Red Stripe
Member
No need to sell any of us on how amazing boating is on so many levels. One of my most cherished parts of the boating life is how it brings together people with a deep and common bond who might otherwise never have met. If I had never been in the market for My last boat, chances are I would never have never met Jim Shepard. I was on my way to spend a few days in Sarasota in 2010 and was connected to Jim, who was the General Manager of the Sarasota MarineMax at the time, so I could spend some real time aboard a model I was interested in and do a sea trial. I remember it like it was yesterday. I liked Jim instantly when we met. He was not a salesperson. He was a boater. He joined my friends and I on board and while he answered questions and was thoroughly helpful, he made a point of getting out of our way as we explored and sat and pushed buttons and crawled around every space on the boat. And while Jim spent a lot of time that day in the background, his passion for being on the water was clear. So was his desire to make the boat shopping experience, something that we all know can be fraught with difficulty and anxiety, as enjoyable as possible.
We returned a few days later for the sea trial. The basin at the Sarasota MarineMax is tight and the passage between the bulkheads out into the bay is narrow. And it was particularly challenging on this day with a strong cross-wind. No matter - Jim piloted the boat out of its slip and into open water with confidence and precision. As a result of that great initial experience with Jim I was at Yacht Expo a few weeks later where Jim worked closely with me to make sure we not only had a spectacular time, but were completely satisfied with the deal he helped us put together. Incidentally, the boat we ended up buying was that very boat from Jim's inventory which we had toured and sea-trialed over my birthday weekend.
We took delivery of our new boat over New Year’s week with Jim literally rolling out the red carpet and making the experience more special than we ever could have expected, topped off with Jim and his partner, Mark, throwing us a truly memorable christening party on New Year’s eve and joining us for our naming ceremony on New Year’s Day. When he dropped me off at the airport at the end of an extraordinary week in Sarasota, I knew our professional relationship had evolved into a true friendship. And indeed, Jim quickly became one of our best friends. We had a long list of amazing boating adventures together: South Seas, Atlantic City, Mystic and many more. Even a trip of a lifetime in the British Virgin Islands.
I think most people recognize that as we get older we become more selective about striking up new relationships and establishing deep friendships becomes a rare occurrence. Thankfully, a mutual love of boating, being on the water and that passion we immediately saw in Jim when we met brought us together, and for that we will be forever grateful.
Jim had a profound and personal understanding of the the thrill of owning a boat. But one of the reasons he was so good at what he did was that he ultimately understood that a boat is a means to an end. What counts the most are the memories it makes. And he understood that because he was a boater through and through. He didn’t just “get it,” he lived it. Two years ago MarineMax created the position of National Director of Operations to better tap into Jim’s passionate desire to raise the bar in the world of retail boat sales and service. And while that’s a job that would have kept him busy for years, nobody was better suited to point the ship in the right direction.
Jim Shepard passed away on May 15th after a very sudden, unexpected illness. I’m still stunned by the reality of it all as I sit here on my flight home from his beautiful, waterside memorial which took place over this past weekend. I know some of you may have gotten to know Jim over the years but even if you didn’t, please know that some way, some how, your experience on the water is likely better because of him.
So we ring eight bells for Jim and wish him fair winds and calm seas.
From Jim's beautifully powerful service...
James M. Shepard
We returned a few days later for the sea trial. The basin at the Sarasota MarineMax is tight and the passage between the bulkheads out into the bay is narrow. And it was particularly challenging on this day with a strong cross-wind. No matter - Jim piloted the boat out of its slip and into open water with confidence and precision. As a result of that great initial experience with Jim I was at Yacht Expo a few weeks later where Jim worked closely with me to make sure we not only had a spectacular time, but were completely satisfied with the deal he helped us put together. Incidentally, the boat we ended up buying was that very boat from Jim's inventory which we had toured and sea-trialed over my birthday weekend.
We took delivery of our new boat over New Year’s week with Jim literally rolling out the red carpet and making the experience more special than we ever could have expected, topped off with Jim and his partner, Mark, throwing us a truly memorable christening party on New Year’s eve and joining us for our naming ceremony on New Year’s Day. When he dropped me off at the airport at the end of an extraordinary week in Sarasota, I knew our professional relationship had evolved into a true friendship. And indeed, Jim quickly became one of our best friends. We had a long list of amazing boating adventures together: South Seas, Atlantic City, Mystic and many more. Even a trip of a lifetime in the British Virgin Islands.
I think most people recognize that as we get older we become more selective about striking up new relationships and establishing deep friendships becomes a rare occurrence. Thankfully, a mutual love of boating, being on the water and that passion we immediately saw in Jim when we met brought us together, and for that we will be forever grateful.
Jim had a profound and personal understanding of the the thrill of owning a boat. But one of the reasons he was so good at what he did was that he ultimately understood that a boat is a means to an end. What counts the most are the memories it makes. And he understood that because he was a boater through and through. He didn’t just “get it,” he lived it. Two years ago MarineMax created the position of National Director of Operations to better tap into Jim’s passionate desire to raise the bar in the world of retail boat sales and service. And while that’s a job that would have kept him busy for years, nobody was better suited to point the ship in the right direction.
Jim Shepard passed away on May 15th after a very sudden, unexpected illness. I’m still stunned by the reality of it all as I sit here on my flight home from his beautiful, waterside memorial which took place over this past weekend. I know some of you may have gotten to know Jim over the years but even if you didn’t, please know that some way, some how, your experience on the water is likely better because of him.
So we ring eight bells for Jim and wish him fair winds and calm seas.
From Jim's beautifully powerful service...
James M. Shepard
