names. But once a customer reminds me of their name, I can usually tell them the stock number they purchased, what they paid, and what they traded in. Weird.
What do you like to do when not boating?
Jeeping, overlanding, exploring. Kathy and I enjoy going places that most folks couldn’t get to. I have Jeeped all over the western half of the country. There is nothing that gets my juices flowing quite like a sunset in Death Valley.
