At the Helm: Change is constant and that’s ok

By Adam Quandt

If you’ve thumbed through the pages of recent issues of Boating Industry lately, you may have noticed we talk about change a lot. It’s been hard not to, especially over the last two years. We’ve seen changes in technology, changes in leadership, you name it. Change is constant.

And while some of these changes have been forced because of a pandemic or current business climate, change is not always a bad thing.

One of the biggest changes today is in the workforce and age of its members. While we still have a ways to go, there are a lot of promising young leaders in the recreational boating industry paving a path for a successful future. This issue is a salute to those young professionals and the promise they show for the future of the industry. Boating Industry’s 40 Under 40 program features young leaders found across every segment in various roles and have been selected for their hard work and efforts in carrying the industry into a new era.

It is my hope that this issue inspires you to not only embrace change within your business, but also take note of the younger talent you have on your teams. And to other young professionals reading this issue, it is my hope that this year’s 40 Under 40 inspire you to continue pushing forward, to continue pushing limits and to ensure that you have a voice in this industry.

We seem to be at a very pivotal moment for our industry as we continue to ride the wave of success we’ve shared in recently. Whether through mentorship, education, apprenticeship, etc., now is our moment to prepare our industry and its workforce for the next 10-plus years.

Changes at Boating Industry

As you may have read in the last issue of Boating Industry, change is also happening here on our end.

I just wanted to take a moment to say I’m so excited to take the helm at Boating Industry! The opportunity to lead a brand with a 90-plus year history is truly an honor and I’m thrilled to help take BI into the future.

I also want to extend a huge thank you to my predecessors Jonathan Sweet, Tim Hennagir and David Gee, as well as EPG CEO Marion Minor, who have all served and continue to serve as mentors in guiding me to where I am today.

On another note of change, you will notice a new staff byline in this issue. I’m very excited to officially welcome Jaden “Jamie” Stafford to the team, as Boating Industry’s new Associate Editor.

Here’s to the next era of Boating Industry and thank you for joining us on this journey!

Source: https://boatingindustry.com/columns/2022/03/23/at-the-helm-change-is-constant-and-thats-ok/