Sail America Board Director John Peterson Recognized with SAIL Industry Award for Leadership

Sail America Board Director and former Board President John Peterson, director of sales and marketing for Hunter Marine Corporation in Alachua, Florida, was awarded the SAIL Magazine Industry Award for Leadership on October 5, during a ceremony at the Annapolis Sailboat Show. “SAIL is honored to present this year’s leadership award to one of our industry’s most respected individuals—a smart businessman, great guy, and a leader in every sense of the word,” said SAIL publisher Josh Adams, who presented the award.

As one of Sail America’s leaders, Peterson first served in 1997 as a board member, then later served as boat show chairman and board president from 2000-2004. He currently sits on Sail America’s Board of Directors.

In 1994, Luhrs Marine Group brought John Peterson on board as Hunter Marine’s director of sales and marketing. By the year 2000, John had grown Hunter into the successful company it is today, doubling sales volume to become a leading sailboat manufacturer in North America. “John’s appointment set the stage for Hunter’s sharp growth starting in the late 1990s and gave the sailing industry a strategic thinker, strong leader, and someone who continues to create opportunities for the company and the industry via significant partnerships,” Adams said. Those partnerships include development of Hunter’s small-boat segment, targeting entry-level sailors with marketing efforts that have benefited both Hunter and the industry; providing new Hunter keelboats to Offshore Sailing School to be used in their Liveaboard Cruising courses, and joining up with SailTime to sell over 100 keelboats from 33 to 44 feet into the fractional-sailing program (with 20 to 30 more added each year).

Originally from Wisconsin, Peterson is a graduate of Marquette University and proud father of five kids. He lives in Gainesville, FL.

Go Back