Marine Industry Lifetime Achievement Award in Memory of Charles Chapman
The Marine Industry Lifetime Achievement Award honors an individual whose contributions have made an enduring impact on the recreational marine manufacturing industry.
Recipients of this award demonstrate excellence in one or more of the following areas:
• Commitment through sustained involvement and leadership in the industry
• Impact through innovation, design, safety, environmental practices, policy development, or expanding public access
• Leadership as a business owner, association leader, educator, or advocate
• Community Service that benefits the boating public, including efforts in access, safety, education, or advocacy
• Promotion of Boating through media, events, education, or outreach that increase awareness and appreciation for the boating lifestyle
Whether their influence has been felt over years or in a shorter, transformative span, recipients leave a legacy that reaches beyond their own organization, elevating the broader marine industry.
QUESTIONS
2026: William H. McGill, Jr., MarineMax
Bill McGill
William H. McGill, Jr., is a visionary leader whose career spans over five decades and whose unrelenting passion for the boating lifestyle has transformed an industry. Bill was raised on a farm and following a mechanical engineering degree worked as a test engineer for the SR71 engines, helped develop life support systems for NASA, and manufacturing engineering for Colgate. Over 52 years ago, Bill recognized the positive impact boating has on families and turned that passion into a lifelong career. In 1973, he purchased Gulfwind Marine on the west coast of Florida. Over the next 25 years, he grew these operations into one of the largest marine dealerships in the country.
In 1998, Bill merged five independent dealerships to form MarineMax, Inc., and took the company public on the NYSE under the ticker symbol HZO in June 1998. As Chief Executive Officer from its inception and later as Chairman of the Board, President, and Director, he guided MarineMax’s growth into the world’s largest recreational boat, yacht, and superyacht services company, with over $2 billion in revenue and more than two million customers globally. Effective October 2018, he assumed the role of Executive Chairman, a position he held until his retirement from the Board in June 2024.
Bill’s leadership philosophy, which he calls “relentless caring,” emphasizes kindness, empathy, and genuine concern for customers, team members and their families. Under his guidance, MarineMax pioneered a “pull” model of marine retailing, putting the customer’s needs and desires at the center of every interaction, rather than relying on traditional mass-market “push” sales. This approach not only redefined customer service in boating but set a new standard for the entire industry.
His contributions to recreational boating extend beyond business. Bill has been recognized with awards such as the C.N. Ray Lifetime Achievement Award from Sea Ray, and under his leadership, MarineMax earned Boating Industry magazine’s top dealer honors and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. He has served on numerous industry councils and advocacy groups, including the Governor’s Florida Council of 100, and championing the positive impact of boating on families and communities.
In March 2024, he published his first book, Relentless Caring, sharing his approach to leadership and the enduring power of kindness in business. Even in retirement from MarineMax, Bill continues to pursue a hydrogen energy project to advance sustainability for society and the boating industry.
Bill is a lifelong enthusiast of boating, water skiing, snow skiing, mountain biking, and marathon running. He has three grown children, nine grandchildren, and currently resides in Utah with his wife and two younger daughters.