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Sylvan Leopold “Ham” Hamberger passed away on July 24, 2015 in Palm Desert, California at the age of 89.  Hamberger was a graduate of the University of Baltimore with an undergraduate degree in Industrial Management and attended the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.  Over the course of his 40-year career in the marine industry, Hamberger was well recognized as an industry leader and marketing innovator, and in 1995 he was one of the first individuals to be inducted into the National Marine Manufacturers Association’s Hall of Fame. From his early days as partner in a Baltimore marine dealership to top positions with major engine and boat manufacturers, Hamberger was always quick to recognize opportunity and develop ideas on the cutting edge. Known for his personal style, he stood out for his congenial nature, original ideas and ability to dramatize stories and advice with memorable visual images.

 

For 22 years, Hamberger worked at Mercury Marine.  He directed many successful advertising campaigns for the company, including the famous “Black Max” ad and the memorable “Switch Ad” series, which showed dealers who chose to sell his products over those of competitors.   He left Mercury in 1979 to work for Boston Whaler before joining Yamaha Motor Corporation in 1982 as division manager of Yamaha Outboards.  There, he successfully orchestrated the introduction of Yamaha Outboards into the U.S. market and was elected senior vice president, general manager and board member for Yamaha Motors USA.  Through Hamberger’s guidance, Yamaha’s outboard motor division captured 15 percent of the market, moving from scratch to sales of more than $300 million.  In 1989, Hamberger left Yamaha to become president, CEO and partner at Tracker Marine. Through his direction, Tracker Marine accelerated quickly as an industry leader.

 

Through his distinguished career, Hamberger’s training and development programs became legendary in the boating world. Many industry executives recount his famous “briefcase story,” a motivational speech about how his briefcase could carry a wealth of customer benefits, and how product knowledge could lead to business success and a prosperous future. Closing with something the audience was sure to remember, Hamberger climbed on the briefcase, telling his audience, “If you forget everything else, you will remember a fat man standing on a briefcase.”

In addition to his very active business career, he also found time to serve the marine industry as a whole.  He held positions as chairman and interim president for the National Marine Manufacturers Association, and chairman of the Association of Marine Engine Manufacturers, and on directors’ boards for the National Association of Boat Manufacturers, the American Sportfishing Association, the Federal Boat Safety Advisory Council, the American Boat and Yacht Council and the American Water Ski Education Foundation.  He also was active in NMMA boat and sportshows as chairman of the NMMA Shows Committee. In addition, Hamberger served as a member of the Board of Directors of Cobalt Boats in Neodesha, Kansas.  Since his retirement in 1994, Ham had been living in Palm Desert, California, where he continued to remain active in the industry as a consultant.

 

Donations can be made to the charity of your choice in Ham’s memory.

 

Memorial service plans are pending.  Uecker-Witt Funeral Home 524 N Park Ave, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin is assisting the family.