As a marine industry leader, who has spent her whole life in the boating business, Susan York-Duquette understands the importance of honesty and fostering positive relationships with the individuals of her community.
Q: Since 2010, you and your husband, Rory, have owned and managed Lakeview Marine. What made you decide to take on the role of owner?
York-Duquette: I became the owner of Lakeview Marine after the sudden passing of my father, who owned a dealership in our location since the early 1990s. I felt a sense of responsibility to our employees and clients to continue the business and the services we provide. Both my husband and my mother are both important members of our staff, and the decision to keep the business going was truly because of their support and also based on my love of the industry and a desire to make my career in the boating business.
Q: What is the most interesting decision you’ve made while in the boating business?
York-Duquette: Interesting decisions I believe are ones that are made with more of the big picture in mind, and not purely based on profits. There is a lot of talk in the industry about our customer base aging, and the need to encourage younger people to get on the water. In our community, many people feel like if they cannot afford a boat, they cannot enjoy our lake. With this in mind, we made the decision to expand our offerings to kayak and paddleboard rentals. These rentals are not a profit center but we feel that it is important to give the people of the community more chances to enjoy our lake. I am proud to offer this service and we hope that through it, we may gain new water enthusiasts and future boaters.
Q: We know that many of your family members can be found around the dealership. Do you have certain family values that carry over into your business?
York-Duquette: I grew up in my father’s dealership, and as a result our family was centered around the business in many ways. Today, my children already spend time interacting with our customers and employees. I always advocate for honesty with everyone, and expect that my children will pick up on that as they grow up. I feel that you “get what you give” and if you work hard and treat people fairly then good things will happen for you and your organization. I learned this from my parents in watching how they did business and built positive community relationships over the years.
Q: You currently sit on MRAA Young Leaders Advisory Council. Why do you feel it’s important that the younger side of the industry get involved with YLAC?
York-Duquette: I believe that it is very important for the younger people in the industry to get involved with trade groups because the future of all of our marine businesses depends on having a vibrant and well-organized advocacy group on our side. Issues are being debated on the state and national levels of government that will have direct impact on how we do business, and there needs to be a voice of the industry working on our behalf. Also, there are many issues that are found in common in dealerships around the country, and by working together to face these problems and by learning from each other’s successes and failures, we will be able to better serve the customers. There is strong leadership now working on important matters such as ethanol, water access, and technician availability, and now is the time for the next generation to step up and learn from them, so we may take over those roles in the future.
Q: As always, we want to end with this… What are 5 things that people may not know about you?
York-Duquette:
- My husband and I live in the house I grew up in with our two daughters (Raegan 5 & Sydney 3) and our American bulldog Linkin.
- I am a big sports fan, particularly of the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots! (I know most everyone from outside of NE stopped reading here, but that is ok)
- I have a degree in Sport Management and before I took over the dealership I was intending to have a career in the professional sports world.
- I love to travel and enjoy exploring new places. We are fortunate to be able to travel for dealer meetings each year, and always try to extend one or two of these trips into a vacation in a new place.
- Christmas is my favorite holiday! I love decorating and hosting gatherings for family and friends. It is the one time of the year I get to spend time at home!