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Leon Slikkers, a marine industry pioneer and 1999 NMMA Hall of Fame inductee, whose career building boats dates back to the 1940s, is retiring from Tiara Yachts, the company announced this week.

An industry trendsetter who bucked conventional wisdom when it came to building boats out of fiberglass instead of wood, Slikkers, now 93, founded S2 Yachts in 1974. The company initially focused on trailerable sailboats, but as it grew – armed with greater access to capital and Slikkers’ unrelenting drive to innovate in a highly competitive industry, S2 began building power boats shortly thereafter.

That eventually led to the creation of Tiara Yachts, an industry leader in mid-sized luxury yachts that currently employs over 600 people at its state-of-the-art 800,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Holland. 

“This company, its rich history and all that it has accomplished wouldn’t have been possible if not for the vision, passion and unyielding entrepreneurial drive that our father has demonstrated for a lot of decades,” said Tom Slikkers, CEO and President of Tiara Yachts, a position he’s held since 2012. “His dedication to excellence and the translation of his passion for boat building across three generations will be a lasting legacy as we continue to provide exceptional customer service and highly specialized products.”

Access the complete release from Tiara Yachts here.