Dear Stingray Customers,

 

First off, all of us here at Stingray would like to wish you and yours a very Happy Easter! Here’s to celebrating our risen Savior, hiding Easter eggs, and gathering with family and friends. This year is flying by. We find ourselves at the beginning of Spring, and the weather is getting warmer. With warmer weather comes more opportunities to get out on the water in your Stingray boat!

 

On March 20, 2024, Stingray eclipsed 45 years of manufacturing legendary boats, and we’re excited for the bright future ahead. In the plant, we’re busy working on the all-new 23 OCX model. The 23 OCX is the cuddy cabin sister to the recently released 23 OSX, the open bow model. The assembly team is perfecting the process of how all the pieces come together, and the engineering team is fine tuning the performance characteristics. This is a new design for the 2025 model year, so expect to see more on this model in the coming months.

 

Outside of the plant, we’re in the meaty part of boat show season. Shows are happening all over the country, and dealers are stocking their booths and ready to make incredible deals on new models. Be sure to check Stingray’s website and social media channels for a show near you. If you can’t make a boat show, dealers are also holding various open houses and demo days on a regular basis.

 

Another change behind the scenes to share with you is that we recently welcomed a new Chief Financial Officer, Warren Felkel. Warren started in late January and is an incredible addition to the Stingray family. He succeeds Barry Godwin, who retired in January after two decades of service to the company. We’re excited about the energy Warren brings to us as we welcome him into the fold.

 

We hope you’re enjoying time with family and friends and getting out on the water in your Stingray boat this Spring. We always look forward to seeing your customer-submitted photos on the company website and social media channels... Keep ‘em coming!

We wish everyone a Happy Easter!

READY FOR A STINGRAY?

In the market for a beautiful new Stingray? Visit our calendar of events to find out when we’ll have models on display in your neck of the woods!

PICTURE YOURSELF!

You may have seen our latest marketing campaign “Picture Yourself as Part of the Legend”, with a nod to our 45-year history and eye on the future for our company. We know that you are what has made these last 45 years legendary, so we are giving you the opportunity to be featured in one of our 45th anniversary legendary ads in Boating Magazine and the chance to win a swag bag for you and your crew of three. Submit your best Stingray photos below and don’t forget to follow us on social to be entered!

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

QUALITY CONTROL SUPERVISOR - CRYSTAL LAWSON

 

There’s a special person behind the scenes ensuring you’re getting the utmost quality in your new Stingray, and that’s our Quality Control Supervisor Crystal Lawson. Halloween this year will mark eight years for Crystal with us, and she’s been an integral part of our daily build process ever since. When a mold is brought to our patch department, Crystal’s hands and eyes are all over the product, inspecting each one. From knowing every spot on the boat, to the materials that go into the models, she plays an integral part in ensuring what you receive is at our best.

 

With nearly two decades of experience in boatbuilding over her career, Crystal is one of the first to identify how much she loves the people she works with, and how much they’ve helped and supported her growth both personally and professionally over the years.

 

When she’s not inspecting our boats, you can find Crystal pursuing her passion for gardening and working in her flowerbeds tending to nature – which also conveys her attention to detail. And then there’s Blackjack, her Shetland pony. While he has an interesting trait of walking backwards, Crystal has her eye on the future and is constantly moving forward.

 

“My name is on each one of these boats we build, and the satisfaction the customers receive from our hard work means the world to me,” said Crystal.

DIRECTOR OF MANUFACTURING - RICK FUNDERBURK

 

We’ve got a lot of moving parts, procedures, and skilled crafts people coming together each day in harmony, like an orchestra, and someone has to be the conductor to lead the charge. That dedicated individual is our Director of Manufacturing Rick Funderburk.

 

With the responsibilities of overseeing the entire production side of the process, setting daily goals for the group, and helping personnel and products from the warehouse, lamination, and assembly all come together, Rick has his finger on the pulse of Stingray. He brings firsthand knowledge to the team as he started on the plant floor installing rub rails in the cap department 18 years ago. Working his way up the ladder, Rick is quick to acknowledge that the opportunity for growth here is a reality.

 

When Rick’s not running the manufacturing side of Stingray, he’s being run by his five grandchildren. Spending time with his family – which also includes his wife and kids – is incredibly important to him. Whether it’s playing golf, traveling, attending concerts, or just getting some yardwork done, it’s easy to see that it takes an organized and dedicated individual to oversee a big family – and that holds true for Rick’s personal family and his work family here at Stingray.

 

“One of things I love here at Stingray is that when we work through solutions, you’re heard both professionally and personally by others. I’m truly grateful here, and I love coming to work every day,” said Rick.