Debbie Meigs received the Darlene Briggs Marine Woman of the Year Award at the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas lunch and awards ceremony Wednesday sponsored by Regal Marine at the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo.
Meigs, who has worked in Cobalt Boats’ customer service department for 26 years, said she teared up when she heard she was getting the prestigious award because of the women who have come before her.
“I’ve met so many strong women in this industry,” Meigs said. “I’ve learned from these women, and I hope they’ve learned from me.”
Meigs is no stranger to winning awards; she has helped Cobalt earn JD Power’s first-place award for customer satisfaction for seven consecutive years.
“I love working with [CEO and co-owner] Paxson St. Clair,” Meigs said. “And a very special thanks to Pack [St. Clair, founder] for giving me a chance. I’m very honored to be included in this very elite group.”
As she accepted her award, she gave a quote by Golda Meir.
“Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.”
Later she told Soundings Trade Only she believes that working and being away from home had actually made her children stronger and more independent, a point appreciated by at least one reporter who was missing her family.
The Irv Rosenthal Award was given to Joe Lewis of the Mount Dora Boating Center.
Read more about Meigs and Lewis, the awards ceremony and MDCE in January’s Soundings Trade Only and in Friday’s online newsletter.
— Reagan Haynes
