Boat Leader
9/25/2006 12:32:34 PM by Sandy Lindsey
Irwin Jacobs has made quite a name for himself in the industry and currently sits comfortably at the top of his game and on the boat of his choice from one of the many brands he has at his disposal.
Photo courtesy of Jacobs Management
To say that Irwin Jacobs is one of the most influential people in the boating industry is a massive understatement. As chairman and chief executive officer of Genmar Holdings, Inc., he helms a boat manufacturing fleet that encompasses 12 boat brands, nine manufacturing centers, 5,000 employees, and 1,000 authorized independent dealers. The result was approximately $1 billion dollars in 2005 model-year sales as well as bringing plenty of newcomers to the sport of boating through the Genmar boat shows in high-traffic areas such as super-center parking lots.
An avid boater himself, Jacobs wants to share the opportunity for the good feelings and family fun that tend to happen when anyone gets out on the water. "My idea is to get in front of people who never had the opportunity to get to a boat show because of timing or cost," says Jacobs. "We want to make getting a boat as easy as it can be. That's the idea behind the no-cost boat shows Genmar has hosted, doing event sales at large retail sites such as Costco and Wal-Mart, our website, dealer excursions and more."
Irwin Jacobs doesn't currently own a boat of his own, but if you had Marquis Yachts, Carver Yachts, Four Winns, Wellcraft, Glastron, Hydra Sports, Champion, Ranger, Triumph, and Sea Swirl boats at your disposal, you probably wouldn't either. "I think it's important that I try out a lot of our boats," says Jacobs. And who in his enviable position wouldn't agree? "I want to try boats from all our lines as frequently as I can. Boats make us more versatile. You can eat, sleep, socialize, fish on them and more. You can't go out on the water in a truck."
Does Jacobs ever take any time off to actually relax?
"I spend an enormous amount of time on boats, and enjoy a relaxing cruise. I love to fish," reports Jacobs. "In fact, one of my wackiest moments on the water occurred while fishing. We were bass fishing in Canada. It seemed like just another lazy day fishing when this tiny sunfish grabs my hard bait." You can almost hear the groan of frustration at this point. "Suddenly this huge muskie grabs the sunfish and the challenge is on. That fish was absolute magic in the air." After a hearty battle, Jacobs was able to boat the 51-inch muskie, which wouldn't fit in any net they had on board. It was quickly released.
Jacobs is such a bass fishing enthusiast that he purchased FLW Outdoors in 1996 to promote the sport. This munificent Jacobs, while still a shrewd businessman, is a contrast to his earlier persona "Irv the Liquidator." Before Genmar, Jacobs was one of the most imposing men on Wall Street. A famous corporate raider in the 1980s, he is best known for his attempted takeovers of Kaiser Steel, Walt Disney, Pabst Brewing and others.
The passion for all things water that led Jacobs to acquire his first boat company in 1978 and steadily grow things ever since hasn't flagged.
In 2004, he received the prestigious Marine Manufacturers Association of America Boating Pioneer Award for his work and innovations during Genmar's then-26 years of growing from one boat company into the world's largest privately held boat builder. Now you just know this is a guy who enjoys going to work, especially when the office on any given day may be a boat.